For those who love politics and baseball, you’re gonna enjoy this post. I’ve said all my life baseball can be a metaphor for all things, so here we go:
In an earlier post today, I said Republican John McCain found himself between a rock and a hard place about whether to vote for or against bailout legislation currently in front of Congress. He’s in trouble politically if he does and in trouble politically if he doesn’t, and therefor he needed some way to delay, maybe get the current proposals off the table and lead the charge for something, anything, other than what’s there now.
Why doesn’t the same principles apply to Democrat Barack Obama? After all, Obama like McCain is a senator and will be called upon to vote on any bailout legislation. Isn’t he also liable no matter which way he votes?
Now, let’s play ball!
Obama’s taken the first pitch by not staking out a firm position for or against the $700 billion bailout proposal laid out by the Department of Treasury and the Federal Reserve. He let the pitch sail by, fully expecting it to be called a “strike.” And indeed, in a way, it was “Strike One” because McCain blasted him for a failure of leadership on the issue. McCain called Obama “MIA.” But taking the first pitch can be a smart strategy. You get to see what the pitcher’s got, whether that fast ball has any wicked movement or if the breaking ball is tricky. What’s on the table now may not be the final legislation, and swinging at the first pitch could get you out. Waiting to smack another pitch might lead to a home run. What do I mean? By staying neutral, as his financial advisors told him to do, Obama can vote on any legislation without a.) contradicting something he said on the campaign trail and b.) said he voted his conscience. That may not send the ball over the fence, but it might get him an RBI double with the electorate. Being a patient hitter, waiting to hit the third or fourth pitch can be smarter than flailing at the first one.
Now, McCain steps to the plate and he immediately swings at the first pitch. In fact, he’s flailing at it. He’s against regulation. He’s for increased regulation. He’s against the current bailout package, although he has not said which way he would vote. He’s trying to swing for a home run when maybe he just needs a single, which means he may be over swinging. The electorate’s confused on where he stands on the bailout because they’ve been bombarded by the Obama campaign with evidence of McCain’s resistance to regulation, but McCain in relentless TV ads and speeches says he’ll take on Wall Street. Now, though, McCain’s facing a full count, and he has no idea what the pitcher’s gonna throw. Could it be a fastball? Could it be a screw ball? What’s the legislation gonna look like? There’s still a chance McCain could put the ball in play and get on base, maybe even send that thing over the leftfield fence for a gamewinner, but he’s working against a count that favor’s the pitcher. And so he’s gonna call timeout, pull out of Friday’s debate.
But suspending the campaign won’t help McCain avoid a vote in the Senate. And so he still has to get in the batter’s box.
What McCain’s trying to do is create a situation that favors him better in the batter’s box so he can get a pitch to hit. By calling on everyone to come together (Bush, Obama, Congress, Henry Paulson, Ben Bernanke), McCain’s trying to force something more to his liking so he can smack the pitch into play.
Will he be safe or will he be out? Stay tuned.
