Americans do not want this bail-out. They're furious. Neither Bush, Paulson, or Bernancke has explained why it's necessary in any clear or dire terms.
All people see is a potential extension of the fleecing of their hard-earned, dwindling dollars. Another rewarding of the fat cats and flake-outs. They don't want it. Is John McCain going to grab the narrative by joining them?
The Republican Caucus is holding out, because they see the the political opportunity in having red meat to toss to their angry electorate: The Bush-Pelosi Bail-out. Democrats and Fannie & Freddie caused this. We won't let it happen.
"This is a government created crisis, we need the government out of it" cries Jim DeMint.
John McCain is losing. That means he has to stage a "razzle-dazzle" as Chris Matthews called his loose cannon, media grabbing game-changers yesterday on Hardball.
He's low on fact-based options. That means he's going to stage a PR Coup. And he has to look heroic somehow. Prove why he had to be there in DC.
He can stand in front of the Republican Caucus and say: "The Bill is wrong. It hands over hard-working Americans' dollars to save the reckless and greedy. I won't have it. We must work night and day to develop alternatives."
Campaign stops. No debates. Ever. John McCain saves the world.
Far-fetched? Possibly.
But the Dems are setting it up for him.
They're angry McCain is winging in when they're almost finished with the negotiations. They're trying to have the bill finished by the afternoon confab with the President, when McCain swoops in.
Won't this play into McCain's hands? He can look it over and see the flaw. He can tie Bush and Obama together. He can scorn the elite, egghead hand-overs. Because no one has explained to Americans why this bail-out must be done. So Americans are screaming: No! Don't do this!
What advantage is it to McCain to go along with the bill? He has to add something? He has to make his arrival look like the turning point.
If he doesn't say no to the bill, he will expose how the Republicans are against it.
So the only other hero possibility is he convinces the Republican Caucus to go along. A hard sell. But if he does it, he'll look like the hero there too.
There is something in this for McCain. It's not just covering up the Davis problem yesterday, which his stunt did.
Palin agreed with Couric in her interview yesterday that not taking any action come result in another Great Depression. So that says there is a crisis, and something must be done.
Today John McCain is saying action must be taken. He said this morning that we have to act. But he mentions haste is wrong.
That leans towards McCain convincing the Repubs to join in. But taking a long time to do it. A long, debate-preventing time.
Acting slowly, doing it right. That may be his heroic savior moment.
Taking more time will get American support
It may not be any of these stunts, but he's going to find something.
He has to make his "all hands on deck" cry -- which he reiterated at Clinton Initiative -- look necessary. (Apparently all hands not needed until after major speech coverage politicizing Clinton Initiative. And having Clinton praising Cindy's work in Rwanda.)
There's another ploy coming. And one after that. And one after that. Until they find the one that keeps voters and the media focused off facts and on emotional tabloid "issues"
Or, maybe, this time, truth will win. McCain will be exposed for the Cowboy Repeat he is. That he's another shoot from the hip, fact-free misleader. Which means an even more slimey October Surprise. But less chance people will fall for it.