Obama Has Forgotten His Day Job

While he's all wrapped up in trying to become president of the United States, Barack Obama has forgotten that he has a day job. You know, that pesky office he won two years ago and used as a stepping stone to presidential consideration: U.S. Senator from Illinois. Yeah, that job.

John McCain has the same job as a U.S. senator representing Arizona. The nation is in a severe financial crisis and something has to be done to avert potential economic disaster. It's a time like no other in the midst of a presidential election. The Republican nominee has chosen to set aside his aspirations and report back to work in Washington. That's where he should be, representing the interests of Arizona and its citizens. He has suspended his campaign and asked that the first presidential debate on Friday be postponed. It would allow both candidates to concentrate on the more important debate in Washington rather than prepping for the one in Oxford, Mississippi.

“I am calling on the President to convene a meeting with the leadership from both houses of Congress, including Senator Obama and myself,” McCain said today. “It is time for both parties to come together to solve this problem.”

Serving the public good above self-interest is genuine change. It's the responsible choice. But Obama, the self-labeled "agent of change," would rather keep running for president instead of serving his constituents and taking part in what's going on in Washington. That would mean getting off the campaign trail. Being one of 100 senators instead of the lone Democrat in the political spotlight. No speeches, no rallies, no attack ads. Pulling up his sleeves and getting down to business instead of just talking a good game as he's done the past two years. Actually doing what he was elected to do by the people of Illinois in 2006.

Both McCain and Obama should be part of the discussion instead of talking about it to win points on the campaign trail. It's what they were elected to do, contrary to what the Democrats in Congress might think. Chuck Schumer says what McCain is proposing is just "a political stunt." Their presence would be a distratction, they claim. But they weren't elected by voters in Arizona and Illinois to run for president: it's their job to be in the middle of the discussion and debate. They're supposed to be there.

Senator McCain, contrary to what Obama and his surrogates believe, does get it. Obama obviously doesn't. McCain knows where he belongs and who he serves. The Liberal Messiah would like nothing better than to be standing alone in Oxford, basking in his political glory but neglecting his constituents.