Dan Balz: McCain's Fundamentals Problem

[babylonsister]

McCain's Fundamentals Problem


By Dan Balz


John McCain has a fundamentals problem. It is political as well as economic, and it remains the biggest obstacle standing between the Arizona senator and the White House.

McCain didn't single-handedly create this problem but he made it worse Monday when, as Wall Street was melting down, he uttered words -- "the fundamentals of our economy are strong" -- that totally muddied the real message he meant to deliver. Barack Obama has hammered him at every stop since as a man out of touch with reality.

Were McCain known as a student of the economy, this instance of a badly delivered statement would matter little. Because he is known as someone who is not, it matters plenty. McCain has responded by ratcheting up his rhetoric about cracking down on Wall Street and Washington.

As with his Monday misstep, once again the message is mixed. Guns blazing, McCain is promising to ride into town to -- oversee the creation of a commission to study the problem. He is speaking out in favor of regulation but against a history of opposing a heavy government hand. He has expressed his outrage, but what is the balance he would strike between the old and new McCain?

In many ways, the opening to Obama provided by McCain's verbal misstep is the least of his problems. What should worry the McCain camp most is the intersection of the renewed focus on the economy and the underlying political climate that has created such difficulties for McCain and his party all year.

more...

http://voices.washingtonpost.com/the-trail/2008/09/17/mccains_fundamentals_problem.html?hpid=topnews

[Cha]

1. mccain told us himself he doesn't know the Economy..

And, that vp candidate they plucked outta Alaska left Wasilla in $20 million debt..not an outstanding point on her resume.