Krauthammer: Not Even Reagan Could Have Won

It’s easy to see what killed John McCain’s presidential ambitions. McCain, ahead on Sept. 15, was crushed by falling banks, writes Charles Krauthammer in the Washington Post. There was a full-fledged panic in America, as the S&P suffered its steepest drop in 71 years. The populace naturally blamed incumbents, and sought government protection, Democrats’ stock-in-trade. “Not even a Ronald Reagan could have survived.”

McCain made his missteps too, most notably suspending his campaign and selecting Sarah Palin, while Obama ran a brilliant race—and knew enough to step out of the way. The president-elect has “the political intelligence of Bill Clinton harnessed to the steely self-discipline of Vladimir Putin” and will surely “bestride the political stage as largely as did Reagan.” But let us not forget McCain, “the most worthy presidential nominee ever to be denied the prize.” (More John McCain stories.)