Foreman: The scariest images of Washington

Look out your window.  You can almost see them.  Millions of terrified Americans, running like denizens of Tokyo in some old black-and-white movie, while the twin monsters of Washington, Demzilla and the Republikong, roar across the land wreaking havoc.

It is fitting that the month of Halloween should fall right before the election, because Washington’s House of Horrors is more frightening than it has been in quite some time.

In just the past few weeks we have been breathlessly warned that we are teetering on the brink of economic catastrophe, that loans (for anything from a boat to a building) will soon be as scarce as the Yeti, that Afghanistan is ripping apart at the seams, and that if we fail to elect the right person president, the country will sink into the ocean leaving behind only a swirl of worthless stock certificates and some old Ron Paul posters.

“What about our leaders?” you ask.  “Surely they can save us!”  (And yes, I snickered when I wrote the word “leaders.”)  They, unfortunately, are the very folks who, if they did not entirely create these messes, at least stood by and watched them grow into full-fledged fiascos.

Consider that first vote on the first plan for the bailout.  Despite urgent pleas for approval from the president, the treasury secretary, the chairman of the Federal Reserve Board, and the top players in both parties, the House vote went south faster than a New Jersey retiree at the first snowfall.

 Both of the presidential candidates wanted the measure approved.  But Senator McCain could not stop the Republican revolt, and every single member of his home state’s congressional team voted against the plan.

Senator Obama, while accusing McCain of failing in his duties, calmly ignored the fact that 40 percent of his own party’s representatives also voted the measure down.

Both men say they want to lead the nation, and yet in the most important test to date on the most important issue of this election, neither was able to lead even his own party.

Some experienced political pundits say the Capitol right now is witnessing the worst overall failure of leadership in modern times. Others say don’t retire that trophy yet.

D.C. these days is a lot like the island of Dr. Moreau.  Scary folks are running everywhere and they’re saying very scary things.  And with elections in the air, just across the Potomac, voters are gathering with pitchforks and torches.

CNNPolitics.com | Catch Tom Foreman on CNN every Saturday at 6 p.m. on This Week in Politics for a look back at the presidential campaign trail.