McCain’s Goofy Crazy Idea

As the news continues to break and things keep changing, it’s tough to have a rationale thought process on how this will all play out.  The one thing we are sure about is that this is a political move.  While Republicans and supporters may say otherwise, it’s clear that there is no other reason for doing this right now.

There hasn’t been an impasse and the Congress continues to work in a bi-partisan way.  While the Poulson deal may fall through, everyone seems to think there will still be a resolution this week or early next week.  Can this really be about the economy.  Ok.  But why now? Why not three days ago or two days from now when the deal was expected to be complete? Why midday on Wednesday?

The general consensous is there are a lot of reasons:

1) McCain’s poll numbers have been taking a beating, but some of the worst came out today.

2) He thinks the Sarah Palin Hail Mary worked and trying to do it again

3) Trying to cancel the VP debate.  McCain has now suggested rescheduling the VP debate and moving this debate into their slot.  Of course, the VP debate would never occur because both parties would have to agree to terms

4) Politically – he wants to demonstrate he is a leader.  Obama has been setting the agenda and this would allow McCain to gain control again

5) Obama reached out with an olive branch today to work together with McCain and McCain either was afraid of the prospect or thought he could get out in front of Obama

6) He is going senial

How will this play out? No one knows.  My gut reaction when I heard the news was he had backed Obama in a bad corner.  Continue with the debate and he looks too political.  Cancel and he looks weak and follow’s McCain.  Either way McCain holds the cards.  However, a few things have occured to really make me think – who knows.  First, Obama’s response was brilliant – that Leaders should multi-task and he didn’t want to bring politics into the negotiations in Washington.  Second, Democrats know what’s up.  Republicans know what’s up but are spinning it as McCain is a leader.  But those two groups already cast their lot.  So it comes down to independents.  This is where I am starting to think it might be a mis-calculation for McCain.  Do the independents believe it’s political or about leadership.  I think, if you are an independent in race with two candidates so different on issues – then you are probably smart to see this as a political move.  You also probably want to see how these gentlemen lead.  If the average independent is open and relatively smart, then this will backfire on McCain.

Between Obama’s responses and independents’ view of this, is really wide open how this will go down.  Initially, it appears that the general feeling is it is a move of desperations.  Even some Republican strategists either think it is a bad move or recognize it for the gambit it is.

The latest news about rescheduling debates and moving the VP debate is more fodder for Obama to show that this really is a political decision.    Seriously, the Presidential debate could have been moved to Tuesday and still had the VP debate on Thursday.

McCain is desperate, Obama needs to be careful and think (as he always does) before acting.