Professor McCain and Psychology 101

The way a candidate runs his or her campaign provides some insight as to how he/she will run things if elected. The same goes for a candidate's choice of advisors and surrogates.

This week, Phil Graham, McCain's economic advisor, referred to the economic slowdown as "a mental recession" and called the United States “a nation of whiners.” Some have speculated that Phil Graham would be at the top of the list for McCain's pick as Treasury Secretary. When gas is over $4.00 a gallon, a barrel of oil setting new records on a daily basis, Americans are feeling more than a pinch at the gas pumps and stores.

When Bush took office, a barrel of oil was $27.69 a barrel. Today it's $145.00 a barrel approximately an increase of 500% and rising. Airlines are begging passengers to contact congress and ask that something be done - when corporations are asking for that kind of help you know it's not all in your head.

McCain quickly came out and attempted to distance himself from Graham, stating that Graham did not speak for him. While McCain was doing this tap dance, Graham was at that moment speaking for McCain with the Wall Street Journal. Which is it? Yesterday Graham doesn't speak for McCain, today he does, tomorrow he....does or doesn't?

Previously, McCain was asked when he last pumped gas and what was the price of gas. McCain responded "Oh, I don’t remember. Now there’s Secret Service protection. But I’ve done it for many, many years. I don’t recall and frankly, I don’t see how it matters."

Well, the price of gas does matter. It matters when you have to put gas in your car in order to go to work, to earn money to pay your bills and buy food. It's soon reaching the point where people will need a second and third job to pay for gas so they can get to their first job.

McCain isn't above playing psychologist, of his proposed "gas tax holiday" he said "it will provide a little psychological boost”. Bush's "tax stimulus" checks were "feel good" gestures they are not solutions. We don't need "feel good" or "psychological boosts", we need real solutions.

Although it's July, many people are looking three or four months ahead, when winter sets in, when it gets cold. A minimum delivery of 125 gallons of heating oil is costing over $500.00. People are worried how they will keep warm as they know our congress and certainly the two oil guys in the white house won't be doing anything to help.

When you are tucking your kids into bed, putting on a few more blankets to keep them warm, will you kiss them good night and tell them it doesn't matter because the fact they are cold is all in their heads?