McCain's Economic (and Consistency) Problem

"The advantage I think that voters have when it comes to my [economic] plans they've been out there for over a year. This is not something I said in response to today's crisis."

This is what Barack Obama said to Reuters regarding his economic plan (full interview here).

In the meantime, John McCain goes from referring to the economy as "strong" to an economy in "crisis" within 36 hours, and now all of a sudden he wants more regulation of those greedy Wall Street people (getting nervous yet, financial sector GOP up there in the Northeast?)

McCain's populism is too abrupt to avoid suspicion. Which is it John, principles, or convenience? Solutions, or trying to distance yourself from the policies that helped bring on the crisis and that until days ago you supported?

McCain is even willing to sell out the rest of the GOP with his economic flip-flopping; he's turned earmarks into a curse word, disregarding the positions of his own party - yes, throwing GOP lawmakers under the bus for half a polling point. "I don't think it's the right approach," said Rep. Ralph Regula, an Ohio Republican who has spent three decades on the House Appropriations Committee. "I haven't done an earmark I wouldn't be happy to have spread all over the front pages of the paper."

The five minute half-life of McCain's answers on money issues shouldn't surprise us given that he's already told us he's not an expert on Wall Street, which is scary when things are this bad.