[nathanbedford]

The problem was not that McCain forfeited the thrust of his argument that Obama was unprepared and unready for office, the problem was that McCain missed the entire thrust of the election. The election was never going to turn on Obama's readiness, he was utterly bulletproof on almost every issue, certainly that one.

So long as the issue was Obama's experience, all Obama had to do to win was to show up at the debates and walk and talk like a president. This was so because it was a Democrat' s year. But mostly it was so because the nation was in the grip of the neuroses in which too many people wanted to put a black man in the Oval Office and too many others were operating out of paroxysms of hatred for George Bush.

As I argued countless times before the debates, to win, McCain had to morally destroy Obama. This McCain could not do so long as he confined his attacks to Obama's experience level and took Obama's or associations and radicalism off the table.

For all her alleged lack of sophistication, Sarah Palin seems to have sensed this and she alone-evidently contrary to the wishes of McCain and her handlers-took on Obama for his radicalism.

McCain simply failed to get it.

[tgusa]

Spot on as usual, NB.

[Billg64]

Shortly after the convention, the McCain campaign announced their battle plan was to attack Obama on his experience. The Clinton campaign lost on this issue every time they tried it, they showed well when they attacked his policies and associations.
There was a blueprint laid out for failure and one for possible success; he chose the path that pointed toward failure and failed; go figure.

[Vinnie]

Yes,
I was undecided as to whether I would even vote prior to

Palin getting the VP nod. I sent the campaign money twice, something I’ve never done before.

The dims and MSM are going to try to destroy her to prevent her from 2012. They see how effective she was/is.

Palin/Jindal 2012?

[COBOL2Java]

Agree wholeheartedly. It’s unfortunate but predictable that the long knives are out for Palin. The Rockefeller Republicans have to destroy her, and they are the source of these attacks.

[CharacterCounts]

The problem was not that McCain forfeited the thrust of his argument that Obama was unprepared and unready for office, the problem was that McCain missed the entire thrust of the election. The election was never going to turn on Obama's readiness, he was utterly bulletproof on almost every issue, certainly that one.

The ineptness of the McCain Campaign is all the more apparent since they were forewarned.

Hillary tried the exact same tactic and failed miserably.