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September 24, 2008
Campaign Suspension
I think this is a very prudent move on McCains part. Your move, oh Great One.
Update:
Ramesh posits that this isn't a good idea for McCain:
But it is hard to see what McCain can do to help, and easy to see how his intervention could hurt. He brings, as he himself has admitted in the past, no expertise to the table. And won't Democrats be less likely to cooperate on a plan if doing so will help make McCain be the hero of the hour?
So McCain's move may have been a mistake on substance. It may prove to be a political mistake too: If McCain can't bring both parties together in an economic crisis after staking so much on it, won't voters draw adverse conclusions about his leadership ability?
I'm not so sure. If nothing happens for the reasons Ramesh suggests, McCain can rightly point out the pure partisanship of the Democrats and their nominee, especially if Obama stays out of it. This action, even if it doesn't work, still points to a "Country First" attitude while the Obama campaign, with it's "that's nice, but we have a campaign to run" attitude will come off as selfish.
FWIW.
More:
The other major benefit is that it might allow McCain to reverse the perception that the financial crisis has knocked him off-balance. By making such a dramatic move, McCain is creating facts to which Obama must now respond. He is shaping the battlespace. Obama is thus left with a dilemma: defy McCain's call to unity and risk looking petty and partisan, or follow suit, allowing McCain to appear the leader and Obama the follower. If Congress succeeds in crafting new legislation, McCain will be able to say that it was because of his bold leadership; and if Congress fails, McCain will be able to say that it was because of the Democratic party's partisanship. A win-win.
Posted by Jonathan at September 24, 2008 2:25 PM
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