By far McCain-Feingold was more to blame. Long before the time came, it was obvious he couldn't suddenly decide to opt out of federal financing, because such hypocrisy from Mr. Clean Elections would have sunk him. So McCain was defeated by his own legislation, put in place because he's so obsessed with revenge on Bush for what McCain perceived as vicious campaigning in the 2000 primaries. The end should have been clear when he wouldn't even let people say Obama's middle name, even as he had no problem dumping on fellow Republicans.
So in all respects, it was McCain. This is the first time since her being picked that I thought Palin was BSing. If she were as honest as her superfans claim, she'd have stayed off the Bushbash wagon--just as she should have stayed off the Wall St. Bash wagon--and said it like it is--she honors McCain's service, thanks him for picking her, but man, did he blow as a candidate.
McCain was leading in the polls untill the financial meltdown. The people blamed Bush and took it out on the GOP.
mccain was lousy but please don’t deny reality. Bush was no help at all and the last minute Cheney endorsement killed any hope that mccain would make a comeback.