A question - How can 45% of the American voting public be so blind as to be unable to see that McCain is flailing and failing?

Even Grandpa Simpson is a little more focused than McCain is.

"Ready, fire, aim."

Now THAT's a campaign slogan I can get behind!

Hey, you may call it a "panic attack". Republicans call it "leadership".

McCain wanted to back out of the debate because he was scare...err, because he wanted to um, focus on the economy, yeah, that's the ticket. Just ask his VP...Morgan Fairchild.

@Chris.

1) Cognitive Dissonance
2) Anti-intellectualism
3) Inbred hatred of the Democratic Party
4) Racism
5) Authoritarian personality
6) Denial
7) Just plain dumb

But will he still have time for his nap?

I don't know, I think things are SWIMMINGLY grand!

The Maverick and the "dude's" wife will never make it to shore, not only do either of them know not more than one stroke, neither of them have the stamina for this type of exercise!

I say its high time they unveil the N-word!

The rodeo is just getting started and the maverick is throwing riders right and left, they barely got him reined in for the debates.

Maybe his next maverick bucking stunt will be to refuse to answer questions from the moderator and will only speak to the Mississippians.

Roy Blundt just admitted to Andrea Mitchel that McCain put the brakes on a plan "which no House Republicans would have voted for".

His line is that Democrats could pass this without them.

My guess is that plasma units are rushing to the McCain campaign as we speak to replace the blood flowing there from the fights among the staff.

Where have we heard this before? Oh yeah, the Clinton campaign. And aren't Mark Penn and Charlie Black lobbying partners. It would be interesting to know how well their other clients fare.

In my heart of hearts

That phrase makes me want to put food on my family! Honestly, I can't figure out who is the bigger idiot on this ticket.

@ Chris Jarrett - Because they have a "Fair and Balanced " media reporting for them. Seriously , there are so many lo info voters out there who maybe catch a glimpse of Faux or CNN or possibly a 30 second snippet on their local WB affiliate news before the Everybody Loves Raymond reruns. Really they would never pick up a newspaper or even think about finding anything out. These are the people who head to the polls and decide your future. You can't drive yourself crazy thinking that will ever change - there will always be that 40 %

After eight years of hiring talentless hacks and driving away everyone with any real talent and integrity, the chickens are now coming home to roost in the collapse of the McCain campaign.

As the saying goes, "Garbage In, Garbage Out".

Rudy and Judy but not Sarah and Todd?

As the saying goes, "Garbage In, Garbage Out".

I think the McCain campaign forgot the last part... That explains the smell.

I must admit, it is highly entertaining to watch McCain shake his wrinkled ass like the world's oldest Spice Girl, and tell everybody who will listen what he wants, what he really really wants. There's embracing craziness, and then there's getting right down on the floor and rolling in it. The decision-making ability of the Republican Great White Hope is on display, yes indeed.

In my mind's eye I see John McCain as Adam Sandler in "The Wedding Singer", hoarsely screeching "...somebody please; killllll me", while Barack Obama plays John Lovitz, watching from the wings and marveling to himself, "He's losing his mind...and I'm reaping the benefits". Life imitates art.

I can't wait for this finely-tuned machine to start running the executive branch of government. It's going to be awesome.

Said Sarah to the multitude...

WILLARD
" They told me that you had gone totally insane and that your methods were unsound."

KURTZ
" Are my methods unsound?"

WILLARD
" I don't see any method at all, sir."

Speaking of using "Short Term Memory" as Republican Exploitive Strategy to attempt to erase what happened over the last few days, weeks, years and subsequently hope to 'Dumb Down' otherwise harried and over-worked Americans who don't have the time, energy or inclination
to delve into or examine or acknowledge Deleterious and Destructive Patterns of McCain/Palin --

Senator Roy Blunt just told Andrea Mitchell that it matters only what is happening today, not what happened yesterday...

She said nothing to that, and just went on with her questions... I think in general, reporters ask too many questions and don't respond enough and explore to what was just said...

