So now it is up to Biden, Hilary and Bill to take McCain down about six notches while Obama stays above the fray. This is no game, this is for keeps.

I think this illustrates how small the gain is from policy reversals.  The FISA cave-in comes foremost to mind.

Hmmm.  I wonder if a series of biographical ads showing BigO's community-organizing work in Chicago would be a good ploy?

McSame's character is highly vulnerable.  So much to pick and choose from.  As for the timing and what to pick, I'd defer to Obama's braintrust for that.

I was nervous for a moment too. Then I realized it was Frank Luntz picked focus group and any trace of concern went right out the window. That dude is a fraud. And if somehow McCain comes out of this housing debate with the better argument - even though most Americans have no clue what the Rezko thing is even about - then Obama should just pack up shop and stop contending. This post read like an RNC talking point. I'm betting Klein was fooled.

http://pufferfish.typepad.com/

Yup,idiot voters, predictably, cast their votes for idiotic reasons.

I like the recent attacks much better than the early passivity, but they're still not hitting hard enough, or going directly enough after character. McGigolo's bark need to be thoroughly stripped off. We know he's a sleaze, now this has to be made unmistakably clear even to the idiots.

Of course they do.

I'm amazed this is even a discovery for anyone. How can a 50-yr old woman with a low paying job, 3 kids and a granchild on the way can POSSIBLY have an informed opinion about today's policy in America??

Our government is so huge and it's policy is so convoluted, this is an inevitable outcome.

Character is the best available approximation you can make when making a decision. There is no other way to make a judgement, so character is simply a substitute.

Anyway I don't need any focus group to tell me that they must attack McCain's character and his fitness to lead the country. For better or worse (mostly worse) that's how our politics work these days. And it was the Rethugs who made it so; I have no sympathy for them if and when we return the favor.

they're ncerned about character ???

then how could they consider voting for mcsame ???

the man is a known liar, thief, adulterer and pandering foolif you're concerned about character, Obama is the only choice

if yoou SAY you're concerned about character and you like mcsame, you're a known liar too

Just follow Josh's instructions on the TPM home page to "play for keeps," and the character issue will resolve itself.

This suggests that undecided voters are idiots. I can hardly wait for the debate focus groups to weigh in on 'character' and have the TV talking heads tell us how it doos Obama. Trouble is ... given the jackassery of these people, the media might be right.

I think anything out of "Focus groups" should be taken with a grain of salt.

Polling is far more reliable. Focus groups aere mostly done because they are far cheaper and easier than statistically sound polling.

The problem seems to be that people 1) don't knwo what they want 2) try to impress or please the questioner and/or their fellow group members.

Focus groups brought us New Coke, if you remember. FGs are great for telling lies like "they hate negative ads" and so on.

I find myself agreeing broadly with Lalo, and Dr Toast.

This really is how undecided voters think. As Dr Toast says, if they cared about the issues, they wouldn't be undecided. They have an extremely personal conception of politics; they want to look into someone's soul and see a vague essence of straight talk.

But as people say, we can compete on that field. Barack is pretty squeaky, as politicians go. And McCain has a long history of flip-flopping.

We've done some ads (like "The Same old Washington Games") that went after McCain on the flip-flop stuff -- mixed with "closeness to Bush." But that meme is going to take a while to sink in. We've got to keep repeating it.

Exactly as I predicted, it will not be about issues.

Voters will decide based upon:
Race
Trust
Experience

Well, of course no information, however meagre, is dumb in and of itself, it's all about how people use it.

But what about the information as portrayed by Klein endows it with the significance that you attribute to it?

If you would, please draw on the conceptual issues like "character," "accountability," "change" and "issues" if you'd care to respond.

If the election is about character, Obama should win. If the MSM gets around to demanding the truth about McCain's military record, his first marriage and his infidelity, his temper and vindictiveness, voters will see he isn't the man they've been told he is.

if this race is close, the GOP will win, since they own the Diebold voting machines which will skew elections in their favor!

get wise.

and to spiteful hillary supporters, let me remind you that if McCain wins, it will be the end of safe, legal abortions in USA. thousands of women will die at the hands of illegal back-street practitioners.
think Supreme Court.

I'd sure like some "Accountability" The criminals in the bush administration really need to go to jail, most of 'em.

On the other hand, if a politician actually called for that, Bush would do everything possible to arrange pardons for his friends.

Let's see... So, the Democrat wants to stay focused on issues, while the Republican wants to destroy the Democrats character, and the character assassination is having an effect.

What will the Democrat do? Which club will he join? The club of Clinton and others that fought and won? Or will it be the club of Kerry, Mondale, Gore and Dukakis who were "uncomfortable" with fighting and wanted to remain "above the fray"? No frays to be found in Kerry's quite Senate office or Dukakis'.... wherever he is.

Obama had better bust out the heavy wood and start whacking McCain, lest he risk being another former pol whose failure just causes Democrats to roll their eyes whenever they hear his name.