McCain’s struggle to slow Obama

John McCain scrambled this week to try to reverse Barack Obama’s growing momentum, as national polls showed the Democrat opening as much as a 13-point lead over his rival. On the stump, both McCain and running mate Sarah Palin largely abandoned attacks focused on Obama’s relationship with former ’60s radical Bill Ayers, pivoting instead to the faltering economy. McCain did continue a barrage of negative advertising, though Obama took advantage of his deeper coffers with quick responses, especially in swing states increasingly tilting toward Obama. Most analysts said the third and final presidential debate, scheduled to air as The Week went to press, offered McCain his best chance to change the race’s direction.

With the economy dominating voters’ concerns, both candidates released new economic plans to address the financial crisis. McCain’s plan is heavy on tax cuts, including halving capital gains taxes through 2010. But it also includes up to $300 billion in federal purchases of troubled home mortgages. Obama called for immediate tax cuts for families earning less than $250,000, and a $3,000 tax credit to businesses for each new hire.

Sagging poll numbers led McCain to drift from the “issues-oriented campaign” he once promised, said The Philadelphia Inquirer in an editorial. McCain now looks “vulnerable” even in such Republican bastions as Virginia and North Carolina. As a result, he’s “acting desperate,” with his campaign appealing to “emotions rooted in fear.”

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He’s right to feel desperate, said Rick Klein and Hope Ditto in ABC.com. McCain is slipping and the number of “movable” voters is shrinking. McCain’s message has been all over the map, and time is running short for him to formulate a coherent case for his candidacy. McCain’s dilemma can be summed up with one question: “Does he want to run against Barack Obama or Barack Hussein Obama?”

The real question, said Patrick Buchanan in The Miami Herald, is does McCain want to win? “Obama still has not closed the sale.” That means McCain has an opportunity to highlight legitimate questions about Obama’s inexperience, character, and questionable associations. So he must forget about the media scolds, stop being “ambivalent,” and portray Obama as “an unacceptable occupant of the White House.” If McCain shrinks from that challenge, “Obama is going to win by default.”