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December 2, 2008 3:45:41 AM CST



Economic Crisis Turned McCain Into a Bystander

Posted Oct 15, 08 10:53 AM CDT in Opinion Politics 

(Newser) – John McCain isn’t losing because he’s running an incompetent campaign, Michael Gerson writes in the Washington Post. Rather, his campaign only looks incompetent because the economy doomed him to lose. When a campaign is sinking, pundits weigh in with their pet suggestions, while insisting that “the candidate must be himself.” But it doesn’t matter who the candidate is: This campaign ended when the market tanked.

“The diverging political fortunes of Barack Obama and McCain can be traced to a single moment. In the middle of September, the net favorable rating for each candidate was about the same. By Oct. 7, Obama was ahead on this measure by about 16 points.” Economic reality is too much for McCain to overcome, Gerson says, no matter what he does.

Source Washington Post

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Republican presidential candidate, Sen. John McCain makes a campaign stop at Montgomery County Community College in Blue Bell, Pa., Tuesday, Oct. 14, 2008.   (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)
Republican presidential candidate John McCain pauses as he greets supporters in the overflow during a rally at Montgomery County Community College in Blue Bell, Pa., Tuesday, Oct. 14, 2008.   (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)
Democratic presidential candidate, Sen. Barack Obama waves to workers at the Toledo Machining Plant in Perrysburg, Ohio, Tuesday, Oct. 14, 2008.   (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)
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McCain might benefit from shifts in strategy: A retooled stump speech has already been rolled out. But sometimes a candidate who is down in the polls is not an incompetent but a bystander. - Michael Gerson

A losing Republican is not merely unfortunate; he must be incompetent, politically blind and betrayed by his bumbling underlings. If he is not a winner, he is a fool. - Michael Gerson

While America remains a center-right country, this may well be a Marxist election in which economic realities are determining the political superstructure. - Michael Gerson

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