Advantage McCain

By John Aloysius Farrell

Obambi better get his head in the presidential race. And fast. The Democrats got killed today.

In a three-pronged assault President Bush compared Obama to Neville Chamberlain; John McCain announced his hopes to get troops out of Iraq by the end of his term as president, and the Tennessee state party produced a video attacking Michelle Obama.

Not a bad trifecta. McCain makes a bid to independent voters, assuring them that he’s not going to stay in Iraq for a hundred years. Bush reminds the Republican faithful, and Jewish voters, that Obama wants to play cozy with Iran. And they both leave it to the state parties to take the low road.

In Tennessee, the party of family values showed its continued willingness to go after the Democratic presidential candidate by attacking the mother of his children, in this case for being insufficiently patriotic. Of the last four potential Democratic First Ladies, only Tipper Gore has not been targeted – though the kneecapping of Mrs. Obama is still stunning in how early, and blatantly, it occurred.

If I were the Democrats, I would have the Arizona Democratic Party produce a video accusing Cindy McCain of being a demented drug addict, and asking why she refuses to disclose her finances, and show it once at a press conference – if only to make the point that both sides can play dirty, and that McCain would be wise to rein in his dogs.

And then of course there was the California Supreme Court, which just revived the gay marriage issue, in time for the 2008 election.

If this keeps up, Obama will be lucky to carry Illinois.