The quiet American

It is better to keep one's mouth shut and be thought a fool than to open it and resolve all doubt. ~Abraham Lincoln

We haven't been hearing a lot of words from either Republican candidate recently and of course that brings Honest Abe's quote to mind. It's obvious that the handlers are terrified of some monstrous gaffe from Sarah - something that would dwarf the Iraq-Afghanistan border groaner or confusing the Spanish Prime Minister with some South American insurgent. Hence the retreat to the safety of silence.

It's harder for McCain to justify his Cheney-like seclusion, but it now seems he's found a way to counter the public impression that he has no interest in fixing the economic crisis, no ability to understand it and is too close to the people who made it happen. Here he comes to save the day; Mighty Mouse McCain goes to Washington and he can't be troubled with pettiness like debates.

According to an ongoing CNN poll, 71% of the respondents at this point see it as a political gimmick and only 24% as an honest attempt to deal with the economy. I agree. Will it backfire? It might, as public sentiment seems overwhelmingly against the proposed bailout and being identified with it may be politically dangerous.