McCain Wants to Skip Debate and Fix Economy on Friday Night Instead.

In a move to do an end run around Obama, McCain  suggested that everyone take a time out so that he can go to Washington and fully concentrate on our economic doom. Obama, rightly, suggested Senator McCain needs to multitask a bit more, given that as president, you can't stop the merry go round and, for example, send Iran to a timeout while you spank the naughty North Korean bottom.

 

The N.Y Times writes:

Although Mr. McCain was the first to emerge on Wednesday afternoon and announce a change in campaign plans, Mr. Obama began the exchange with his Republican rival on Wednesday morning.

“At 8:30 this morning, Senator Obama called Senator McCain to ask him if he would join in issuing a joint statement outlining their shared principles and conditions for the Treasury proposal and urging Congress and the White House to act in a bipartisan manner to pass such a proposal,” said Bill Burton, the spokesman for the Obama campaign.

“At 2:30 this afternoon,” he added, “Senator McCain returned Senator Obama’s call and agreed to join him in issuing such a statement.” Some Democrats reacted skeptically to Mr. McCain’s surprise announcement, charging that it seemed like a political ploy to try to gain the confidence of voters concerned about the economy.

Team Obama was surprised at McCain's sudden announcement to suspend the debate and campaign, and one can be sure this has nothing to do with a recent L.A. Times poll showing Obama in the lead (49-45). Nothing. It also has nothing to do with the recent news that one of McCain's staff was actually still receiving income from Freddie Mac, in contrast to McCain's previous assertions (lies). And it has absolutely nothing to do with McCain's desire to push back the vice presidential debate to some unspecified point in the future (like never) so that Palin can continue her crash course in understanding the world.

The real problem is not that McCain is unprepared, per se, but that he faces a conflict between the perception he would like to give in a debate, and the reality of what he will do to help (or not help) Secretary Paulson's bailout plan.  McCain himself is probably not sure what he will do, and does not want to be on the record Friday, only for reality to dictate a different position. That is, he would rather deal with reality first, and then shape that reality into advertising or campaign talking points.