Does this make sense? Am I reading these timelines right? Three things happened today that look to have forced McCain to make a sudden move like backing out of the debates. If I am reading this right, this should really backfire on McCain, since he is constantly reacting, instead of leading.
Of course, this is only possible because McCain is falling in the polls, and trying to work up a good defense.
All week McCain has looked like he was trying to rope-a-dope Obama on the bailout by letting Obama Support it, and claiming that the bailout would be bad, since it is "socialism" and interfering with the market. Or at the very least that Whatever Obama proposed and supported, McCain would have done better.
But not now...
FIRST:
We have the 8:30am phone call.
At 8:30 this morning, Senator Obama called Senator McCain to ask him if he would join in issuing a joint statement outlining their shared principles and conditions for the Treasury proposal and urging Congress and the White House to act in a bipartisan manner to pass such a proposal.
So that sets up McCain with the option not supporting the joint proposal, and abandoning his "bipartisan" claim, or going along with it, and losing the rope-a-dope option. But we heard nothing about this this morning, so uit is hard to tell what folks were thinking.
SECOND:
Palin talks with the AP, and says the wrong thing: (from Talkingpointsmemo.com)
John McCain's strategy at the moment appears to be to vote against any federal financial market bailout plan -- whether it's a good one or bad one -- because it will give him an issue to pivot against both Obama, the Democratic Congress and Bush. But Sarah Palin appears now to have all but committed her running mate to support of whatever Congress passes. According to the AP, "Republican vice presidential nominee Sarah Palin says the United States could be headed for another Great Depression if Congress doesn't act on the financial crisis." The context and quote aren't clear. So we'll have to see precisely what she said. But this would appear to box McCain in a bit -- or force a retraction from Palin.
Whoops! that was off message. And this looks to have happened before the returned call to the Obama camp. (at 2:30) So with the choice of putting Palin before reporters to explain this away, or going along with Obama's call, McCain Picks Obama.
THIRD:
McCain returns Obama's Call
At 2:30 this afternoon, Senator McCain returned Senator Obama’s call and agreed to join him in issuing such a statement. The two campaigns are currently working together on the details.
Now McCain has saved Palin from scrutiny, but lost his rope-a-dope. Shortly thereafter, he tries to set up a new one:
FOURTH:
McCain tries to cancel the debates.
Republican John McCain says he's directing his staff to work with Barack Obama's campaign and the debate commission to delay Friday's debate because of the economic crisis.
In a statement, McCain says he will stop campaigning after addressing former President Bill Clinton's Global Initiative session on Thursday and return to Washington to focus on the nation's financial problems.
And here we are. Out of one rope-a-dope, and into another, but I think, in a far weaker position for McCain.
Did anyone else pick this up from the chain of events?