What Did McCain Do Exactly?

A reader writes:

One of the most striking things about the failure of the "bailout" to pass is the fact that John McCain, who came to Washington and claimed success in bringing House Republicans to the table for a compromise, does not have sufficient political capital within his own party to persuade even a majority of his base to fall in line.  The real political questions now become:  What did John McCain actually do from his campaign office in Arlington?  Did anybody listen to him when he called? 

If he is to receive, or at least claim, credit for a compromise is he now to blame for the failure of the compromise? Will he now abandon his newly found populism and go back to being the free market zealot that he once claimed to be given that the base of his party has spoken so loudly?   In short - I think this puts John McCain in an even more difficult position.  "His" compromise failed and now he must stay in Washington until this is resolved or admit that the suspension of his campaign was in fact nothing but a stunt!