I think the Republican Party and the McCain campaign are in a terrible bind. Their only chance to win (and this point a long shot) is to smear Obama. They have a few problems with that strategy: it was used up by the Clintons in the primary campaign (old news that didn't work the first time), its not working for McCain (Obama is pulling ahead while McCain stagnates and sees his negatives go up), it makes McCain seem out of touch with what people are concerned about and, most importantly, its appealing to a very dangerous crowd. The Republicans are finding themselves walking a tight rope to, at once, appeal to that element with an eye on election day and distancing themselves from it with an eye on the day after. The Republicans are making a deal with the Devil with fingers crossed behind their backs. The problem is, the Devil always wants his due.

I'm guessing John McCain will not attack Obama at the debate, but his campaign and Palin will continue playing to lowest element. He's going to try to have it both ways. I think he'll be put on the defensive about it at the debate, plus, he'll debut some wackey new proposals and end up looking completely daft all around.

The Republicans and the McCain campaign made a decision that they have to live with. Whether they can survive it is another question.

"Look at the context" -- easy, it's Republicans, they're paranoid lunatics.

I'm guessing John McCain will not attack Obama at the debate Saint Zak

But once again, in an efffort to have it both ways, the McCain-friendly media will insist that he did, while pointing to something like "that one". In the last debate, I think even that backfired, but it was a wink to the nuts.

The occasional nuts are running the GOP because they have almost no one else left. Moderate Republicans (the majority) go unheard these days, in my view, because they are laying low and pondering whether to stay home or vote Obama next month. I just hope the lunatic Christian fringe can drop off the political map without violence. It should soon be clear that they are a political liability. Look for Chuck Hagel to emerge from the ashes with a return to "true" conservatism. In the meantime double and triple Obama's security.

The occasional nuts never had any intent to just stop with getting elected to the local school board or the local town board or the local mayor office or ...

Sure, John McCain has to look at the neo-con-text.

All this, and fivethirtyeight.com is reporting that Wm. Kristol's column counsels, in effect, a jettisoning of the past month's smears in favor of a positive, respectful campaign from here on out. Kristol argues that such a shift just might work--never mind that Kristol says nothing about discussing, like, issues and proposals to go along with this proposed campaign-character transplant.

"Message control," as enabled by the McCain campaign, is an oxymoron . . . emphasis on "moron."

A propos this point is an interview Rachel Maddow did with Ana Marie Cox last week. Remarking on the crowds at McCain/Palin rallies, Cox noted [and she insisted this was a common observation among the pressers] that, while there are always nut cases showing up at campaign rallies ["That's what they do"], increasingly McCain's rallies are *dominated* by nut cases--or, perhaps, more properly, by a certain sort of cultist that only processes information within the closed loop of the cult itself. You're seeing a lot of that among conservatives [including the Cornerites]--as their ideas get increasingly marginalized, they start indulging in sectarian behavior. That's no recipe for winning elections.

Steve will probably have more to say about Bill Kristol's column today. Amusing considering that Kristol's prior advice contributed heavily into getting McCain's campaign into such an erratic mess, including the Palin choice.

I live in Prince William County, Va., where Jeffrey M. Frederick had been a state legislator before taking over the Virginia GOP, and I can honestly say that he's your typical right-wing punk. He promised a new, fresh approach for the struggling state Republicans, but he's playing the same talking-points games that got them cornered in the first place. Fools never learn.

Danp

I'm not sure "That one!" was an attack. I think it was just a glimpse of the real John McCain. I don't think he will bring up Ayres or Obama as terrorist on his ownt, but the tone of his campaign has big news, so I think he will be asked. I think he will get very defensive.

are people going to mcsame rallies still screened to make sure they're mcsame supporters? i think they were at one time at least.
just askin'.

btw, bill maher had a great line friday about republicans voting for obama: "they like the idea of paying a black man to clean up their mess."

Don't forget that Cokie Roberts says it is all ok because there are nutty Democrats too.

