So I return from a day of teaching and discover that John McCain has decided to suspend his campaign and return to Washington DC, the better to deal with our nation’s urgent problems. Goody! It might have been even better had he bothered to show up for even a single one of the 108 Senate votes that have been taken between April 8, when he last showed up, and today. Who knows how many problems might have been averted had John McCain managed to show up before today?

Seriously, though, I agree with Steve Benen: this is flailing desperation. It also makes no sense: he’s still giving some speeches, but he has stopped airing ads. Does anyone seriously think that airing ads would seriously impair John McCain’s ability to address this crisis? Does he usually wind the ad tapes himself? Does he go around to all the TV stations in order to say “I’m John McCain and I approve this message” in person? Somehow, I don’t think so.

He’s down in the polls. His “brilliant” VP pick is not wearing well, even in her virtual press seclusion. His responses to a genuine crisis are all over the map. So he decides that rather than scaling back his appearances and being quietly helpful behind the scenes, he will descend on Washington, cameras in tow, and posture.

It’s not often you get to see a presidential campaign pull a Hindenburg, but we may be witnessing that today.  Pass the popcorn.