How funny! If I'd read this comments thread before I posted a little while ago, I might have included your words there, jwest. Because that's exactly what I suspect might happen.

This is mavericky?

This is bipartisan?

Democrats in Washington have made it abundantly clear that McCain is a hindrance to any bailout solution. His ego is so massive and his willingness to scuttle America's economic future so bold that we are all held hostage.

As somebody who always saw John McCain as a cynical and self-righteous jerk, I find myself hoping more than ever that he gets blamed for whatever fallout follows.

As for what McCain can do; I think his only option right now is to try to galvanize the Repubs to vote against this bailout. The public is highly skeptical and they are going to be demanding answers when congress adjourns. McCain's newest talking point would be that he voted against “Bush's Bailout” while the Dems voted for it. I really doubt this happening, but then again, I don't think anyone really expected McCain to suspend his campaign either.

I must say that I feel like a dolt. I naively thought that McCain and Obama would run more lofty, substantive campaigns. My Christian faith should have held that enthusiasm in check; not only are all of us imperfect, sometimes forgiven, sinners, political ambition is like candy to a baby or speedballing to an addict. These guys want to win so badly, they're bound to behave badly.

Mark

Amazingly, this will be completed just in time for the evening news on the day that 100 million people are expected to tune into the debates.

If the Dems think McCain not showing up to the debate (or forcing him to break his word and show up anyways) would be a good thing, then they can delay the legislation as long as they like.

You should know better.

Republicans have been making noises like they will block the deal from going through. When the deal is completed (at about 5pm tomorrow), a line of these senators and congressmen will be at the microphone.

Just like the idiots who call CSpan constantly saying they are life-long Republicans, but are now voting for Obama, these conservative legislators will swear that there was no way they were going to vote for this package until John McCain led them to the correct decision.

Paulson has already been quoted as begging McCain to come back to Washington to save the deal. Bernake will be right by his side testifying how it was dead in the water until McCain single-handedly saved the entire financial system of the U.S.

Amazingly, this will be completed just in time for the evening news on the day that 100 million people are expected to tune into the debates.

I think they may forgo carrying McCain on their shoulders through the halls of congress (as that might be a bit too much theater), but it will be close.

Perception is reality. The pool of people that follow the back stories of these moves is tiny and we’re not the target audience anyways. However, those undecided voters who are just starting to pay attention will eat this up.

Politics – you’ve got to love it.

The McCain campaign has been nothing but absurd since right before the conventions. He ran dishonest ad after dishonest ad. He picked Sarah Palin who seems less versed in national affairs than just about every commenter and writer on this site. He got into a manufactured frenzy about “lipstick on a pig.” And now he's pulling this debate-postponing stunt to help revise a 3 page proposal by Paulson he hasn't even read.

It'd be funny if he didn't have a chance of winning.