Republicans thought they could "play to the base" while staying in control like a jockey on a horse, I suppose. Sarah Palin was supposed to be like that. A sop to the base to "energize" them. Well, the election signs now read "Sarah!" with no mention of McCain. The loonies control the mad house.

I don't think he will bring up Ayres ... I think he will be asked. Saint Zak

From your finger tips to God's ears. I would love it.

Just one more example why the Republican party needs to be destroyed completely. An Obama election and Democratic gains in Congress are just the starting points.

Then, maybe, someday the Republican party won't be a group of yahoos beholden to jingoists.

Maybe.

And for the record, let's just remember that these occasional nuts are appearing at ticketed-admission-only events, where the tickets are issued by the local GOP. (Some of them even volunteer for the local GOP.) So if McCain didn't want the occasional nuts to show up, his people wouldn't have to give them tickets. And they certainly wouldn't have to hand them a microphone.

From the first moment I heard that "occasional nuts" were screaming Obama hate at McShame's rallies I thought it was calculated. Spontaniety at a carefully staged Rethug rally just doesn't happen. Security personnel had to have been told not to do anything about 'audience participation'. They eject people,or prevent them from entering, for irrelevant acts like wearing the wrong T-shirt, or having a dissenting bumper sticker. How could the shouters not have been plants? The lack of reaction on the part of McShame also suggests he knew it was planned. Palin, on the other hand, with her reptilian brain has no scruples, ethics or sense of responsibility. The-end-justifies-the-means is her only principle , and are we ever in trouble if she gets a truly powerful position.

Whoever thought up last week's campaign theme of stiring up the rabble probably didn't consider the reaction, especially from more responsible members of their own party, or the consequences of dropping a match in a fuel-rich dry forest.

Let's see what desparate tactic-of-the-week they try this week.

Look for Chuck Hagel to emerge from the ashes with a return to "true" conservatism.

I have to say, it would be nice to have a normal, sane opposition party who disagrees on policy instead of a bunch of zealots who think that God created the world 6,000 years ago and Osama bin Laden is Obama's bestest friend in the world. Just for a change.

I told my wife that the wingnuts were "having the red pill forced upon them."
She didn't catch the reference.
Living in denial of facts has give away to the second stage of the death of their fantasy world, that is anger. I'm anxious to see how and for what they will bargain for next.
I'm truely hopeful that the depression stage will last several election cycles, so the adults & residents of the Reality-Based Community will have a chance to clean up the mess.
Meanwhile, we can tell them that they didn't clap loudly enough & that Tinker Bell Conservatism is dead.

Zack: I'm not sure "That one!" was an attack.

"Attack" is probably the wrong word. I think it was an unintentional exposure of how much irrational, unhinged contempt McCain has for Obama. Whether that contempt based on racism, jealousy, the notion that the presidency is his due, or whatever else, who knows. But the contempt is clearly there. McCain's just too much of a spoiled, undisciplined ass to handle it in an adult way.

"The Occasional Nuts" has potential as a band name.

Don't let is escape anyone's attention but, from even from the rear, that woman dressed in the red to whom McCain handed the portable mike, looked kind of disheveled. McCain even liked the first part of her response about not trusting Obama. So, I'd have to judge McCain's own choice of who he handed the mike to be kind of risky, but that is McCain.

The woman who said Obama was Arab (as if that should be a problem in the land of the free) actually works for the McCain campaign locally. She was interviewed afterwards and clearly said he was an Arab terrorist, and she went on to imply that she had all kinds of documentation to prove it. To put it generously, she doesn't strike you as being capable of guile or intigue on her own. I think she actually believes the lies and the smears. She'd being fed lies and smears.

She works for his campaign, and she has so-called documentation. Where did she get it? I don't think people should give McCain an out on this one. His campaign, with the help of the lunatic right wing media, are spreading this garbage.

It is simply irresponsible for reporters with a conscience NOT to hold McCain accountable. This is too dangerous for them to let it slide.

Republican Activist, Republican State Party Leader or just some nut? Damn, I'd sure hate to have to make a life saving decision on which is which.