Here’s a video of McCain two days ago, saying he hadn’t read the Paulson plan yet. Paulson released his three-page long proposal Friday, five days before this interview. Perhaps if McCain had read the plan then, he would have had time to take some action without “suspending” his campaign. (Note: Despite his claims, McCain’s surrogates have continued to make appearances, his ads are still on the air, and Sarah Palin will be holding a rally.)

— Tim Fernholz

Tim Fernholz is a former staff writer for the Prospect. His work has been published by Newsweek, The New Republic, The Nation, The Guardian, and The Daily Beast. He is also a Research Fellow at the New America Foundation.