I am more than just a McCain supporter, I am a McCain donor.  Ok, so I have not nearly maxed out; the amount I have given is so small Senator McCain would not miss it.  Nevertheless, I would like to think to what money I have given is being put to good use.  Unfortunately, McCain’s proposal to delay the debate has forced me to rethink any future donations.

1.  McCain is not going to solve the financial crisis.  Harry Reid and Nancy Pelosi will make sure that, whatever deal may result, that McCain had nothing to do with it.  In fact, if they can make him look like the one who prevented a deal from going through, they will.  McCain seems to be assuming that the Democrats will work with him in good faith.  That is a dangerous assumption to make.  Ask George H.W. Bush.

2. Whatever the wisdom of the bailout/rescue plan, so far it is proving to be very unpopular.  McCain is not going to win over very many undecided voters even if he does help forge an agreement.  In fact, he may even antagonize his conservative base.

3. Delaying the debate will cause him to appear weak to undecided voters.  Yes, Barack Obama did chicken out of the last debate with Hillary after doing so poorly.  Yes, Barack Obama has refused to participate in McCain’s proposed town halls.  Guess what?  The undecided voters, as a rule, do not have enough of an attention span to remember any of these.  They will look at McCain’s delay as either gamesmanship or weakness - not statesmanship.

4.  We have been waiting months for the chance to get Obama on a national stage without a teleprompter.  Now that the hour is upon us, it makes no sense to delay.  We want Obama to speak unscripted as early and as often as possible.  By calling Obama back to Washington to deal with the financial crisis, McCain gives Obama a chance to make a rousing, rehearsed speech from the Senate floor.

5.  NEWS FLASH.  The financial crisis helps Obama.  McCain desperately needs to change the subject, and the debate would have given him this opportunity.  Remember the first debate - at Obama’s insistence - was to cover foreign policy.  By suspending his campaign and delaying the debate, he not only is passing on a chance to change the subject to an area that is in his wheelhouse, but he is also emphasizing (IMHO overly so) an issue that helps Obama.

6.  Obama is (for once) right;  a president should be able to multi-task.

7.  The only thing more baffling that McCain’s request for a delay is Obama’s decision not agree to it.  If I were Obama, I would agree to the delay then stonewall any attempt to reschedule.  Do you really think Barack Obama wants to come to a deep red state to debate foreign policy?  McCain’s proposal gives him a way out.  The mainstream media gave Obama a pass when he chickened out of the last debate with Hillary.  There is no reason to believe they will not do so again should Obama decides rescheduling the debate is not in his interest.

8.  Finally, if this debate does not go forth as scheduled McCain will alienate the entire state of Mississippi.  The only time Mississippi gets any national attention is when a hurricane strikes or when someone goes on trial for a racially-motivated killing.  The fact that Oxford was chosen as the site for the first debate has been a tremendous source of pride for the state.  The University of Mississippi has spent five million dollars to host this debate.  Just about every politician and businessman in Mississippi has some ties to the school. Trust me; you cannot screw Ole Miss out of millions of dollars and expect all to be forgiven.

Several pundits have speculated that Obama could turn Mississippi blue if the African-American turnout was high enough.  I never thought that was possible even if every eligible African-American voter came to vote.  Obama is just too liberal to have a prayer here.  However, if McCain alienates enough of voters in this state, it could cost the GOP Roger Wicker’s Senate seat and could keep the First Congressional District in Democratic hands.

Nothing good will come of McCain’s suspension of his campaign.  He has two choices.  He can come to Oxford and mop the floor with that liberal nut-job.  Or he can just hand Obama the keys to the White House now.

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