It's no fun watching an old man embarrass himself

John McCain's week started with him singing R&B oldies. First it was "I Am Telling You I'm Not Going." Then it was I'll Be There."
 
He decided since he doesn't know anything about the economy the best thing he could would be to "suspend" his campaign so he could return to Washington and add his leadership to the economic bailout package the Bush Administration and Congress are trying to put together.
 
Never mind that McCain isn't part of the Senate Banking Committee and isn't part of the Senate leadership.  Only he--the original maverick--could come to the rescue. Nobody asked for him, but McCain invited himself anyway.
 
With less than 45 days from the election every decision made by a campaign at this juncture has political considerations. Anyone who thinks differently doesn't know jack about politics.
 
The notion that 48 senators were sitting around in Washington paralyzed by indecision waiting for "the original Maverick" to come riding to their rescue and use his well-know bipartisan powers to hammer out an agreement that will satisfy everyone and bring joy and happiness to us all is pure nonsense. This is a guy who admitted he doesn't know much about the economy. What the hell was he going to bring to the table that's not already there?
 
The Senate minority leader's last name is "McConnell," not "McCain." Senators are a notoriously independent group and I seriously doubt any of them (except Joe Lieberman and Lindsey Graham) are sitting around, chewing their fingernails, waiting for a sign--a light to come down from the heavens, or a crack of thunder and a whoosh of air heralding the arrival of St. John the Maverick.
 
There was nothing remotely honest about McCain's grandstanding move to duck the debate. He played games with a clear and cold political calculation and it blew up in his face. It was both gutless and cynical. Two words I never thought I'd associate with John McCain.
 
"Leadership" has nothing to do with looking grimly serious while the cameras are on. It's "leadership" when the cameras are off and you get the deal done. McCain flubbed it spectacularly. All Obama had to do was sit back and watch him fall.
 
Leadership isn't presuming you know more about the problem than anyone else or that everyone is waiting around with bated breath for your suggestions. Leadership is also knowing when you can't have the answer because you don't even understand the problem. Leadership is having the intelligence to know when you're leading by example and not simply posturing for the camera.
 
Despite what his monstrous ego and his slavish followers presume erroneously, McCain does not have the power to compel the passage or rejection of legislation based on his force of will. He's a spectator who thinks because he's got a front row seat it means he should coach the game.

It was bad enough to watch Sarah Palin filet herself on national television under the relatively gentle questioning of Katie Couric and expose how clueless and unprepared she is. Palin at least has the excuse of being a neophyte to the ways of Washington. McCain has been around long enough and is certainly old enough to know when he is flailing around in search of a coherent message.
 
Obama, unlike the extremely presumptuous and supremely arrogant McCain, knows when the greater wisdom is in observing and playing your part instead of screaming, "I'm here to save the day," swoop in, accomplish absolutely nothing except to get his picture taken and shift the focus from hammering out the details of a extremely tricky piece of legislation to one man's insatiable lust for the spotlight.
 
Obama knows he is A senator. McCain thinks he is THE senator.
 
Leadership requires a certain amount of humility and McCain is a total stranger to the quality.