A Chequer-Board of Nights and Days

Yesterday, Joe Biden warned us that early on in an Obama Administration, there would be a "generated crisis" that would test Obama as President. Not surprisingly, the McCain campaign has jumped all over this latest gaffe:

"The next president won't have time to get used to the office. We face many challenges here at home and many enemies abroad in this dangerous world," McCain said. "We don't want a president who invites 'testing' from the world at a time when our economy is in crisis and Americans are already fighting two wars."

McCain said it was even "more troubling" that Biden suggested supporters stick by Obama if the actions he takes are wrong or unpopular.

"Senator Obama won't have the right response, and we know that because we've seen the wrong response from him over and over during this campaign," he said.

McCain ally Rudy Giuliani also piled on.

"It has to mean that Joe Biden continues to harbor serious doubts about whether Barack Obama is prepared to be commander in chief," Giuliani said.

As I have written many a time, if Joe Biden didn't exist, we would have to invent him. But it is worth recalling that during the race for the Democratic Presidential nomination, Biden made clear his belief that Obama was not prepared to be President. Maybe, his selection as Vice President notwithstanding, he let it slip that he still doesn't believe that Obama is prepared to be President.

Either that, or Joe Biden possesses no control whatsoever over his own verbiage. Your call. But again, it's something worth covering and this exact same situation would have been covered if Sarah Palin had said about John McCain what Joe Biden said about Barack Obama.