Election Issues Today

READYING FOR THE THIRD FACEOFF

Where do the two election campaign contenders see themselves right now?  This is just prior to the third and final Presidential Debate.  This is 20 days to the election.  (Take a deep breath; it’s almost over.)

Polls show Barack Obama with (roughly) a ten point “preference” lead, in the most generous polls.  Other polls show four or five-point leads for Obama.  Electoral votes appear to be more lop-sided.  Some pollsters are seeing a trend that could lead to a landslide, whatever that would be.  Maybe if Obama took somewhere around 376 electoral votes, that might be a landslide.  I don’t know.  I think it will be closer than that, but I do think the McCain campaign is in trouble.  The scent of desperation is in the political air. 

Will we see that desperation manifest itself in the final Presidential Debate?  I don’t think John McCain can appear to be speaking from a position of weakness. He must be perceived as in control and confident.  He is a very experienced politician and should be able to pull it off.  If he attacks Obama on any of the right-wingnuts’ outlandish claims, he will be labeled as desperate.  We will watch Wednesday night and see if he looks like a loser.

Barack Obama senses victory at hand.  With that, he can become magnanimous, calm, reassuring….in a word…Presidential.  We will watch Wednesday night and see if he looks like a winner.