...executed stupidly. If he was really going to "suspend his campaign", he should have cancelled all of his appearances and gone straight to the Senate. One does not keep appointments with select talking heads when attempting to project the impression of being called away by vital business.

Obama had the right answer for it: that Presidents are supposed to be able to concentrate on multiple things. His people also made sure that the timeline of events, wherein Obama made the first phone call, got out there. McCain told the world he wanted to call off the debate before he told Obama. It's sort-of like breaking a dinner date with someone by putting it up on a billboard. How rude!

David Letterman, bless his heart, did the rest, in his voiceover of McCain getting all gussied up for Katie Couric. "Hey, John, I've got a question: DO YOU NEED A RIDE TO THE AIRPORT?"

Those who are impressed by McCain's unilateral declaration were already impressed. Those who weren't already impressed, not so much.