John McCain tried to show the American people yesterday that he lives by his campaign slogan of "Country First." He suspended his campaign, called for a postponement of the first debate and announced plans to fly to Washington to work on the bailout. Voters will decide for themselves whether they approve, but I find myself agreeing with the unnamed Republican strategist quoted in The Washington Post today: I don't get it at all.
McCain's rationale is that this is a crisis akin to 9/11 and that he and Barack Obama should shun politics for a bipartisan approach. That makes no sense. If this is a crisis like 9/11, why didn't McCain fly to Washington last week when the need for intervention first became clear? He could have at least flown there last night instead of waiting until after he gave a speech in New York this morning. If this is a serious crisis, why was his first reaction to declare that the fundamentals of the economy were sound? What can he and Obama add to the negotiations that have been under way for days and finally seem to be making headway? Why isn't he appealing for calm instead of acting like the world is ending? And what can he and Obama do in Washington that they haven't already done by phone and through their emissaries?
The hard truth is there is no way to suspend politics six weeks before Election Day. McCain's hasty trip to Washington only moves the campaign to the Capitol and injects the campaign into the negotiations, making an agreement harder, not easier, to reach. It's not as though McCain or Obama bring any expertise to the talks. What they can do is set out their principles and express support for the process, which can best be done from outside Washington.
Sign up for Kiplinger’s Free E-Newsletters
Profit and prosper with the best of expert advice on investing, taxes, retirement, personal finance and more - straight to your e-mail.
Profit and prosper with the best of expert advice - straight to your e-mail.
Given that McCain's move came after a series of polls showed he was in trouble on the economy rather than when the crisis first broke, it's hard to believe that politics wasn't the motivating factor in his decision. His actions do more to undercut his slogan of "Country First" than to underscore it.
That's also the case with McCain's call to cancel tomorrow's debate. If the American people need to know that the candidates agree there is a crisis that requires urgent action, what better way than to make those arguments in a debate that millions of Americans plan to watch? And McCain's suggestion that it be postponed to next week, replacing the vice presidential debate, only adds to the feeling that McCain's people are afraid to let Palin off the leash they've put her on, a leash that insults not only to the public, but her as a candidate and women as a group. What could be more sexist than to perpetuate the notion that they don't trust her, that they have too little confidence in her?
It seems likely that McCain won't back down and the debate will have to be canceled. But if that's the case, why not move up the vice presidential debate to fill the slot? Palin shouldn't need any time to prepare. After all, she's supposed to be ready to step in for McCain at a moment's notice.
-
Take Charge of Retirement Spending With This Simple StrategyTo make sure you're in control of retirement spending, rather than the other way around, allocate funds to just three purposes: income, protection and legacy.
-
Here's How To Get Organized And Work For YourselfWhether you’re looking for a side gig or planning to start your own business, it has never been easier to strike out on your own. Here is our guide to navigating working for yourself.
-
AI Regulation is Looming: Kiplinger Economic ForecastsEconomic Forecasts Find out what Washington and regulators have planned for artificial intelligence.
-
The Biden Tax Plan: How the Build Back Better Act Could Affect Your Tax BillPolitics Depending on your income, the Build Back Better Act recently passed by the House could boost or cut your future tax bills.
-
Kiplinger's 2020 Election ForecastPolitics For nearly a century, The Kiplinger Letter has forecasted the outcome of presidential elections to keep readers informed of what's coming and what it means for them. Here's our call for 2020.
-
The 2020 Election and Your MoneyPolitics We’ve assessed how the presidential candidates’ stances on financial issues will affect your wallet.
-
5 HEROES Act Provisions with a Good Chance of Becoming LawPolitics The massive federal stimulus bill just passed by the House of Representatives is "dead on arrival" in the Senate. But a few proposals in the bill have enough bipartisan support to eventually become law.
-
Vote by Mail: A State-by-State Guide to Absentee Ballot VotingPolitics With health authorities recommending people continue to social distance, the idea of voting by mail is becoming an increasingly hot topic.
-
9 Ways COVID-19 Will Change the 2020 ElectionsPolitics The 2020 election will be like no other in history, as the COVID-19 pandemic will upend the business of politics as usual.
-
How to Run for Local OfficePolitics If you’ve ever thought that you could do a better job than the elected officials currently in office, here’s how to launch a campaign—and win.
