There's an mp3 clip at the top of the New York Times site that makes a critical observation about the effect of McCain's stunt to "suspend" the campaign on the negotiations in Congress on the $700 billion bail out proposal.
David Herszenhorn, a reporter who has been covering the economic crisis, commented that the effect of McCain's suggestion that he and Obama return to Washington now has basically derailed what has been a productive bi-partisan process (if still conflicted and contentious at times).
As transcribed from the interview (mp3 link) at NYTimes.com
It's made an immediate difference by sort of slowing things down. Ironically, it looked like they were getting closer and closer to an agreement, as you mentioned, finding some common ground on executive pay, behind the scenes despite all the rancor and a lot of sharp questioning about the plan, Congressional leaders have been pretty confident that theere was broad agreement, that action was needed, and that they might actually be able to get a deal later this week. And now of course that McCain has proposed coming back, the Democrats and Republicans are sort of instinctively falling into partisan positions. So, Senator Mitch McConnel, the Republican leader quickly went to the floor saying it's a great idea to have McCain and Obama back. His counter part, the Majority Leader Harry Reid said, "no way," that "the debate on Friday Night should go on as intended." That it was basically a stunt - is what a lot of Democrats are saying - by Senator McCain whose poll numbers have dropped in recent days.
This is a key, critical observation that we need to point out, as it also backs up Harry Reid's concern that the presidential candidates returning to Washington represents an injection of presidential politics into what has been and needs to be a bipartisan effort. Herszenhorn's comment is one that should be echoed throughout the media.