THE CRISIS

Posted at 5:14 P.M. ET

The financial crisis enveloping the nation is smothering the political campaigns.  As you know by now, Senator McCain has suspended campaigning and is returning to Washington to work on solving the financial woes.  He's asked Obama to do the same, but so far Obama seems to be balking.  McCain has asked that Friday's debate be postponed.

Look, this isn't all about patriotism and "putting country first."  McCain clearly is maneuvering politically.  But there's an old saying in the Chicago political machine:  "Good government is good politics."  Returning to Washington is the right thing to do.  McCain is a U.S. senator.  If Obama chooses to continue campaigning, he begins to look selfish and ridiculous.  But if he, too, returns to Washington, he's following McCain's lead.

What if Obama hangs tough and says he intends to show up at the debate.  For McCain to cave in would look weak, especially when he actually is in Washington doing public business.  McCain should express outrage at that point, and needle Obama as a man who spends all his time running for office and too little time performing the duties of the office.

McCain is in trouble.  He knows it, and he's acting properly.  I'd love to see Obama debate an empty chair, while McCain is doing the public's business.

But will the public side with McCain or Obama?  I think they'll go with McCain.  They already see him as a leader, and Obama, if he does not return to Washington as well, can look awfully small.

September 24, 2008.