McCain goes to Washington, but why?

If opportunism and grandstanding are essential requirements for US president, then Republican candidate John McCain is more than adequately qualified.

His first attempt was to postpone attending the early days of the Republican convention where he would be confirmed as candidate for US president, because he thought it more important to present national unity front in a time of crisis - the crisis being Hurricane Gustav.

At that time the White House also cancelled the planned appearances of President George W. Bush and Vice President Dick Cheney, presumably to ensure they were not to be caught out a second time, the first time being Hurricane Katrina three years earlier.

Now McCain, finding his support slipping in the polls, has decided to preempt an agreed initiative with Democrat candidate Barack Obama, and "go it alone" by announcing he will visit Washington and assist in resolving the financial crisis affecting the US and the rest of the world. To underline his seriousness, he has called a halt to his presidential campaign and postponed a scheduled Friday televised debate with Obama.

All this sounds very fine and patriotic, which McCain, a former Vietnam War veteran as we are constantly reminded, would want Americans to think.

But when McCain has, in the past, conceded that he was not a student of economy and, more recently, that "still ... the fundamentals of our economy are strong" it casts doubt on his ability to not only understand the problem but also to help in any way to resolve it. After all, when so-called experts are at a loss to halt the slide, how will a non-student be able to help?

Is it not time that presidential candidates stop knee-jerk responses to events and told the public as it is and how it should be?