Patriotic Hats

This has been bugging me since the confluence of Hurricane Gustav and the Republican National Convention, when John McCain suspended the convention for one night so we could (and I'm paraphrasing) "take off our Republican hats and put on our American hats." And now he's suspending his campaign and trying to postpone the first presidential debate to "deal" with the financial crisis (never mind the fact the congressional leaders of both parties have been working on the administration's bailout proposal for five straight days, and according to this post on the noted political blog Talking Points Memo, are 98% there) and suggesting that we need to come together as Americans rather than Democrats or Republicans. Well, I'm a Democrat, but the last time I checked, I'm an American, too. Yes, I'm two things at once. I can even do two things at once - right now I'm watching TV and writing this blog post! Okay, I'm being sarcastic, obviously, but can't John McCain do his part to "deal" with the crisis and still prepare for the debate, like his opponent Barack Obama? Doesn't a president need to be able to multitask? Clearly McCain can't - and in my mind, this business about not being able to be Americans and members of our chosen political parties is just more evidence that McCain can't multitask at all. (Although, in McCain's defense, if we're talking about trying to wear two hats at once, y'know an American hat and a Republican hat, you are just going to wind up looking like a dork.)

Daily Beard #3 tomorrow.

-EB