With just a month to go until Election Day, McCain's team has decided that its emphasis on the senator's biography as a war hero, experienced lawmaker and straight-talking maverick is insufficient to close a growing gap with Obama. The Arizonan's campaign is also eager to move the conversation away from the economy, an issue that strongly favors Obama and has helped him to a lead in many recent polls."We're going to get a little tougher," a senior Republican operative said, indicating that a fresh batch of television ads is coming. "We've got to question this guy's associations. Very soon. There's no question that we have to change the subject here," said the operative, who was not authorized to discuss strategy and spoke on the condition of anonymity.
The Obama campaign has gone out of its way to stay on the issues and away from even the relevant personal attacks (has anyone even mentioned the Keating Five Scandal?) On the other hand, despite all his promises to run a campaign with integrity and his claims of "country first," McCain is willing to lie, wallow in the mud, and sacrifice the very democracy our nation is founded on in his naked power grab.