So says Obama's spokesman Bill Burton who, in a bit of expectations lowering, has sent out an email linking to articles (like this AP one, from which I got the above quote) containing negative assessments of Obama's debate skills. Will the McCain campaign now start describing their guy as old, out of touch, and erratic?
Update: Ben Smith smartly notes that the same Burton memo makes the Obama campaign's most explicit case to date that McCain lacks the temperament to be president.
On the economy, McCain’s words and
actions over the course of the past week have illuminated his lack of
expertise. He admitted he does not understand the economy -- his erratic,
out-of-touch behavior this week, his failure to do anything of substance to move
the agreement forward on the bailout, and his commitment to continuing Bush
economic policies, demonstrate it. But there are some questions we might see
answered tonight after McCain’s misadventure to Washington and the phony
‘suspension’ of his campaign. For example, will McCain finally say where he
stands on the unworkable and counterproductive House Republican plan? Will he
be willing to buck his own party? [Emphasis added.]
It'll be interesting to see whether Obama goes there in the debate tonight. It's one thing to say McCain was wrong on Iraq; it's another to point out that, less than four months after 9/11, he was on a U.S. aircraft carrier in the Arabian sea yelling, "Next up, Baghdad!" Major Kong, anyone?
--Jason Zengerle