The Republican Fog

Bush, Paulson and Bernanke have put forward their proposal, and asserted that it must be enacted without delay. Chris Dodd and Barney Frank have been working with their Republican colleagues in the Senate and House, respectively. They have also been working with Bush's team.

After a week of this work, McCain has thrown a wrench in the works, with the support of some House Republicans. Bush invited McCain and Obama to the White House today - I don't know whether it was intended to help McCain, who is currently running away from tomorrow's debate with Obama, or simply trying to pull McCain and the House Republicans into alignment with the progress that has been made among the principal actors.

What is clear amidst all of this confusion is that George Bush no longer speaks for his party. John McCain is their candidate, and Bush is now the lamest of lame ducks.

Chris Dodd was just on CNN - he criticized the White House meeting as political theater (for McCain's benefit), and a waste of valuable time. He was clearly pissed-off and some of that was aimed at McCain.

Pat Buchanan is on CNN saying McCain should torpedo the deal and come up with his own.

Senate and House Democrats who were willing to work with Bush and Paulson on this bailout are now stymied by the chaos on the Republican side - chaos that has John McCain's fingerprints all over it.

The debate tomorrow - if it happens - should be terrific.

Technorati Tags: McCain, Election 2008

| +Save/Share | |