Republican presidential candidate John McCain's self-portrait as a bold leader willing to set politics aside to save an endangered financial bailout plan took a pounding Thursday from top Democrats and even some fellow Republicans. His efforts to re-energize his presidential campaign will partly turn on who wins the public relations battle, destined to play out for days. Top Democrats in Congress ridiculed McCain's claim Wednesday that negotiations were going nowhere, necessitating his hasty return to Washington to intervene while suspending his campaign and to hold off on a planned debate with Democratic rival Barack Obama on Friday. “It was somewhat stunning” to receive McCain's phone call with that message, said Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, a Democrat. Talks were proceeding fine without him, Reid said. Rep. Barney Frank of Massachusetts, the chief House of Representatives Democrat on the bill, said, “all of a sudden, now that we are on the verge of making a deal, John McCain airdrops himself to help us make the deal.” Even the House's Republican leader, John Boehner of Ohio, passed up a chance to praise McCain's leadership powers shortly before the two men met in the Capitol at midday Thursday. Asked by reporters if McCain could help win House Republican votes for the proposed package, Boehner shrugged and said, “Who knows?” Other Republicans gave McCain more credit. “They got something done this morning only because McCain came back,” said Republican Sen. Jim DeMint. But DeMint later said the proposal “does not contain a single item that will stimulate our economy.” President George W. Bush's biggest worry is House Republicans, many of whom seemed unimpressed Thursday with McCain's heightened interest. Several said it was essential that both McCain and Obama back the bailout plan together, which they appeared to do in joining Bush and other congressional leaders at a White House meeting Thursday. “If McCain and Obama would stand together and take this off the table” as a sharply partisan issue, then wary House Republicans might get on board, said Republican Rep. Zach Wamp. Framing the issue in those bipartisan terms, however, complicates McCain's bid to differentiate himself from Obama on leadership issues. In truth, McCain has faced a no-win situation for days. To support the bailout or a similar plan would put him at odds with millions of voters and many House Republicans at a time his campaign is sliding in the polls. Obama has an easier path. No one will accuse him of being a Bush clone even if he ends up siding with the administration on this issue. And Democrats in general are more receptive to government regulation of powerful institutions.
