From Bloomberg.com:

Judd Gregg, the Senate Banking Committee’s ranking Republican, and Barack Obama, the Democratic presidential candidate, said a deal would eventually pass. Obama called for calm after the House vote, saying the plan “will get done.” Republican John McCain urged lawmakers to “go back to the drawing board”.

From the above, Obama looks like the candidate who can cross party lines and reach a consensus in a measured, calming way.  This ability to calm the waters is critical during crises like this, as mass psychology is a major factor in times of economic turmoil.  Sometimes a bigger factor than economics itself.  Take a look at the classic “Extraordinary Popular Delusions and the Madness of Crowds”.

McCain used alarmist language.  Advantage O.

The Dems need to look a couple of steps ahead and should hire Gary Kasparov as a consultant to help them plan their moves.  Yesterday they were outmaneuvered and Speaker Pelosi proved that the job was over her pay grade.