Sen. John McCain announced Wednesday that he would suspend his campaign in order to return to Washington, D.C., and participate in the brokerage of the now failed Bush economic rescue bill. McCain asked Sen. Barack Obama to do the same, stating, “I have spoken to Sen. Obama, and informed him of my decision, and have asked him to join me.”
What a noble and patriotic action. To think that in the eyes of McCain, the financial well-being of all Americans comes before his desire to reside in the White House.
Now take a closer look. First, when McCain refers to “suspending” his campaign, apparently that translates into canceling one interview on the “Late Show with David Letterman” on Wednesday but being prompt to an interview with Katie Couric the same day.
Later the next day, McCain showed up for a bipartisan rally with Bill Clinton. When McCain said his intentions for returning to Washington were to help in the development of the economic rescue plan, that actually refers to retarding the process, as some prominent Republicans said he did.
McCain pulled the stunt in an attempt to show America he can be trusted on the U.S. economy. A CNN poll states in a 2-to-1 ratio, Americans blame Republicans more than Democrats for the current financial crisis. McCain’s decision to return to Washington is just another political maneuver.
Obama, however, is no saint in the matter. Although Obama also returned to Washington, he made no real contribution in creating a deal either. Rather, he left that up to prominent Democrats such as Barney Frank of Massachusetts, chairman of the House Financial Services Committee. It would appear that Obama returned to Washington simply to avoid being excluded and looking bad8212;also a political maneuver.
So where does the United States stand as a nation? Well, the economic plan that was finally hammered out Sunday failed miserably, being shot down in the House on Monday. The stock market plummeted to a historic low. Seems all that sacrifice by McCain didn’t pay off. It appears there are two candidates that exist simply to brown-nose the average American, with a willingness to pander for a vote.
During the Democratic primary, Utah went to Obama over Hillary Clinton. However, on the Republican side, Mitt Romney took Utah in a landslide. In a predominately Republican state, which preferred another nominee by over 90 percent, how does this recent exploit look to Utahns? Thursday, a Gallup poll reported a three-point shift in Obama’s favor. Seems McCain’s gambit didn’t pay off.
This recent attempt by McCain to gain the national spotlight and apply pressure to the Obama campaign has been just one plot of many, and one of many more to come.
America should be excited about what schemes are yet to come in the 34 days until the election. Last-minute November surprises are always an option. Every election is really just a circus, with each animal doing the same act over and over, night after night.
Brian Trick