(Cross-posted at Clintonistas for Obama)
John McCain likes to run around crying, "Country first," but this past week showed us what he instinctively puts first. As most of you doubtless know, there are accounts now circulating across the web that tell us quite frankly what we had suspected from the first, that John McCain's quixotic antics last week displayed a willingness to try and save his campaign in the face of crashing poll numbers even if it meant wrecking the country.
Frank Rich, of course, wrote on Saturday his searing article that describes the events that surrounded McCain's decision to "suspend" his campaign, trying both to reverse his terrible poll numbers and cover up Sarah Palin's disastrous interview with Katie Couric. For the few of you who haven't read it, Frank commenced his piece with the observation:
What we learned last week is that the man who always puts his "country first" will take the country down with him if that’s what it takes to get to the White House.
That was the theme of his article.
The Washington Post yesterday in a piece aptly titled, Days of Chaos, Improvisation and Drama, chronicles how McCain last week lurched "from one strategy to the next, defensively reacting to events while trying to regain his footing." The article repeats the word, "lurch," over and over, and time and again refers to McCain's "disasters," born as the outcomes of his impetuous and imprudent improvisations. McCain apparently did this despite repeated requests that he butt out of the process. Markos last evening had a long post on the front page that describes how McCain was asked to refrain from interfering in the negotiation over the Bailout Bill but still ran through the process like a bull in a china closet.
I mean, really. The last eight years have been horrible. I truly believe the dictum that you will know a tree by the fruit it bears. We need to put this country back together again. If we somehow mysteriously elect John McCain our president, get ready for Mr. Toad's wild ride. This guy is erratic and will lurch from one disaster to the next without regard to anyone's interests but his own. Last week was his, "Alright, Mr. Demille, I'm ready for close-up," moment.
You want to know what a McCain presidency would be like? Just study his behavior last week.
Let me digress a little and share a suspicion I have. I think the Republicans aren't even trying this year. I think they recognize that McCain is losing this thing, and they privately have decided its strategically in their interest to let it happen. I think they anticipate the next president will face such a colossal mess that the people will saddle us Democrats with the responsibility for their disaster for a generation.
Barack Obama is going to have to surprise them. If we win this damned election--once we win this damned election--we Democrats have to save the country again like we did under Franklin Delano Roosevelt and turn the country blue for 50 years to come. Barack Obama is going to have to rise to the occasion: History has afforded him an opportunity to be a great president. Let's win this for him, so he will have the chance.