The last couple of days have flagged up problems that are going to bedevil McCain and Obama respectively in the general election campaign.
McCain is going to have to run in the shadow of an extremely unpopular president from his own party. At every opportunity, the Democrats are going to try and tell people that a vote for McCain is a vote for a Bush third term. But McCain can’t jettison the President entirely as he needs Bush’s help to raise money and rally sections of the base of the Republican party that McCain can’t reach. McCain’s dilemma was highlighted when he and Bush raised money last night. His campaign only allowed him and the president to be seen together for about 90 seconds.
Obama’s biggest problem in the general is going to be avoided being pigeon-holed as outside the mainstream. One of the tools his opponents will use to do that is his church and his Pastor Jeremiah Wright.
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