It seems everyone is giving Team McCain the postmortem treatment as several more poll puts the Republican nominee significantly behind -- hell, even the "Straight Talk Crunch" was edged out by the "Whirl of Change" ice cream flavor poll at Baskin Robbins. Today's buzz:
- The Anchorage Daily News endorsed Barack Obama over the weekend because having Gov. Sarah Palin so close to the presidency was too "risky." Take-away: "Yet despite her formidable gifts, few who have worked closely with the governor would argue she is truly ready to assume command of the most important, powerful nation on earth."
- Though John McCain was able to come back twice in New Hampshire primaries voters aren't as smitten with him this time around, with Obama leading in the state 54-to-39 percent, wrote Walter Shapiro in Salon. Take-away: "What may matter most is that McCain has failed to run a campaign that appeals to New Hampshire's quirkily independent voters who prize bipartisanship, fiscal conservatism and social moderation."
- Bill Kristol wrote in the NYT that McCain may be fighting a losing battle but he could still go out on a high note: muzzle his campaign, be open to the media and pull all negative ads and robocalls. Take-away: "McCain has a chance to close this election in a big and positive way. He has a chance to get voters to rise above the distractions and to set aside the petty aspects of the campaign."
- Obama's methodical strategy for winning Florida is emblematic of how he runs his campaign across the nation v. McCain, wrote E.J. Dionne in the WaPo. Take-away: "It is a sign of the extent to which Obama has out-organized and out-strategized McCain, and it's an indication of how almost all the issues have moved against the GOP."
- McCain, but mostly the Republican party, have so fouled up this election that their nominee has no chance of winning, wrote Max Hastings in the Daily Mail UK. Take-away: "To put it bluntly, the Republicans have become the party of America's stupid people."
