McCain's near-impossible task

Edward Benson

His best hope now is to play up the narrative of the man on an impossible mission - the media loves nothing more than a last-minute comeback. (If I were the type to write an extended political thesis, it would be on how the narrative cycle has shortened in modern political life. It's always been the same cycle - build someone up, knock them down, then report the heroic comeback. But it used to take place over years and decades, whereas now it can be over in a few weeks. Witness Brown's trajectory in the space of a year from surefire election winner to the worst PM in modern times to rock of stability in national crisis. Or Palin's journey from overnight sensation to international embarrassment to future hope of the right.)

Craig Strachan

Glad he has a new stump speech. Hope he won't resort to reciting whole passages of it, mantra-like, in debates and interviews, as he did with the old stump speech.

Not that it makes much difference now.

Augustus

From The Washington Times: 'Barack Obama says he will give 95% of all American workers a tax cut, but he does not mention that his plan would send checks to tens of millions of tax filers who pay no personal income taxes - payments that critics say look suspiciously like welfare.'

This campaign promise stems from his 'making work pay' mantra that he has repeated in his campaign speeches. But the IRS says that nearly 46 million tax filers in 2006 had no tax liability so how can millions of Americans receive an income 'tax cut' when they pay no taxes.

This just shows that much of what Obama says is based on empty promises. If McCain can drive that message home hard enough he should be in with a chance to win this race.

TGF UKIP

"Keep hold of nurse for fear of something worse" may very well be one of those very British sayings which have never made it across the Atlantic. However, the principle holds good which is why McCain should stick to questioning the unknowns about Obama. What was in his writings at Harvard and why won't he authorize their release. What was his relationship with ACORN in Chicago. What has been the extent of his involvement with radical palestinians and their fundraisings.

Three weeks to go and I'm still convinced there's something going to come out of Chicago and bite this guy in the arse.

Next stop for me is Ladbroke's to see what the odds are now.

Hysteria

TGF - I think you are right that there is more to come - my concern is that it will take a huge event that even the MSM cannot ignore to shift the electorate from a "whatever, dude, I am going to vote Obama" approach

THX1138

I'll tell you how bad it's got Palin is now spending most of her time shoring up the base in red states Nebraska last week and Indiana this week forget fighting in swing states, the swing states now were once solid red. North Dakota is a statistical tie for goodness sake at that last went Dem in 1964.

The McCain campaign is taking down "air" in Pennsylvania and previously contested states in the upper Midwest to move into once safe red states a shore sign of desperation

Also for McCain, Obama had a huge fund raising month and can push hard to the finish, McCain accepted $84.1 million from Washington, and that is all he can spend. But the Illinois senator rejected the taxpayer money, betting he could raise a lot more. And he has. The Democrat had more than $77 million in the bank on Aug. 31, records show, and is on pace to raise at least $100 million more by election day.

I think McCain's near-impossible task is just about right, it's going to take a lot more than tinkering with his stump speech. America doesn't want John McCain as it's next President .

As Hitch puts it

"Last week's so-called town-hall event showed Sen. John McCain to be someone suffering from an increasingly obvious and embarrassing deficit, both cognitive and physical. And the only public events that have so far featured his absurd choice of running mate have shown her to be a deceiving and unscrupulous woman utterly unversed in any of the needful political discourses but easily trained to utter preposterous lies and to appeal to the basest element of her audience."

Murray

James, it's not over 'til it's over.

Remember the Patriots were sure things to win the Superbowl way back in January when the primaries started. That didn't work out the way the media had spun it.

derek

You are surprised that McCain is only a few points behind?! If his opponent was white McCain would be 12+ behind. Puuhhhleeeze.

dennis

Probably the only real game-changer would be to highlight the degree of electoral fraud going on.

Activist orgs like ACORN have registered a vast number of new voters - 3m?? - but there are signs that a sizeable number are fishy.

The offices of a voter reg drive in Nevada have been raided and investigations are going on in 10 states.

McCain should make a big deal of the shame of it all - the US becoming like some banana republic, needing international observers to certify its election as free and fair.

Chingford Man

Aren't there still 3 weeks to go? I suspect McCain is being buried far too early. Obama may also be peaking too early.

CG

By allying himself with a desppicable campaign and a horrendous VP choice, McCain has already ruined his reputation. By refusing to fight on the issues (because he knows he would lose) he has tarnished it further. His only hope is a major attack on the USA and he has shown he is not fit to lead in time of crisis. Perhaps he will go down with dignity, I hope so.

TGF UKIP

PS, I've stuck a tenner each on McCain getting 270-289 @ 8/1, 290-309 @ 40/1 and on the tie at 33/1 (which, unless James corrects me would hand it to Obama.) However, my real confidence is in the first two bets - as good as wheat in the bin! And that's all in addition to my straight victory bet in August 2007, when McCain was also seen as finished, at 33/1.

THX1138

TGF Hope your're well. If you win your bet you can buy us all a drink. I for one am going to need a big one.

I do think you're going to lose your money, Ladrokes have a book on Palin dropping out now that might be worth a tenner.

Conservative Cabbie

THX1138

Palin is not as you say shoring up the base in Nebraska. There is in fact one electoral vote up for grabs, not assigned with the other Nebraska EV's to the winner in the state. Maine also has one. She was campaigning in the area of the state where that EV comes from. Might be important in a tight vote.

Not chastising you, I didn't know about this until recently either.

TGF UKIP

Thanks, THX, buying drinks for all you Obama fans will indeed be my pleasure, though not half as pleasurable for me as all the crowing I'll be doing. I really will be even more unbearable than usual!