Playing Presidential politics with the financial crisis
Are Obama and McCain playing politics right now?
Of course they are; is the Pope Catholic?
What’s far more interesting to me is how they’re playing, and what this reveals about their natures. Just because there is some political posturing does not mean there’s not also some sincerity. Each candidate is revealing something about himself even as he jockeys for position, and they are running true to type.
McCain is an action man who doesn’t like to dither. He’s been in the Senate for a long time and has done a great deal of hammering out of deals, and he is comfortable in that arena. He has an idea of honor and it informs his decisions, and his gut response is not only to be where the action is but to do the job for which he was elected. He really does believe in his own slogan to put country above party, has done so in the past and will do so again. That doesn’t mean that he doesn’t keep a political eye out on things; I think he believes his decision to return to the Senate is both the right thing to do and the politically smart thing to do in the end, because it is consistent with his political message.
Obama is not a decision-maker, nor does he really feel comfortable in the Senate, having spent very little time there. He likes to sit back and study all the angles, and even then would prefer to let things emerge rather than taking a leadership role. This is partly due to his naturally contemplative bent, and partly to being a personality type that shies away from commitment and being pinned down. This is a good thing if his role in life were to be a mediator, for example, but I don’t think it suits the Presidency. Although this stance of watchful waiting is natural to him, I believe he also calculates it to be politically useful right now because it conveys his message of cool judicious thoughtfulness.
As for the debates and whether they should be held on Friday, this has turned into some sort of macho display. Of course McCain could do both things at once, but he likes the grand gesture of canceling, whereas Obama sees the whole thing as a way to emphasize his own versatility and nimbleness of mind. I’m with Bill Clinton on this one: cut McCain some slack. He’s doing what he thinks is best for the country and has also made it abundantly clear by his past behavior that he’s unafraid to debate Obama.
Whether Bill himself is just being political (a la Hillary in 2012) in coming to McCain’s defense and asking everyone to rise above it is another question. Maybe Bill is just being Presidential—or, in his case, post-Presidential. Or maybe he’s still personally mad at Obama (if so, I wouldn’t blame him). Or maybe all of the above.
Ill-informed comments on other blogs rant that McCain and Obama don’t sit on the committee(s) which have jurisdiction over the bailout, and thus, need not be present in Washington. They ignore the fact that this bailout (or any action of such magnitude) must be a joint operation between the Legislative and Executive branches.
It is highly unlikely that Hank Paulson will sign any of the bail-out checks. Whatever new entity might be created in the next few days, it won’t be operational or become funded overnight. The job of disbursing the $700 billion will fall upon the new Treasury Secretary, who will be appointed by either McCain or Obama. If I was going to be President, I’d damn sure want to be involved in the negotiations over the provisions that would apply to my administration. And I’d hate to go into the Presidential debate on economics in a few weeks if the other guy had been in the trenches where the action was taking place, while I was holed-up, cramming for a final.
Further, I’d think the future President would want a say in the substantive provisions of the bill, because while history will rightfully place the blame for the problem on the last five or six administrations, the credit for success or blame for failure to solve the problem will fall upon the next administration. If the bill is going to be unworkable, I’d want my objections on record.
Zogby now has McCain up by 2 as opposed to down by 3 last week.
Gallup now has McCain even with Obama after being down by 6 last week.
Are these response to
McCain’s leadership/political maneuver?
Uncertainty with Obama?
Regardless, it suggests that there is room for McCain to maneuver when it comes to the economy.
Of course they are; is the Pope Catholic?
I dont know about the pope, but Pelosi, and Biden are.
As for leadership decisions, When I was a court-maritaled Pvt in the MC (won’t tell long stories.) I was the platoon clerk, and my Plt Commander was always off somewhere else, so whenever something would show up needing a signature, I couldn’t run off and find him.
I’d sign it. Why? Because I had the authority to sign it. Or I wouldn’t, Why? Because we weren’t responsible for the things we were expected to sign.
Sometimes the simple ability of actually putting your name on something is a sign of leadership.
While NCO’s, and NCOIC’s were hemming and hawing, wondering what the Top would do, I just signed, or sent people on their way.
Top Loved it, and hated it, cuz I, a CM’d Pvt, would bigfoot my bosses when they were indecisive.
Some would say McCain rolled the dice. Could be, but coupled with that was, I believe, an attitude that it was the right thing to do for the country. Just like picking Sarah Palin, no matter the outcome of the election, it was the RIGHT thing to do.
You’re absolutely right about McCain being a doer. And it’s the message he wants to send about himself. McCain’s surprising move should not seem so surprising, since it’s essentially the same thing that he did the weekend before the Republican Convention when Hurricane Gustav was about to hit New Orleans. When something that affects the public is going on, he wants to be seen working for them, not for himself.
McCain also recognizes that members of his own party–the House Republicans–are feeling that they are under a lot of pressure for resiting this deal, and they want some attention. As the man who is at the moment his party’s standard-bearer, he has to make a house call to an important part of his constituency and show them that he wants to throw some of his weight on their side. They know that they can’t expect much from him, but they also know that they couldn’t possibly do better if McCain just sat on the sidelines or rallied for Bush.
