But in August? And they aren't even trying to hide their connection to the swiftboating?

Isn't this really nothing more than a short term strategy? Have we learned nothing from the primary about short term versus long term thinking?

And the fact that he's launching his own Convention by defending his long association with a man who says he didn't bomb enough U.S. targets tells us more about Barack Obama than any of tonight's speeches will."

WTF is he talking about? How is mentioning that John McCain is obsessed with the 60s the same as "defending his long association" (in itself a lie)?

I guess that they must not like the response ad of the Obama campaign.

And I guess that means we can expect more of the "John McCain keeps talking about Britney, Paris and the 1960s, while I'm trying to help out the average American...."

For once, I'd like to see Democrats push back hard, and mean, on this bullshit out of the Republicans.

Why wouldn't they directly support the attack? This 527 group is a group made up of one person, that person answers to McCain. This isn't moveon.org for goodness sake.

This means WAR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Maybe McCain's people think this has staying power, or are thinking of it as an introduction to the Rev. Wright attacks.

In any event, it gives the impression that his campaign is flailing away without a long range plan.

Democrats on MSM shows need to use stuff like this as evidence that McCain is lying - and I wouldn't shy away from using that word - when he says he's not questioning Obama's patriotism and would prefer to run an honest campaign centered around real issues.

we are facing serious challenges and this is a time for serious people and a serious debate. We need a debate thats as big as the challenges we face, not the same small, petty, he's corrupt because someone he served on a charity board did something really bad a long time ago.

John McCain is NOT PUTTING HIS COUNTRY first when he brings up a 60's radical who did horrible things when Obama was 8 years old and didn't know the man.

John McCain is putting himself and his ambition first.

Let's talk about issues, huh, Senator McCain? Let's talk about Iraq, and Afghanistan. Let's talk about the 200,000 homeless veterans. Let's talk about how to fix the health care system in this country. Let's talk about energy policy.

If you did that, then maybe i might buy into your rhetoric of "country first". But keep mentioning ayers, rezco and wright, and that's all that it will be: Rhetoric.

McCain was a POW, he can say anything he wants.

I like the idea of hitting him with Charles Keating. After all McCain was actually chastised by the Senate at the time. At the same time go after McCain's foreign policy judgment by linking him to Chalibi. Just poor it on. End the campaign with a rerun of the daisy ad.

I am not saying this with glee, but to put an end to the Rovettes. Force the Republicans to understand that scorched earth goes both ways.

I really think that Obama knows he has a path to winning in November that doesn't involve living down in the gutter. When it comes to scumbag politics, Obama is a counter-puncher.

Sullivan's blog has an interesing bit - it seems that Obama's polling shows that a large number of Hillary supporters voters supposedly voting for McCain have no idea that McCain is anti-choice. So, does Obama spend his time and effort down in the gutter or does he make sure that he outlines to non-blogging, non-PUMA registered Hillary Democrats that McCain has a horrible voting record on women's rights?

It is a good day when your guy is leading for 4 months and his biggest challenge is to get people within his own party to vote for him.

Hey TPM: Your headlines really suck.

Try this: After you have written your story (post or whatever you call it) let someone else read it and write the headline.

This recurring problem is a blemish on otherwise good work.

Well, they've now officially created all the cover we could ever want to totally unload on them and get no media blame for going negative--always a "problem" the MSM concern trolls liked to talk about.

I really think we have to keep it more or less positive for, oh, say, the next four days or so. However, hopefully, an opportune moment to go medieval on their asses will present itself soon after our convention is over.

But when? That's the question. Hmmmmm. Surely there is some event of some kind coming soon during which a powerful counterattack would be in order. Hmmm. Hmmm. Nothing's coming to mind. Help me out here.

Liddy served 5.5 years in federal prison, how many years did Ayers serve?

Liddy's crime was a crime against democracy. Of course Liddy is probably a right wing hero.

And "direct hit" as in "you sunk my battleship" means McCain scored a decisive blow - at least that's what I was thinking when I clicked on the story.

time to hit McCain hard on

------------infidelity-----------

calling his wife a cunt in public

-----abandoning his children-----

-----------keating five----------

---------------bush--------------

Someone needs to dig up some footage of McCain's Keating 5 testimony before Congress. I've heard it's a trainwreck.

I wasn't aware Obama "launched" his political career in the home of Ayers. I understand there was a small fund raiser there, but is that where he literally launched his political career? If not, then let's call them on it. Just as the Rezko-Obama house deal was in no way illegal, or even unethical.

And as I recall, they served together on two boards. We need some testimony from other board members as to why they chose to sit on the same board as this "terorrist".

Let Obama give a killer acceptance speech. One that comes out
gives details of what he wants to accomplish. Then, let's floood the airways with Ads asking why the McCain camp isn't telling the America exactly what McCain will do...And something that does work is telling the AMerican people that they're smart enough to know when they're being hoodwinked (since if you don't tell them, then they do let themselves be hoodwinked)"Where's The Beef, Senator". Don't whine, Obama....go directly to the public: Why won't John McCain tell you about his vision, his ideas, and specific about what he intends to do?

They won't mention Hagee....fear of Wright being raised again...though you just know it's coming. As well, on the other side, of clips of McCain unable to answer questions....etc etc. It's going to get nasty. But I still think that unless McCain switches tactics, use the line of attacking why McCain is relying on attack Ads. With the theme that he has nothing else to offer. And America can no longer afford a do nothing Presidency...etc etc.
Oh,yes, when is someone going to come out and flat out call McCain a LIAR over things he's said in Ads about Obama and taxes?

Why spend our time here complaining amongst ourselves? John McCain's senate office provides many ways to get a message directly to the man responsible for these smears.

http://mccain.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=Contact.ContactForm

Phoenix Office:
5353 North 16th Street
Suite 105
Phoenix, AZ 85016
Main: 602-952-2410
Fax: 602-952-8702

Tempe Office:
4703 South Lakeshore Drive
Suite 1
Tempe, AZ 85282
Main: 480-897-6289
Fax: 480-897-8389

Tucson Office:
407 West Congress Street
Suite 103
Tucson, AZ 85701
Main: 520-670-6334
Fax: 520-670-6637

Washington Office:
241 Russell Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510
Main: 202-224-2235
Fax: 202-228-2862

McCain just wants to be president, that's all.

How can McCain put America first when he associates with the Iranian spy Ahmed Chalabi?

Just to follow up -- there's a lawsuit now, and a letter-writing campaign coordinated by Obama-Biden '08.

http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0808/12816.html

Well this sure got everyone in a tizzy. Clear your heads.

Probably the dumbest thing Obama could do in response to this would be to bring up McCain's associates. This is not the time. Trying to argue that the other guy is an even greater asshole than you are is a losing proposition.

This is one of the cases needing simply a fast, forceful, truthful rebuttal. You all seriously think the campaign has not planned for this way in advance?

I think Obama should put out an ad with a female Hillary supporter saying "After Hillary lost the nomination, my friends were talking about how we should send the Democrats a message and just go and vote for McCain. And I was getting all excited about it. Until I started looking at McCain's record -- anti-choice, pro-war, anti environment, more of the same failed Bush policies (etc., etc., etc., etc.). And I thought "is that really the kind of message I want to send?" And then I found out that on all these issue, Barack Obama's positions are exactly the same as Hillary's? Now when my friends come and ask me how I'm going to use my vote to send a message, I tell them: by voting for Barack Obama." And it should end with Barack onscreen saying "I'm Barack Obama" and Hillary should walk into the frame and say "and I'm Hillary Clinton. And we approve this message."

"A direct hit"?? Hyperbole is alive and well....