That's why I picked McCain for my example. It's not because of his experience in the Senate, although that is part of it. It's not exactly his military service, either.
The reason I think that Americans in panic would run to McCain is simple.
Deep down, everyone knows that McCain is crazy. Not just a little off, mind you. I'm talking about foaming at the mouth, paint chip eating, barking at the moon crazy. We all know it, but so long as he holds it together for the cameras, we're all to polite to say anything.
I'm not too polite to say it. He's a whacko. I don't think people in a panic would want him as a president any more than people thinking rationally. McCain radiates his instability a lot of times and he makes many people uncomfortable because they perceive it even if they don't recognize exactly what it is.