“The issue of economics is not something I’ve understood as well as I should.”

In December 2007, presidential hopeful John McCain uttered these self-incriminating words, and they have haunted him ever since, despite his best efforts to brush them off as a joke.

Luckily for McCain, James Coan, Princeton ‘09, wants to help the 72-year-old Republican candidate come to grips with the fundamental principles of economics by teaching them to him through a student-produced comedic skit entitled “I Could Be McCain’s Econ 101 Teacher.”

Written by Coan himself, the skit, which is being staged all week near the Frist Campus Center, “questions Sen. John McCain’s knowledge and preparedness on the economy” by placing him smack-dab in the middle of an Econ. 101 course where his peers are significantly more knowledgeable about the subject.

The goal, according to Coan, is to show that “only college students can express that John McCain knows less about economics than many of them.”

Naturally, the president of the College Republicans, Andrew Malcolm, is less than amused.

The Daily Princetonian reports:

“John McCain is a proven reformer who has been working on economic issues for over 20 years, especially during his tenure as Chairman of the Senate Commerce Committee,” Malcolm said, adding that “I think Princeton students, like most Americans, are too savvy to be persuaded by a misleading comedy sketch.”

Oh, Malcolm, it’s all in jest! Did the Republicans permanently remove your funny bone?

Listen, if you want to write and produce a sketch about Obama’s inexperience with foreign politics, feel free.

I’m sure plenty of students would show up – to boo.