Throwdown: McCain vs Bush?

After about an hour of thinking on last night’s Republican betrayal of Big Finance, it occurred to me that John McCain may be throwing down George Bush. This may be about power in the Republican Party.

John McCain suspended his campaign to go to Washington where he has not been since April 8th. Before he gets there, his advisors work with House Republicans to advocate McCain’s insurance plan. They dutifully line up with him while negotiating with the Administration and Congress. And when McCain gets his meeting with everyone in the White House, he  de-rails the perceived consensus publicly. Then McCain says:

“There never was a deal, but I do believe the meeting was important to move the process along,” McCain said. “It gave us a renewed sense of urgency and I’m confident we will move forward, and I’m confident that we will reach a conclusion.”

So after 8 years of being behind Bush is John McCain telling the Republican Party that he ( John McCain) is in charge and if the President does not play ball with him there will be consequences?

John McCain has made this bailout a political problem with both candidates now squarely in the public eye. John is using this event to separate himself from George Bush and Barack Obama. Is the message  ”I do not accept this bailout plan”  directed to his base or to swing voters?

Brinksmanship may be the a characteristic that separates him from Obama but it makes McCain look more like Bush and that will not help him with thinking Republicans.

In the meantime, Rome may be burning.