Blame Game Redux: Dems Bash McCain, House GOP

By Martin Kady II

(The Politico)  Democrats have taken the gloves off now, as top leaders have fanned out in interviews bashing John McCain and House Republicans for stalling the bipartisan bailout deal in the 11th hour.

Rep. Rahm Emanuel, (D-Ill.), chairman of the Democratic Caucus, told CNBC "nobody raised an objection until we went to the White House for a bit of theater, and all of a sudden, in the 9th inning" when House Republicans offered their objections.

Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-Md.), said on CNN that Bush, House Democrats, Senate Democrats and Senate Republicans were all on the same page, but House Republicans felt left out. And McCain didn't help, Hoyer says.

" I don't think the meeting with Sen. McCain was particularly useful," Hoyer said.

Now the bailout deal might be put off for a week, according to some lawmakers. There's no telling how the markets will react to such a delay.

"At this point I honestly don’t know what the House Republicans are going to do and how,” House Financial Services Chairman Barney Frank (D-Mass.) told reporters in the Capitol Thursday night.