We’re not talking about “missing” like a kidnapping or an avalanche that wipes out a climbing party on Mt. Everest. Oh, no. We’re talking about a political party that’s virtually jumping ship – or at least appearing to be searching frantically for lifeboats as the wreckage floats ashore.
McCain has proposed abandoning his campaign and calling off Friday night’s debates because of a financial crisis that was just brought to the American attention last Thursday. But, as Ben Smith notes, nothing has changed in the past 48 hours except polling numbers. We say “NO” to this gambit, and so does Obama.
McCain also has cancelled his appearance on Letterman tonight as well. NO COMEDY DURING A CRISIS! McCain’s nemesis, Keith Olbermann, will fill in (this is no joke). Additionally, McCain’s campaign manager, Rick Davis, went AWOL from a reporter’s lunch today after it made news last night that he received monies from Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae between 2005 through to last month. Oh where, oh where is Mr. Davis?
Finally, we all know that Palin is gone with the wind as far as the press and the political circuits are concerned. After a battle between the McCain camp and the press yesterday, McCain no longer is the media darling, and CNN’s Campbell Brown is demanding Palin’s release from McCain’s sexist hold.
If Americans hadn’t been through eight years of a lying, disdaining, conniving and slack-jawed presidency of late, the general public may not have caught on to these escapism tactics. But, thanks to instant news via Internet and Twitter, taxpayers have learned what it feels like to be duped. Duped into a murderous escapade disguised as a war, into a Wall St. ponzi scheme and into a sad and sorry state where very few Americans can trust their representatives.
America is watching, McCain. With a magnifying glass and without a life raft.