By getting involved in the dealing McCain has also trapped Obama into getting involved too. This will turn out to be a win for McCain, because it will at least neutralize the bailout itself in the presidential election. An economic crisis like this should be big points for Obama. As it stands now, the eventual agreement will involve both of them. Therefore neither will be able to use it against the other, which is a gain for McCain.
McCain’s debate maneuver is also a plus for him. It needs to be borne in mind that Obama needs to prepare for the debates and McCain really doesn’t. By forcing Obama to go to Washington, McCain has interrupted Obama’s preparation. Moreover, now only McCain knows whether the debate tomorrow night will take place or not. Obama has to wait to find out! Great position for a rookie to be in when preparing for a live national debate.
I’d say the odds are very good that McCain will get on a plane tomorrow afternoon to be in Oxford for the debate. If he does, he will seem as if Obama dragged him away from serious work just in order to keep an appointment for a television show. And McCain will sound like he knows what he’s talking about anyway.
If McCain decides not to attend the debate, it will probably be because the negotiations are not going well. And in that case, Obama will look pretty stupid in Oxford Mississippi instead of Washington, which after all is where he wants us to put him.
In this campaign McCain is like a chess player with a two-pawn handicap. He’s got to see his opportunities and take them. Obama is way over his head in campaigning against McCain.
Observing Clinton’s intelligent, measured responses to questions about this issue makes me realize just how useful his agile intellect is when put to the service of solving a problem other than how to escape the consequences of something dopey he did and I am impressed.
I did get a chuckle when I read “I thought it was the clearest statement of why we’re in the fix we’re in, at least what the nature of it is and why some national action is needed,” Clinton said.
Was he talking about the crisis, or the nature of “it?”
Barack Obama has managed the considerable feat of making Bill Clinton seem statesmanlike.
Barack Obama has outdone himself. Instead of voting Present on this one, he has decided to vote – “Not Present.”
Good governance is the best politics.
I often enough disagree with John McCain, but at no time have I thought he wasn’t thinking things through and trying to do what he felt was right.
He’s making the right moves here, regardless of the actual wisdom of this particular plan.
Neo,
I think that your analysis of both men is spot-on. Obama approaches problems just like the reflective thoughtful college professor he is; McCain, just like the warrior he is. Professors like to solve problems with words and avoid the fray; warriors are willing to join the fray when necessary.
I think that, on balance, I (a former professor) would rather be represented by a warrior than a professor. A professor is predictable; this allows his/her opponent to think several moves ahead with a great amount of certainty. A good warrior is unpredictable.
I think I’d rather have our enemies guessing about what “this unpredictable American” might do next if they attack, or if they don’t bargain in good faith. It’s called leverage at the bargaining table.
Finally, I think this is all a testament to Obama’s inexperience. He said that John McCain didn’t know who he was dealing with. So far, McCain seems to have bested Obama and the Dems at every turn (granted, it’s not over yet). I think John McCain knows exactly who he’s dealing with; he’s been dealing with such people for several decades in the senate.
Do Professors actually solve anything?
It’s significant that the “Surprise!” of McCain’s decision was announced and delivered by the MSM, who we know now have no constraints on delivering information wrapped in biased commentary.
While it did entail a change in plans, and though part of me thought it possibly partial political gimmick, McCain’s decision shouldn’t be all that surprising for him because he really is that “Country First” guy, and his record tells us so.
This financial situation is so rare (thank goodness) and unusual — far more than hurricanes hitting U.S. shores. People barely blinked when McCain suspended the entire Republican Party Convention because parts of the U.S. were experiencing a terrible storm. Now we have this “Crisis” with a capital T. It’s really harder to imagine the Senator not wanting to be involved in this current urgent work of Congress. Besides regarding it as his duty, it is the job for which he is paid.
Obama — who also receives a paycheck for the same job, has rarely shown his face at his place of business since he announced his candidacy for President almost a year and a half ago. Now, as we face what is certain to be one of the single most important issues for the U.S. in our lifetimes (probably more than 9/11 since it actually threatens the future viability of our entire economy), Barack Obama fliply tosses out, “I’m here. Call me if you need me.”
I was thinking, might this not be a tacit admission that “they” (Congress) really do not need him. Makes you wonder why anyone would “need him” as President when he doesn’t have much to contribute as Senator?
In this context, it might be useful to note that in order to neutralize any potential political advantage for McCain, familiar Democratic faces such as Charles Schumer and Barney Frank rushed to the cameras to make it known that “they” didn’t need John McCain,. They cheerfully concluded that his return to Washington must simply be because he doesn’t want to debate Obama.
By the way, I did not note one single news source that managed to include the fact that along with Sen. McCain returning to Washington to participate in solving one of the greatest problems of our time – as is his job, he suggested aonly a brief 5 day postponement of the debate.