McCain's Psyche (or, is being able to hold two opposing ideas in your head really the mark of genius?)

Today we have McCain saying this on Face the Nation with regard to Palin giving interviews:

"Within the next few days and I'm strongly recommending that she come on 'Face the Nation' with Bob Schieffer," McCain said in an interview that was taped on Saturday.

But it seems McCain needs to stay on top of his campaign more… or vice versa. Rick Davis, McCain's campaign manager, wasn’t going to let his boss get in the way of winning the election:

"She'll agree to an interview when we think it's time and when she feels comfortable doing it," Davis said on "Fox News Sunday."

This brings up two thoughts. First, who really is in charge here of McCain’s campaign? He says he is “strongly recommending” her to come on the show. But as the boss couldn’t he do more than that? Couldn’t he simply say that she will come on next week? Or at least he could have said, “WE will have her on” at such and such a time. But this along with Davis’ statement makes me wonder just a little bit how much he is in charge of what’s going on, or that maybe he is choosing to NOT be so involved in managing her exposure. Why? Time, maybe. Or maybe it’s a small, sad way that he tries maintain the scrap of dignity that remains within him. He can’t get his hands that dirty. Or... maybe he can’t bare to.

Which makes me wonder, what the hell is going on inside McCain’s head? A man that had, or felt that he had, so much personal honor has had to endure wave after wave of soul-eating compromise over the course of the last two years. I can’t imagine that he, of all people, doesn’t feel strongly that a public servant must be able to answer tough questions, but here he is playing the game that keeps the public in the dark. Politicians break their promises and change positions with the winds all the time, of course. But, this is John McCain with his enormous ego and enormous belief in his personal honor that we’re talking about. What has he had to do, psychologically, to enable him to betray his own personal sense of honor on so basic a level? Does he tell himself he'll make everything alright if he wins? Has he gone to Bush levels of denial? (Ok, that’s probably not possible, but some level of denial is probably necessary).

Ultimately, what does question of psychology say about his performance as president? Will he keep what must be roiling emotions bottled up? Is he holding back a tide of guilt that will be unleashed in a flurry of legislative and policy drama come 2009? (George Packer has an interesting point on this here.) John McCain has been adjusting his mind to the political realities of the moment for two years. But his psychology has never looked past Election day. If he wins… what is his mind going to look like after?