Turning on a dime

John McCain, recovered from Friday night’s anger-fest, lashes out at Obama:

In his first public appearance since Friday night’s debate, McCain said Democrat Barack Obama advocates tax-and-spend policies that “will deepen our recession,” and voted against funding for equipment needed by troops in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Just 12 days ago, McCain maintained that the fundamentals of our economy were sound, and denied that we were anywhere near a recession. If he had clue one about economics, or was even capable of truthfully recounting Obama’s proposals, he might have a little more credibility.

In the early days of the economic crisis, McCain seemed uncertain how to react. His first response was to say the fundamentals of the economy were strong. Then he backtracked, saying the workers form the foundation of the economy and they are strong. Then he called for a blue-ribbon commission to study the root causes of the debacle on Wall Street. Then he called for the ouster of Securities and Exchange Commission Chairman Christopher Cox, with each shift drawing ridicule from Obama.

But now he’s back to basics: lying about Obama’s tax proposal and claiming Obama’s economic proposals, which he doesn’t understand, will make the recession, which he not only doesn’t understand, but which up until recently he didn’t believe existed, worse.

But we can trust him because, you know, he’s so maverick-y. Or so he keeps on telling us.