McCain's latest move; brilliant or insane?

[J. J.]

Brilliant.  It's his version of "I shall go to Korea."  He gets to look like a he's doing something.

If the bailout is adopted, McCain is the economic hero and a bipartisan.  If it fails, it's because Obama was too interested in his own ambitions to do the job to which he has been elected.

[J. J.]

No, it's brilliant and it was done before; I have no doubt it is political theater, but very well done political theater.  It plays into two key elements of McCain, bipartisanship and leadership.  Ideally, Obama would have joined him, lessening the effect.

One problem is that Obama and McCain have basically the same positions on the bailout.  McCain can go there, be seen as a bipartisan leader, and Obama can't be critical of the policy, because he favors it.  Do you really expect to be critical of bipartisanship?

I have to say, the people who called it a bad idea were the same folks who called Palin a bad idea, even though it boosted McCain's numbers and fund raising (and I was a Palin skeptic).

In the VP debate, Biden might be needed in the Senate, if this thing continues.  Palin obviously won't.

[J. J.]

Brilliant.  It's his version of "I shall go to Korea."  He gets to look like a he's doing something.

If the bailout is adopted, McCain is the economic hero and a bipartisan.  If it fails, it's because Obama was too interested in his own ambitions to do the job to which he has been elected.

You seem to be under this bizarre impression that the bailout is popular.

No, but leadership and bipartisanship are.  This isn't about the economy.  McCain just transformed the issue.

[J. J.]

Brilliant.  It's his version of "I shall go to Korea."  He gets to look like a he's doing something.

If the bailout is adopted, McCain is the economic hero and a bipartisan.  If it fails, it's because Obama was too interested in his own ambitions to do the job to which he has been elected.

You seem to be under this bizarre impression that the bailout is popular.

No, but leadership and bipartisanship are.  This isn't about the economy.  McCain just transformed the issue.

"God I hate that bailout! But John McCain helped pass it - with Democrats! Who cares that I hate it - I'm gonna vote for that guy!"

Well, the polls tonight showed something like 34% hated it, 33 favored it, and remainder were undecided, so I question your premise.


Nothing succeeds like success.  I'll bet you don't remember the first Gulf War.  The country was split 50/50.  The local radio station was playing "Give Peace a Chance."  Three weeks later, there were pro war demonstrations and the local radio station was playing "God Bless the USA."  90% were in favor.

It has to work, however. 

[J. J.]

Still Phil, how is this forum more pro-Obama than pro-McCain?  I think it's pretty even.

I think you only have to look at the first page of this thread to see that.

[J. J.]

I still think its extremely ridiculous. Especially since now whatever plan has failed and McCain isnt in washington anymore. So he threw a big hissy for nothing.

That was just the Plan Mark II.  Mark III will come out tomorrow.

[J. J.]

Pure genius if he was shorting Washington Mutual (yeah I know there's a ban on shorting the financials right now).

No, its a brilliant operturnity, if he wants his poll numbers higher in two weeks. 

[J. J.]

Still Phil, how is this forum more pro-Obama than pro-McCain?  I think it's pretty even.

I think you only have to look at the first page of this thread to see that.

Not only that, all you have to look at is the stupid hack polls that have been posted recently, like "Should McCain and Palin just drop out?",  and the stupid hack post names for articles that are much more neutral than the names suggest.

Started by how many people?  One or two of the usual suspects, I'd wager.

Granted it's the same five or six, but they are vocal.  How many completely substance-less threads did we have on Palin (with both of us calling it a GOP plot.)