I hope this help McCain lose his cool tomorrow night....

Well, not totally. But I think there is more "gold" in the mountain that is G. Gordon Liddy. Liddy is a convicted felon whom McCain claims it is a "pleasure" to spend time with. And that's on tape. Start with Keating then go for the Liddy gold.

I must confess to a dream. I dream that tomorrow night will end with McCain jumping up and down on his little feet, red in the face, waving his little fists in the air, all the while screaming "But I'm a POW! A POW! POW! POW!"

On the one hand, McCain's negativity must surely be behind some of his decline in the polls. Anyone who watched the first debate on CNN could clearly see the focus group respond badly whenever McCain went on the attack.

But on the other hand, bringing up McCain's Keating connection could play in an unusual way. Its a smear-job, no doubt about it. The events are ancient history, except in one important way. McCain's favors for Keating aren't just related to the economy. They reflected an anti-regulatory philosophy that has not changed since then. So while he's taken up the campaign finance reform mantle, he's kept on doing favors for the Keatings of the world by trying to reduce government oversight of their operations, regardless of what their operations entail.

Which is different rules for the rulers,

Actually there are two new web sites, which you are a little slow on reporting about. They were announced yesterday. Here's the other one:

http://www.johnmccainrecord.com/

It's high time people understood who this McCain fellow is and has been.

Too bad they don't also link to the Rolling Stone article on McCain. Something Salon should be writing about rather than our Palinista cruside of the day:

Make-Believe Maverick

A closer look at the life and career of John McCain reveals a disturbing record of recklessness and dishonesty

TIM DICKINSON

Posted Oct 16, 2008 7:00 PM

http://www.rollingstone.com/news/story/23316912/makebelieve_maverick/print

Are you joking? McCain had a hand in trying to improperly intervene with regulators on the banker's behalf. We are going through a crisis of folding banks and corporate welfare, where people like Richard Fuld walks away from Lehman Bros. with 10's of millions of dollars as the company fails, and you think there are better ways for camp Obama to spend its time. Baloney. Mr. "I am a deregulator. I believe in deregulation," and "fundamentals of the economy are strong" needs to be shown to the American populace. Over and over and over and over again...

This decision by the Obama campaign is meant to muddy the waters. Had Obama not immediately responded, the media would have discussed only about Obama, Ayers, and Rezko over the next several days. Now the media will be talking about Obama, Ayers, Rezko, McCain, and the Keating Five.

How is the truth a smear?

Obama's campaign can both attack McCain (a better response to McCain's attacks than playing defense), AND talk constructively about the economy. They have no need to chose between the two options.

... because Obama and his campaign staff have done so badly up till now. You and Joan and Walter should just keep on giving advice and keep those concern posts coming too because you all are much more knowledgeable and experienced when it comes to running a winning campaign. I'm sure the Obama campaign reads every word and follows your advice too.

The Obama campaign and its leader can walk and chew gum at the same time--Obama is on the stump reminding people that McCain wants to turn the page on the economy and instead smear Obama. But this time around, the Democrats will not stand for Republican smears, particularly when John McCain's pals are far more worrisome than Barack Obama's. And that's before we even start talking about Sarah Palin's preacher problems and her husband belonging to the Alaska Independence Party.

bring it up - considering the economic meltdown and McCain's relationship with deregulation. Not to mention that McCain and his pitbull kicked the door down with their Ayers smears which according to the McCain campaign are the effort to change the subject.

If they didn't go there the pundits would be wondering if Obama was tough enough. Some things you can't win and in the case of the fickle chattering classes be careful if you do win their hearts and minds because they will then have to destroy you.

He has no choice, Palin's, "pal around with terrorists" comment necessitates an appropriate response, it was the perfect response.

When he did the "Christian" commercial, it was an appropriate response to another smear campaign of "Obama's a muslim".

We all saw what happened when Rove high-jacked 2004 with SwiftBoat, I believe Obama learned well from SwiftBoat, and not going to let it happen to him.

Fight fire with fire.

...Dan

Bill Ayers, terrorist and Obama supporter.

Bill Ayers, terrorist and Obama supporter.

Bill Ayers, terrorist and Obama supporter.

Bill Ayers, terrorist and Obama supporter.

Bill Ayers, terrorist and Obama supporter.

Bill Ayers, terrorist and Obama supporter.

Bill Ayers, terrorist and Obama supporter.

Bill Ayers, terrorist and Obama supporter.

Bill Ayers, terrorist and Obama supporter.

Bill Ayers, terrorist and Obama supporter.

Bill Ayers, terrorist and Obama supporter.

Bill Ayers, terrorist and Obama supporter.

Bill Ayers, terrorist and Obama supporter.

Bill Ayers, terrorist and Obama supporter.

Bill Ayers, terrorist and Obama supporter.

Bill Ayers, terrorist and Obama supporter.

The Democratic habit of taking the high road and turning the other cheek is usually a losing strategy, at least if you take Drew Westen's The Political Brain seriously. So I think the Obama campaign's strategy of replying forcefully with the Keating Five connection is well-conceived. I saw Rahm Emmanuel on CNN the other day and thought the way he did it was nice -- "If the McCain campaign wants to talk about associations, they'd better be prepared to hear about Charles Keating, and the loser will be the American public" -- rather a warning shot across the bow.