There's an apocryphal story about Jerry Lee Lewis and Chuck Berry that tonight's events bring to mind.
In the early days of rock and roll, live shows would typically consist of several (four to eight, maybe) acts with a headliner. Jerry Lee and Chuck co-headlined one such tour and fought bitterly over who would close the show. Berry won the fight. He'd get the coveted closing slot.
Now Jerry Lee was never one to take defeat quietly. So for the last song of his set, "Great Balls of Fire," he doused his piano with lighter fluid and pounded away at ivories while flames raged around him. The crowd, they say, went wild.
As Jerry Lee walked off the stage, he passed Chuck Berry in the wings. "Follow THAT, asshole," Lewis reportedly told Berry (or words to that effect).
Tonight was one big "Follow THAT, assholes" to John McCain and the Republicans.