Poulos: McCain jumps the shark

James Poulos thinks it's responsible for McCain to have suspended his campaign to work on the economic crisis. But overall, Mac's move stinks. Excerpt:

John McCain's September surprise -- suspending his campaign, pending resolution of the massive bailout bill conundrum, and postponing the first Presidential debate in the bargain -- is an act of shark-jumping worthy of Evel Knievel. For at once it cements all of our reigning prejudices and caricatures of the man: impulsive maverick, careless egomaniac, bold decider, patriotic drama queen. You take the good, you take the bad; you take them both and there you have the facts of Mac. But McCain's high-stakes, high-flying move needs to be brought back down to earth -- if for no other reason that to get clear in our minds whether he's doing right by we the people. Because, after all, that's the basis on which he's justifying this extraordinary decision.

I had not realized, until reading Poulos' piece, that McCain is offering to move Friday's planned debate to the slot already set aside for the vice presidential debate. Say what?! Sure enough, the Dallas Morning News reports:

The McCain campaign floated the idea of holding the first debate next Thursday in St. Louis, using the slot set aside for the vice presidential debate. It was unclear whether that would mean there would be two, rather than three, presidential debates. It also wasn't clear if or when a debate would take place between Gov. Sarah Palin and Sen. Joe Biden.

Well, that pretty much settles it: Team McCain is scared for Sarah Palin to face the public. I don't believe McCain is scared to debate Obama at all; I think he's aiming for a trifecta here: 1) doing something dramatic to shake up a campaign he's losing; 2) get credit for leadership in crisis instead of talk; and 3) save Palin from having to face Joe Biden and the American people. As you know, I was prepared to give him the benefit of the doubt on the leadership question, because I think it's right and proper for a US Senator -- which McCain is, which Obama is -- who's also running for president to be closely involved in these critical negotiations. But the Palin debate substitution aspect of the deal really does give the game away, doesn't it?