Why in the world would John McCain use the economic crisis and pending bailout talks as a reason to bail out on the first — and highly anticipated — presidential debate?

Someone needs to explain the political logic here.

To me, he looks like someone who found an excuse to run away from his first big encounter with the guy who talks pretty and might show him up by — *gasp* — knowing lots more stuff about lots more things than Republicans have tried say he does.

With so many people on different sides of the bailout — and plenty of other critical issues on deck — I want to see these two men talk shop more than ever before.