McCain’s Dilemma

Posted at 1:56 pm on Tuesday, October 7, 2008, in Uncategorized, and tagged 2008, debate, mccain, obama.

John McCain is in a tough spot this evening. As long as the nation talks about the economy, that means only good things for Barack Obama. McCain needs to change the subject, but can he really do that amidst the greatest financial crisis in generations? The McCain campaign has already unveiled its final 30 days desperation technique: going dirty (aka, Rove politics). Calling your opponent unAmerican is unmistakeably dishonorable; however, recent history tells us it works.

Only four short (or long?) years ago, an incompetent man presiding over a failing war and an economy built on greed and debt, defeated a war hero in the election partly due to the maligning of that man’s character. Whatever you call it — character assassination, “swiftboating” — it brings out the worst in politics, but nevertheless, catering to the lowest denominator (and honestly, that is where the “undecideds” are) works in close elections.

McCain’s tactics may backfire; the American voters may repudiate his actions by campaigning in the exact way that McCain has called deplorable. What a difference a few polls make.

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