We need a huge pause button...

Of course what happened yesterday is critical! How could he say what happened yesterday doesn't matter?! That's insane!

It's all part of the larger picture. We can't just keep viewing candidates in sound bytes, by their last move and their last statement--and not take a breath to put it into context.

Kurtz: Did they say why, Willard, why they want to terminate my command?
Willard: I was sent on a classified mission, sir.
Kurtz: It's no longer classified, is it? Did they tell you?
Willard: They told me that you had gone totally insane, and that your methods were unsound.
Kurtz: Are my methods unsound?
Willard: I don't see any method at all, sir.

One does wonder how 45% of the populace can still accept McCain. However, history has shown us that segments of a population have embraced even more horrific leaders despite evidence of atrocities.

A question - How can 45% of the American voting public be so blind as to be unable to see that McCain is flailing and failing? Posted by: Chris Jarrett

Easy. Because, in spite of all the claims to the contrary, most Americans still get their "news" from one of the Big Three, CNN or FOX. None of them will ever come right out and say the obvious - McCain's a fucking train wreck.

It's more like "Fire. F-f-f-ire? FIRE!?, FIRE!!, FIRE!!!"

If McPOW ever had a cunning plan it ranks below sending Baldrick down to the docks to do favours for sailors in order to pay off the Baby Eating Bishop of Bath & Wells.

You know Camp McPOW thought all they had to do was not be the Scary Brown Dood or The Hitlery and they could sit back at watch their poll numbers sky-rocket.

Here I was thinking that the gop had some coordinated plan to let mccain come in and look like the hero who saved the economy. Nope. Mccain was flying blind and solo. In the next 48 days I predict a serious crash and burn. All +bama has to do is steer a steady course to victory.

I hope his nerves are worn thin, he's feeling defensive, and someone pushes a button. *SNAP!* I've been wishing for this since he won the GOP ticket - waiting for the debates, hoping for the right mix of events to wear him out...

Senator Roy Blunt just told Andrea Mitchell that it matters only what is happening today, not what happened yesterday...

Senator Blunt went on to say, "9/11, 9/11, 9/11, 9/11, POW, POW, POW, POW, POW..."

Oops.Typo- 38 days.

Mccain was a losy fighter pilot- it shows.

As I watch McCain flip flopping around like a fish out of water, I can only think one thing: "That's not change we can believe in." Cue the lime green screen.

Ready, fire, aim.

"Ready" first? This gives McCain too much credit. I think it's more like "Fire, ready, aim."

I wonder if we are about to see a change in the vp slot?

Has anyone considered what would have happened if Obama had pulled this stunt? If he did the same thing?

IOKIYAR

The Media would destroy him. He'd be a laughing stock, mocked at every turn. The right wing noise machine would be in full metal jacket mode.

That McCain hasn't been thoroughly roasted for this already is a sign that the Media still are at least partially in his corner. Or, they may just pity the guy.

The Dems are missing a major chance if they don't blast him for this stunt. In no uncertain terms.

Where are the adults? The playground is in disarray and the faculty is missing. This is not a joke and it is not a horserace. The dysfunction is obvious to anyone who is willing to suspend their righteous bias and observe what is really happening. The addiction of Wall St. and the American people has been exposed. Time for an intervention.
peace,
st john

Mccain was a losy fighter pilot- it shows.

Observer: Uh, commander, aren't you supposed to shoot the wings off the other guy's plane?

McCain: Nonsense. I need the element of surprise!

It’s jet fighter pilot tactics. When in trouble throw in some unexpected sharp turns. Works well for an aerial cowboy in a maneuverable single seat machine whose sole objective is simply to save his ass. Doesn’t work so well if you are trying to run a company/campaign/country with hundreds/thousands/ millions of people pursuing multiple complex objectives.

"A friend of mine emailed me the other day, summarizing the entire McCain campaign in three words: 'Ready, Fire, Aim.'"

