McCain must rise to the occasion

John McCain is now busy disproving the very rationale for his campaign. The campaign has always been about the candidate's character rather than specific policies, goals, objectives or agendas. McCain put himself forward as the essential man whose leadership, courage and wisdom would surmount any and all obstacles. Even his signature issue from 2007, his support for the surge, was framed to highlight McCain's leadership, his willingness to stick his neck out for his convictions and to stick to his guns when politically safer courses were available because he believed in the justice of his cause. In short, McCain was the message. 

History as it so often does threw a change up. Events have presented McCain with an opportunity to prove his thesis that his unique character is essential to meet the extraordinary crisis we face today. Unfortunately, that crisis has put McCain's weakest suit, economic policy, in the forefront of the electorate's concerns. But by his own thesis, this should not matter. He was never running on the idea that he had specific policy prescriptions or skills.

McCain must demonstrate the unique leadership that has been his brand in the context of the economic concerns of Americans tonight and over the next four weeks. He must do so in a courageous, wise and credible fashion or he will not win the election. As Rich Lowry writes in the National Review today, if he does not rise to the occasion he does not deserve to win.

History has presented McCain an opportunity to prove his thesis, that by virtue of his leadership and wisdom he is the essential man to address today's challenges. If instead of leadership he resorts only to disqualifying his opponent he will have demonstrated the opposite.

There's a lesson here for another day about the dangers of a character-based campaign thesis.