McCAIN SUSPENDS DEMOCRACY

I liked the headline of this column by Katrina vanden Heuvel of The Nation so much that I decided to use it for the title of this post.

Why is John McCain running from the debate? Is he not able to multi-task?

Frankly, if I were Barack Obama I would make the following statement:

"I share Senator McCain's concern for the economy. Therefore, although many people in Mississippi will be disappointed, I have decided not to fly there for the debate. However, I ask all of the major networks and news channels to send a camera crew to the steps of the capital. And, on the place where one of us will be sworn in as the next President, I challenge Senator McCain to a one-on-one debate, with no moderator to ask questions. We can leave the Senate chamber at 8:55 PM, start the debate at 9:00 and return to the chamber at 10:30. Let's show that we can put America First in more than one way. What do you say, Senator?"

Here's the piece from The Nation:

Lincoln ran for office in 1864, when there was a good chance he wouldn't have a country to lead. FDR ran for office in the middle of the largest conflict in human history--twice. We can have a debate this Friday.

Instead, McCain is going to "suspend" the democratic process? And this from a man who prides himself on his Commander-in-Chief skills? How is calling quits amid a crisis as severe as 9/11, in human security terms, a measure of his leadership strength?

Bush and McCain, linked again at the hip, are telling this nation, which seeks confidence and hope: You have nothing to fear but the end of fear itself. McCain has bailed out from the responsibilities demanded of a presidential candidate who claims to be a leader. Bush looked like the dog in that never-to-be-forgotten National Lampoon cover with dog, gun pointed at his head. Propped up at single digit ratings delivering a speech, the worst president in our history was sent out there to scare Americans and prop up a man he smeared two election cycles ago.

The people of this nation don't need more showboating, fearmongering and ducking for cover. They need a plan which will treat Main Street with dignity, respect and equity. McCain's desperate sprint to Washington only exposes how the pinstripers in pitchforks are scared. (As CNN's Anderson Cooper reported tonight , McCain has missed more votes than any other senator this year.)

There is blame to go around. The Nation's special forum on the bailout this week lays out ideas about how to extricate this good country from a financial disaster with bipartisan parents. But McCain's low road showboating is nothing but a way to put his political fate ahead of his country's in order to divert and distract attention from his failing campaign. We deserve better.