No joke, I've heard a special education professional use that exact phrase to describe the mindset of children with ADHD. Might we soon have a president on Ritalin?

We've been celebrating the collapse of the McCain campaign for months, but the bottom line is that his support hasn't wavered at all, despite his having run as bad a campaign as has ever been seen in presidential politics. It is every bit as bad as Bush's eight years of "governance."

But it is obvious now that nothing is going to shake or rattle McCain's support. Nothing. He's weathered every storm. And he will continue to do so.

Obama will have to run a flawless campaign from here on out just to maintain a slim lead going into election day, and if he's not a solid five points ahead or more, I think that stealth racial factor will bring him down.

Obama can slip up, and drop in the polls, but it is clear that McCain can't. Apparently, right wing hatred of liberals is just overwhelming, all consuming. And Obama is not even a liberal, by any objective standard.

It's just mind boggling what's happened to this country.

Obama can slip up, and drop in the polls, but it is clear that McCain can't. Apparently, right wing hatred of liberals is just overwhelming, all consuming. And Obama is not even a liberal, by any objective standard.

It's just mind boggling what's happened to this country.

Thank you for giving me an excuse to start drinking early today.

Not that I needed one.

The plan is for the Democrats to advance a plan, probably padded with typical liberal feel goodies. All of the Republicans will oppose the plan except Bush who will sign it into law. Then the Republicans will claim the high ground for opposing the debacle that follows and for breaking with Bush and thus showing their independence from him and his policies.

CHRIS ROCK If this was a boxing match, McCain would be holding.

LARRY KING: Holding on?

ROCK: Yes. It's like he got hit really hard in the stomach like, 'OK. I can't let him go. He's going to knock me out.' So that's what appears to be going on right now. Just a hold.

The wild feints "I've stopped campaigning!" "Let's postpone the debate!" "Woman Veep Pick!"

This is a punch drunk George Foreman throwing haymakers at Ali and wildly missing.

It's commendable that Obama still is capable of conveying respect for his opponent.

The sloppiness is just embarrassing.

John McCain boarded his plane earlier this afternoon with his wife, top aides, and Rudy and Judith Giuliani, all headed for Mississippi.

Last night Olbermann jokingly suggested that maybe McCain's next big "Hail Mary" -- because we know there'll be another one, probably soon -- would be to suddenly name Rudy Giuliani his campaign manager. Reading the above, now I'm starting to wonder.

Didn't "Alaska is right next to Russia" start as a joke and quickly become a talking point?

hark wrote: "Apparently, right wing hatred of liberals is just overwhelming, all consuming."

In fact, modern so-called "conservatism" in America is a pseudo-ideology that has no real content except hatred of "liberals", just as the pseudo-ideology of mid-1930s brownshirts had no real content except hatred of "Jews".

"Ready, Fire, Aim." Just the kind of approach we need in the White House, right?

It's worked so well for the last eight years, why stop now?

"Ready, fire, aim."

I've dubbed the campaign the new "Stop Making Sense" Tour.

Tennessee Williams, himself, couldn't have dreamed up a psychotic meltdown this entertaining.

The stunts, no doubt, will continue right up to election day. I doubt they'll work beyond entertainment value. He seems unhinged, erratic and reckless. My guess, the Republican Party will back off and hope for better luck in 2012. President McCain would be a disaster beyond imagination, and I bet they don't want to be saddled with that. They'd be ruined, especially following the failure of George Bush.

I know what the plan is. They're trying to look so stupid Obama won't be able to stop laughing during the debate.

Mark my words -- the next stunt will be a nude polar bear wrestling challenge.

No real mystery. The campaign reflects the candidate. From his book "Worth the Fighting For"

“I don’t torture myself over decisions. I make them as quickly as I can, quicker than the other fellow, if I can. Often, my haste is a mistake, but I live with the consequences without complaint.�

Chait is (was) being willfully blind. The answer was there for anyone who bothered to look.

Mark my words -- the next stunt will be a nude polar bear wrestling challenge.

