Update: Thanks to Beth, my unofficial editor, for catching a couple of typos. They've been corrected!
If John McCain doesn't show up at the debate in Oxford, Mississippi tonight, then my hunch is it will go down in history as the biggest and dumbest political blunder in presidential campaign history.
Imagine 40 million Americans tuning in to the debates to see what our future president has to say about the worst banking crisis since 1929 - as well as Iraq, Iran, Russia, North Korea, et.al. (as this evening's debate was originally to be about foreign policy) - and finding Barack Obama there, ready to go, and John McCain's podium...empty. It would be the death knell of his campaign.
All indications are that McCain's presence at the White House banking meeting yesterday is the sole reason for the bail out deal's collapse. Congress had come to an agreement earlier in the day and was ready to proceed until McCain showed up.
So, Johnny is in the way. He's told Americans the economy isn't his strong suit, so then why inject himself into something he doesn't know anything about. Better to leave the bail out to congressional leaders so he can participate in the debate with his Democratic rival.
America deserves no less.
