The press reports on how John McCain suddenly "stopped campaigning" to return to Washington and "provide leadership" to resolving the bailout debate is both amazing and disturbing on its face. Several members of the Senate from both parties and a few in the House expressed anger over McCain "parachuting" into the negotiations for political purposes, possibly confusing or delaying them instead of having any positive effect on developments.

First, McCain failed to respond to Obama's early Wednesday phone call as to whether they should make a joint statement with regard to the requested bailout legislation. After about 6 hours, McCain called Obama back and then within 5 minutes after the phone call, McCain announced his decision to suspend his campaign to return to Washington. Then within a half hour, Senator Lindsay Graham, McCain's spokesman with regard to the scheduled Friday debate announced that McCain will not debate Obama unless the bailout legislation was passed. When reporters pressed Graham observing that there was no possible way that the bill could be written, reviewed and agreed in joint committee, passed by both House and Senate, and signed by the President in anything less than a week or so. Graham then "redefined" what was meant by saying that McCain would not debate until the legislation was "essentially passed", meaning agreed upon by both House and Senate leadership as well as the president and the Treasury Department. Now on Thursday morning, CNN and NBC reports from Washington are that Senate Republicans intend to drag their feet on their approval of the legislation so that McCain can avoid participation in the scheduled Friday night debate.

This is unbelievable! Are McCain and his advisors so convinced that the only way he can win is to avoid discussion of the issues and simply keep banging away at Obama using whichever nasty negative campaigning they can come up with until Election Day? Are both McCain and his handlers so contemptuous of Americans that they're willing to politicize the most serious financial crisis in decades for personal gain? Can't the American public see thru this sad ruse? Will the election still be close even if McCain is successful in avoiding direct debate with his opponent or any meaningful discussion of the issues? The GOP campaign handlers schedule all kinds of photo ops for Sarah Palin as well, but won't let her be interviewed or even answer questions in a press conference. They made a mistake yesterday and a reporter asked Palin a direct question about the financial crisis. Her answer: "I've only been involved in local politics, but John McCain will continue to attack the special interests when we get to Washington." Whaaat???

How could we possibly trust John McCain if he continues to approve of this disdainful approach to campaigning for election to the most powerful position in the free world? Unless we can understand the positions of the candidates on the issues and observe their performance in face-to-face debate, I can't see how voters can make an intelligent decision. But maybe that's the last thing the GOP campaign strategists want--an informed electorate.

I remain convinced....extremely hopeful at the very least...that American voters will see thru this disturbing contempt for the public in permitting them to understand how the candidates stand on the issues and how they conduct themselves in face-to-face debate. If one candidate continues to avoid addressing his opponent and the issues directly, I guess the choice for voters who wish to be informed is obvious.