Will the bear be nude, or the wrestler be nude? I hope it's the bear.

'Cause I don't want to see either end of that ticket nude.

I don't see any method at all.

Chait is, of course, quoting Apocalypse Now

I'm worried about how this will play out. McCain's antics of the past few days may look hapless to us, but he accomplished two things:

1. Totally distracted attention from Palin's embarassing interview.

2. Completely ratcheted down expectations for his own performance in the debate.

If he gets a few good zingers in tonight the press will declare him the winner and he'll suddenly be the comeback kid. Be afraid.

--Mark my words -- the next stunt will be a nude polar bear wrestling challenge.

Will the bear be nude, or the wrestler be nude? I hope it's the bear.

The wrestler. McCain is so pasty he'll just blend in with the snow. He insists on having the advantage.

The McLameBrain Campaign is not "Ready, Fire, Aim."

It's "Fire, Fire, Fire."

McCain was a *bomber* pilot. Too dumb for a fighter.

Heh - tomeck came up with what I was thinking. It's not "Ready Fire Aim" or even "Fire Ready Aim", it's more "Fire, Fire, Fire, Fire, Fire ... Fire, Fire ... Fire, Fire, Fire"

We can only hope that at some point, McCain stops running out of bullets.

Or shoots himself in the foot.

To refer to McCain as a fighter pilot I believe is giving him too much credit. I believe he primarily bombed targets on the ground, if I'm not mistaken.

But sadly, McCain has something big and good to aim at. Consider: If the bailout is a political loser (as I gather, public mostly opposed), then all McCain needs to do is: Be against the bailout and pick up the needed edge, even with blathering Palin (reminiscent of that poor Miss America contestant, rambling about Iraq and South Africa...) Anyone who wants to stop McBushlin has to think of how to deal with that.

We can only hope that Elder Authorities, Sage Crusties, whatever, will try to intervene against the tide of Dumb Voters. Can they? And they will ask for concessions for their help, no?

years ago we had a "Quality Consultant" in to help us in a company I used to work for (when such things were fashionable). The consultant asked us to use "Ready/Aim/Fire" to describe our executive decision making process.

After some thought, a thoroughly frustrated finance executive walked up to the board and wrote:

FIRE!
FIRE!
FIRE!

And really, I've never thought it applied until recently when I watch the McCain Campaign in action. "Thought process" does seem to be an afterthought, doesn't it?

and damn, I hadn't even read the comments just above...

Y'know, I have to say that all this time I thought McCain was merely a pawn in the hands of a particularly eccentric, sadistic and sociopathic campaign staff: went where they told him, said what they told him to say, whether it made strategic sense or not. Now, after the urgent mission to "save" the Republic, I'm thinking the entire McCain campaign is a dead-on reflection of his own disordered personality, and that scares me a lot. Imagine four years of this sort of bizarrely disfunctional behavior. And I'm both dumbstruck that so many low-info voters don't see it, and outraged at jerkoffs like Tweety who've been cramming this bogus "hero" crap about McCain down the electorate's throat because of their own diseased egos. God help us! (or pick the deity of your choice)

Ready, Fire, Aim

A question - How can 45% of the American voting public be so blind as to be unable to see that McCain is flailing and failing?

McPalin is McFailin and McFlailin!

"Ready, Fire, Aim" is a few steps too many. McCain's approach to any issue is "Shoot first. Draw later."

Chris, the number isn't that high. The problem is in the American electoral system, the media has everyone trained that there are only 2 options. That leads to a lot of voters saying they want McCain, when what they really want is not-Obama. It distorts the numbers by at least 25% in my estimation. Still even 1 in 5 Americans supporting McCain at this point is really frightening, and an indictment on their ability to digest news.

Hmmm . . . secret plan . . . secret plan. Where have I heard that phrase before?

Why do people have some love for magical secret plans? I mean, this is not some action movie!

Sometimes, I know how Casey Stengel felt when he asked "Can't anybody here play this game?"