And what happens if the rainbow turns out to be a raincloud called McCain?
Barack Obama called Maryland Rep. Elijah Cummings on Tuesday with a promise: As president, he would revisit bankruptcy laws to give judges more leeway to prevent foreclosures.
Obama didn’t need to lay out a quid pro quo because the message was clear.
Cummings, who voted against the financial-markets bailout on Monday, told Obama he was “open” to changing his vote but wasn’t there yet.
“I have to look beyond [the bailout] to a rainbow called Obama,” he said. “When you bring in the Obama factor, that’s very very important.”
As the final high stakes vote on the bailout bill approaches Friday, Cummings is not alone among lawmakers who have found solid reasons to reconsider their vote. Whether it’s the “Obama factor,” or the fact that billions in new tax incentives have been added to the bailout bill, it’s becoming clear that opposition is wilting to the $700 billion financial rescue plan just in time for a second House vote on Friday.
I guess those who support the bailout should be happy that Obama is a least making the effort now to call members to get them to vote for a bill that he considers vital to our financial future.