- Top Features:
- War Room
- Glenn Greenwald
- Broadsheet
- Joan Walsh
- Camille Paglia
- Since You Asked
- Follow Salon:
Read other letters about this article
If McCain had actually been a populist, rather than a faux maverick, he would have seized the moment when the House initially rejected the bailout, and positioned himself as leader of a spontaneous citizens' tax revolt. He could've easily portrayed the Democrats as teaming up with Bush to milk the taxpayers on behalf of the Wall Street fat cats. That would've been one hell of a surprise, dramatically changing the course of the election.
I suspect this was McCain's original instinct in "suspending" his campaign and threatening to skip the first Presidential debate. He flew to DC to confer face-to-face with the breakaway Republican Congressmen who blocked the bailout in order to gauge their long-term resolve.
But McCain was no doubt confronted by his corporate backers as well, who have a considerable vested interest in the bailout. Judging by his snarling demeanor at the debate, McCain probably found himself cock-blocked by the real powers that be, who could care less which Republicrat gets elected in the end.
