McCain Launches Another Hail Mary

John McCain's decision to suspend his campaign to work on the bailout feels like another Hail Mary pass—his second in a month, counting the Sarah Palin pick—from a candidate slipping in the polls and looking for a bold move, writes John Dickerson in Slate. Given that it's not exactly clear what McCain can accomplish in Washington on an issue that is anything but his strong suit, it's doubtful that the move "would pass his own laugh test."

Still, the Palin pick worked like a charm, at least at first, and if people hear only the 'McCain makes bold move' headlines, he could get some mileage. "If this one doesn't work, that's OK—in due time they can try another razzle-dazzle play. And if it does work, that's great—in due time they can still try another razzle-dazzle play. It all makes the prospect of a McCain White House very exciting. So exciting, he might want to schedule periodic suspensions of his presidency to get anything done."


(More McCain 2008 stories.)