Fascinating

The Lone Ranger rides in but does not save the town.

Josh Marshall at TPM has an extensive quote from Jonathan Weisman on what took place when McCain, Obama, Bush, and Congressional leaders met in the Cabinet room of the White House.

A short excerpt:

No, Boehner replied, he just wanted his members to have a voice. Obama then jumped in to turn the question on his rival: "What do you think of the [insurance] plan, John?" he asked repeatedly. McCain did not answer.

One Republican in the room said it was clear that the Democrats came into the meeting with a "game plan" aimed at forcing McCain to choose between the administration and House Republicans. "They had taken McCain's request for a meeting and trumped it," said this source.

Congressional aides from both parties were standing in the lobby of the West Wing, unaware of the discord inside the Cabinet room, when McCain emerged alone, shook the hands of the Marines at the door and left. The aides were baffled. The plan had been for a bipartisan appearance before the media, featuring McCain, Obama and at least a firm statement in favor of intervention. Now, one of the leading men was gone.

Marshall concludes that this might "explain some of what happened last night."

I know I was certainly intrigued by what might happen amid all this political posturing and high visibility. Earlier I had read that Obama asked lots of questions of Paulson and that McCain said virtually nothing in the entire meeting, even when prompted.

Makes you go, "Hmmmmmm."
--the BB