Letterman Cold Cocks McCain

UPDATE: Here's video.

And rightfully so, I'd say. By way of Politico (who got it from Sludge, to whom I won't link):

David Letterman tells audience that McCain called him today to tell him he had to rush back to DC to deal with the economy.

Then in the middle of the taping Dave got word that McCain was, in fact just down the street being interviewed by Katie Couric. Dave even cut over to the live video of the interview, and said, "Hey Senator, can I give you a ride home?"

Earlier in the show, Dave kept saying, "You don't suspend your campaign. This doesn't smell right. This isn't the way a tested hero behaves." And he joked: "I think someone's putting something in his metamucil."

"He can't run the campaign because the economy is cratering? Fine, put in your second string quarterback, Sarah Palin. Where is she?"

"What are you going to do if you're elected and things get tough? Suspend being president? We've got a guy like that now!"

Indeed. McCain can't focus on more than one thing at once, hardly the quality we'd want for the man who would have arguably one of the most demanding and complex jobs on the planet.

And I've said it before, and I'll keep saying it until his pasty face is sweating under the Ford Center lights, there is no more important time for the American public see these two candidates debate. The topic should obviously shift to the most pressing issue at hand, and it would be good that the two have been preparing for a foreign policy discussion. They'd have to think on their feet, and speak note from rote memorization, but from a thorough understanding of the issues. I have no doubt that Obama would excel in that situation, as I have little doubt McCain would flounder.

Hunter hits the nail on the head:

The debate simply is going to have to address on the economy, at least in part.

So fine -- let's change the focus of the debate to the economy. It would be a fine opportunity to see what the candidates can do without weeks of advance preparation with surrogates, talking points, and the like -- what better test of candidates then to simply ask them about these issues, and let them talk. Such a debate would be exactly what many of us have been waiting for, including, purportedly, John McCain himself -- a chance for a true spontaneous debate between the two candidates.

I don't think it should require much to just switch the topic of the debate and be done with it. John McCain has been in the Senate for 26 years. If he's not ready to talk about the economy now, he isn't ever going to be.