Mike Allen/Politico: Advisers worry about ‘grumpy McCain’

[Perky]

By MIKE ALLEN | 10/7/08 1:36 PM EDT Text Size:



When Politico’s Ryan Grim approached Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) after the evening of the Senate bailout vote, the reporter didn’t even get his question out.

“Excuse me, you’re bothering me,” McCain said.

It was a surprising rebuke from a politician who once was famous for palling around with reporters, and who was so media-friendly that he was sometimes known as “the senator from ‘Meet the Press.’”

But what friends call “grumpy McCain” is showing up regularly on the campaign trail, and several top advisers worry that it’s hurting his campaign by making him appear peevish and hunkered down when the country is looking for a larger and more optimistic brand of leadership.

http://www.politico.com/news/stories/1008/14364.html

[Democat]

1. Can Obama push him over the edge tonight?

The most important thing in the next 30 days is that Obama needs to keep up the offense - attack McCain every day in a different way, while repeating the same attacks as a few days ago as well. Republicans cannot handle a Democrat who is on the offensive.

What Republicans dream of for the next 30 days, is for Obama to spend the days explaining himself about Ayers and any other attacks they make. Instead, Obama must put McCain and Palin on the defensive. Keep them off balance, keep them defending themselves, and keep the media splitting their time between Ayers and Keating 5 and McCain's NAZI friends. Obama must stay on the offensive to be sure he wins this. Do not fall back on defense, Mr. Obama!

[ErinBerin84]

2. I can't believe that McCain had the nerve to say that Obama gets "angry" whenever he is questioned!

Talk about projection.

[Shakespeare]

3. "appear" peevish and hunkered down?

No, he IS peevish and hunkered down. Angry, mean old fucker.

[Born_A_Truman]

4. Who will be sitting in the front row tonight with the secret sign??

At his press conference after Keating 5, McCain's press secretary sat in the front row and she had a hand signal worked out with him to use when she saw him losing his temper. I am sure he is using the same tactic for the debates.

[TexasObserver]

5. They should worry. He is GRUMPY. When he doesn't get his way.

McCain is getting his ass handed to him, and he's livid about it. He is seething with anger over it. He's going to explode before this is over. As the ends nears, and he realizes that McCain will join the names Mondale and McGovern as legendary losses, he is getting even worse.