Schmidt and McCain had been brilliant right up until the decision to suspend the campaign. Looks like that decision, coupled with McCain's overall weak response on the economy, will probably wind up costing them the election.
I'm still holding out some hope for a turnaround, but we are rapidly running out of time and people's opinions are starting to be cemented.
I thought suspending his campaign was lame but by itself it worked, providing a lot of media attention. But it was essential then, with the focus on him, that he provide decisive, authoritative leadership to the GOP, take a clear unequivocal stand one way or the other(didn't matter which), come back to the people, at the debate or later, and lay it out in straight talk.
He failed miserably at all these necessary follow-on steps, and instead of returning as the decisive leader he let chickensh*t Harry Reid run him out of town like an unwelcome tramp.
I don't know if he has it in him to mount a sustained attack for thirty days. He might, but we haven't seen it yet.