Bachus the Maverick

Apparently I'm not the only one who thinks that Bachus is playing maverick.

House Republicans protest they are not playing politics with the bill. Bachus, they say, is a maverick who told the Democratic negotiators six times that he did not have the power to speak for his caucus. The press conference, they contend, was a staged production to give the illusion of an agreement and force it down the throats of unwilling House Republicans.

What is Bachus getting out of all this? Is McCain grooming him to replace Phil Gramm as his Secretary of the Treasury?

From the Detroit Free Press:

[House Minority Leader John Boehner] did not say why Bachus was sent to a meeting between parties if he did not have power to make a deal.

"We don't believe there's been a bipartisan negotiation," [Boehner] said.

Bachus is certainly, in my estimation, doing McCain's bidding. The sequence and timing of events offer few explanations to the contrary. A deal is imminent; McCain shows up; the deal is off, with Bachus serving as a lonely, though vocal dissenter. I doubt anyone (including myself) remembers how long ago Bachus endorsed McCain for the Republican nomination? January 25, 2007. Bachus has stuck by McCain's candidacy for almost longer than anyone. Does he sense a payoff?