Ramesh Ponnuru writes:

If Senator McCain believes that he can help to enact a plan that can stabilize the markets and lay the foundation for future growth, then suspending the campaign and going to Washington was the right thing to do.

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?

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Some Reactions:

ricinro85212 — When my nephew was born (home delivery with midwife) they asked me to boil water. This way I was doing something without getting in the way. Afterall, I knew nothing about delivering babies.

JJames081 — I think McCain finally cracked. The pressure has finally got to him.

What is he going to do if he’s elected and things get tough? Suspend being president? We’ve got a guy like that now!

George Will, columnist, put it this way–yesterday: “Under the pressure of the financial crisis, one presidential candidate is behaving like a flustered rookie playing in a league too high. It is not Barack Obama.”

I guess he knew things brewing in McCain’s camp!

Dave Letterman Reacts to McCain Suspending Campaign

| Top Ten Reasons McCain ‘Bailed’ on Letterman |

Jon Stewart – “The presidential campaign is not like
a football game where you can take a timeout.”

jackjburke — McCain’s grandstanding and insertion of presidential politics into this mess will only make it more difficult to achieve passage of legislation. A compromise was emerging before he made his big announcement. We can only hope that President Paulson tells him to butt out.

john7 — What was the campaign news of the morning when we all woke up this morning:

a) The ABC / WaPo poll showing Obama taking a clear lead nationally.

b) The revelation that Rick Davis has been taking regular payments from Fannie Mae up until last month. Essentially, McCain’s campaign director was selling access to McCain, but the candidate himself disputed that just a few days ago.

It’s clear that the McCain camp realized that they were on the brink of annihilation and had to do something dramatic. So they did. Country first? Not so much. White-knuckled terror that the campaign was getting to a point of no return? I’d say so.

dolph924 — McCain has been hemoraging support in the polls, as he should be, given that his deregulatory efforts and those of his cronies like Phil Graham are responsible for the collapse of financial institutions. He would try ANYthing to avoid more of same, just as his advertising strategy of new lies and distortions daily was designed to avoid talking about issues at all costs.

I think he will be perceived for what he is — a rash man over his head as soon as issues become complicated.

His rash pick of the unqualified Palin, his daily flip flops on economic issues and then desperate attempts to lie his way out of such matters as saying the economy was fundamentally sound the day the collapse began, his saying he would fire the SEC chairman (as if the SEC were somehow at fault as opposed to the Graham Leach Bliley bill), etc. etc. McCain has recurring anger management problems, serious memory problems, and makes decisions as if he has ADD. What a scary thought to have this guy in the White House with the completely unqualified Palin sitting on the front porch waiting for him to die.

| More Reactions |

References:

1. McCain’s Ploy — Slipping in the polls? McCain sees foreign policy as one area where he can outshine Obama. Only by rescheduling the debate after the crisis has passed can he be sure he will have his moment in the foreign policy sun.
2. McCain Loses His Head — George Will | More Articles By George Will |