Agreed - But that is what makes this so frustrating to watch - The facts are on our side on this. This situation is directly tied to the DEM leadership (right into Obama).
Why wasn't the RNC and McCain on the air immediately setting the premise on these issues. Suspending his campaign was childish. It was playing checkers on a chess board.
The RNC should have hung the current energy prices and the current DOW around the necks of the DEMs. It was made to order for us......to lay out and aggressive, systematic ad campaign taking them to task. Yet, we didn't, and now we have allowed a false-premise to take root (just like the Iraq/WMD false premise was allowed to take root with NO response).
We're in agreement on the latter portion of your post. That was a colossal blunder by the Bush administration (and I say this as one who does not regret voting for Bush/Cheney twice). I do not apply the same criticism to McCain and the RNC yet, because they still have time. I have seen some encouraging bits and pieces, some jabs here and there. But if they do not effectively sell the message outlined above, either tactically in key areas or - preferably - nationally, then they will have missed a major opportunity to damage the Dems. Whether it will cost McCain/Palin the election remains to be seen.