McCain, The Crisis, and Polling

John McCain's campaign has taken a major hit from the failure of the bailout bill. This is particularly interesting because he supported the bill, and actually worked to get House GOP members to vote for it. However, what we may be seeing is a backfire at McCain's calculated suspension of his campaign to go to Washington to help reach a deal.

1. He didn't actually suspend the campaign.
2. He didn't do much in Washington while he was there.
3. He originally vowed not to debate if there wasn't a deal by Friday. He did debate and
4. the deal was reached over the weekend.
5. Finally, the deal didn't pass.

This leads me to suspect that the public is starting to see McCain as ineffectual. Certainly, the poll numbers for yesterday won't have a full impact of the House vote yesterday, if it shows any impact. But the fact remains, McCain was in freefall before the bailout failed, and it seems that the economy was already the reason. His erratic moves last week and ultimate capitulation to Obama makes him appear weak and perhaps a little out of touch. And now that the deal he susposedly stopped campaigning to help get passed failed, he has positioned himself to look ineffectual. These are all things the Obama campaign wants. It's almost as though McCain is campaigning for Obama.