“you know, I pray you’re right about McCain et al by the time November comes, because he’s currently taking the ‘high road, Mr. nice guy’ approach[.]”
He’s being nice about Hillary and Obama personally, but he and his campaign staffers are absolutely eviscerating their positions. Over and over again McCain is hammering them on how they’re going to raise taxes and how their approach to fighting the jihadis is dangerous and wrong.
Because of the media double standard, if McCain goes negative, he’ll be painted as just another “mean-spirited” Republican, and Hillary or Obama will be positioned as a helpless female or black victim.
The gender and racial issues this time around—as well as the nation-wide disdain for Republicans—make McCain’s job even tougher. I think he’ll pull it off, but the irony is he’s going to have to work twice as hard and be twice as smart as his opponents, which is what feminists and black activists always say about their own groups.
You’re very insightful on McCain’s current strategy to let the Dems go at each other, and yes, he has an extremely tough line to walk in the general. I really hope he has brilliant strategists and staff with excellent timing and who know just when to go for the jugular. You’re so right about the challenges (mine-fields) he’ll face in this unusual race, and in our uber-politically correct culture. Who woulda’ thunk it.