I get the feeling that, while McCain really *did* want to be POTUS, he didn't want to *run a campaign.* He just wanted it to happen magically. Because -- at least this is my impression from the Newsweek special -- his attitude towards his campaign was capricious and just plain weird, and he let his campaign staff, especially that crapweasel Steve Schmidt, take the campaign and run with it (and run it into the ground).

Yes, but I think that's also true of Hillary, and has been true of most candidates for quite a long time. It seems like one of the many unusual things about Obama was that he actually was controlling his campaign, instead of being controlled by it.

Well, plus he's good at it. I'm sure Nader's in control of his campaign too, but that's a slightly different thing.

Is it wrong of me to be wallowing in the wailing and gnashing of teeth of the neocons? I almost feel guilty. Almost.

No, not at all wrong. Of course, it would be wrong for you to post a link to any particularly juicy and deluded Oh Woes Pity Me whine. Very, very wrong to post any such links.

So thoroughly wrong to share the Schadenfreude.

...

::waits::

it would be wrong for you to post a link to any particularly juicy and deluded Oh Woes Pity Me whine.

Most of what I'm finding is still of the circular firing squad/CYA variety. Does the pity party come after the circular firing squad?

Well, plus he's good at it.

Yes. "Experience" or not (in the campaign smear sense of the word) that was some INSANE management-fu.

You guys, he's here again. All this fascinating stuff with the transition and the cabinet picks and the glavin, it's going down right here.

The only question is how many excuses I can come up with to wander through the lobby before someone (like, say, secret service) notices.

I'd be running through the halls bellowing "President Oooooooobaaaaaaamaaaaaaaaaaa!!!!!"

In my mind - rainbows are all converging on brenda's building and a slight glow of optimism is shining from the windows.

And unicorns are dancing around in the meadow that's suddenly appeared in front of the building.

So thoroughly wrong to share the Schadenfreude.

I keep linking to Scalzi, but I love him. He made a schadenfreude pie.

In my mind - rainbows are all converging on brenda's building and a slight glow of optimism is shining from the windows.

And unicorns are dancing around in the meadow that's suddenly appeared in front of the building.

Just please tell me that nobody's actually sparkling in the sunlight. I'm pretty sure I couldn't handle that.

Just please tell me that nobody's actually sparkling in the sunlight.

only the nymphs and pixies as they sing their sweet song to the new day dawning.

I am disappointed that the Newsweek article did nothing to eradicate my silly Obama crush. I suspect if he were 10-15 years younger, he'd totally have been a prolific and influental blogger, talking about politics, world issues, growing up a Third Culture Kid, and occasionally geeking out about comics or music.

Weirdest thing I've seen all week.

[link]

Lots of people are pegging Lehman Bros collapse as the point where the McCain campaign started losing, but I heard someone point out that his numbers started dropping 4 days earlier after Palin's Katie Couric interview.

But the Lehman Brothers collapse and ensuing stock market panic cemented his loss. The "fundamentals of the economy are strong" comment showed McCain as hopelessly, desperately out of touch. The sort-of "suspension" of the campaign and return to Washington to do -- whatever it was he did -- about the bailout made him look like someone who didn't have a clue what to do in a crisis. (And skipping out on Letterman while appearing on Katie Couric's show alienated a very influential person as well as raised questions about his integrity -- a huge mistake for someone who's pegged his candidacy on "Straight Talk.") And his on-again, off-again threat at the last minute to skip the first debate underscored his ineffective response to the situation.

And then afterward, when it was crystal clear that the economy was Issue #1, and probably Issues #2, #3, and #4 as well, McCain compounded his mistakes. He never put forward and created a sustained discussion of any plan to deal with the economic mess. Instead, he trotted out Joe the Plumber as some kind of proof that he supported the average American. And he called Obama a "Socialist." But what was he actually going to do? He never made it clear.