Helping by not helping Tom Smith

So McCain is going back to DC to help with the bailout deal. So the Democrats know that if they don't hurry up and get it done before he gets there, he will get credit for making the deal happen. So they will get it done, even if they have to back away from some of their more overreaching changes to the deal. In this way, McCain helps push the deal through with the Democrats, who will get to say he is just grandstanding, trying to take credit for a deal they were going to finish anyway. Republicans will have to agree not to play up McCain's role too much, or else the Democrats will scuttle the deal, because they'd rather see the economy tank than let McCain get credit for saving it. Republicans will agree to do this, but once the deal is done, give McCain as much credit as they can anyway. Obama will vote present.

What effect this will have on swing voters, who are following this less closely than American Idol or whatever it is people watch these days, I have no idea.