McCain asks for a time out

By Megan McArdle
Allow me to point out the obvious about John McCain's grandstanding declaration that he is suspending campaigning to deal with the financial crisis, and asking Barack Obama to cancel Friday's debate:

  1. It is dumb.  The world is not crying out for John McCain's exquisite financial acumen to help shepherd us through this.
  2. It is politically brilliant.  John McCain gets to polish his somewhat tarnished "above politics" image.
  3. Democrats who are mad are mad because it is politically brilliant, not because it is dumb.  There is, as far as I can see, no actual harm in postponing campaigning, or the debates; we can just as easily learn McCain's terrifying plans for the country next week.
It certainly doesn't make me like John McCain any better.  But I don't really see how he's endangering the Republic either.

This article available online at:

http://www.theatlantic.com/business/archive/2008/09/mccain-asks-for-a-time-out/4169/