Republican presidential candidate John McCain’s suspension of his
campaign earlier this week confused many, and while pundits wrangled
over the consequences of the decision, Jon Stewart gave what may be
the most incisive analysis of McCain’s choice out there: “The net effect of
John McCain suspending his campaign [has been] angering David
Letterman.” Indeed, Stewart gave his audience a blow-by-blow look at
the events of the week, finding McCain’s actions bizarre, politicized,
and perhaps even egomaniacal:

September 15: McCain announces that the “fundamentals of the economy are
still strong”. The stock market plummets 500 points

September 21: McCain says that SEC chairman Chris Cox has betrayed
public trust, and that if McCain were president, he would fire Cox. The
President of the United States does not have the power to do this.

September 22: McCain receives a copy of the government’s plan to
bail-out Wall Street; it is a three page document.

September 23: McCain is asked if he will support the bailout plan . The
senator claims he has not yet read the three page document.

September 24: John McCain makes the decision to suspend his campaign so
he can focus fully on the economic meltdown. He skips an interview with
David Letterman in order to get back to Washington. Instead of heading
to Washington that evening, McCain sits down for an interview with Katie
Couric.

September 25: Congress is said to be close to closing a deal on the
bailout plan. McCain’s plane lands in Washington. Negotiations stall
and nearly fall apart.

As Stewart summed it up: “John McCain is the only man who can
impulsively overreact to something 10 days old.”

–Marissa Colón-Margolies

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