This is way too big for democracy

If this is a campaign that is not about the issues, then why bother, really, with debates. For that matter, why not put country first and postpone the election. Surely, Barack Obama must realize that if our country is in economic turmoil a debate on foreign policy would be...reckless, and surely not country-firstedness.

It would be nice to think a presidential candidate can multitask, but that's apparently too much for John McCain.

But you really gotta love this.

"It has become clear that no consensus has developed to support the administration's proposal," McCain said. "I do not believe that the plan on the table will pass as it currently stands, and we are running out of time."

Um, except that just such a consensus is building, just not the way the administration would prefer.

But the real point, beyond the political stunt by the economically-ignorant John McCain, is that this is of a piece with how John McCain reacts to crisis. As with Georgia, every crisis preempts all previous crises, there is no reaction that can be too swift, thoughtless, or reactionary.