John McCain enjoyed his first-ever lead over Barack Obama in voter polls after he announced Gov. Sarah Palin was joining him on the Republican ticket.
That all vanished in less than a week, as the nation's economy seemed to quickly deteriorate.
Polls show that voters trust McCain to handle national security better than they do Obama. But as a potentially disastrous economic crisis tops the list of voter concerns, those polled say they believe Obama will handle the economy in crisis better than his opponent.
In a column for the Washington Post, Perry Bacon, Jr. says that while Palin and McCain avoid interviews with the press, Senator Joe Biden confidently, even "gleefully" engages them. Bacon notes that Biden "stays behind at each event to shake hands" while stopping to "kiss older women on the cheek."
McCain campaign manager Rick Davis has called out the New York Times as "an organization that is completely, totally, 150 percent in the tank for the Democratic candidate."
Claiming the media is slanted to covering only Obama and then refusing to talk to or field questions from reporters is an attempt to have their cake and eat it too. Meanwhile, reporters are allowed only 30 or so seconds to watch Palin in her first meeting with world leaders.
Bacon estimates Biden has done 80 or more interviews since being chosen as a candidate, compared to Palin's two.
It seems as if the campaign is "saving" Palin's voice for the debates. Meanwhile, the nation is curious to see how the campaign will utilize its "ace in the hole," as the controversy surrounding her cools down. All they are hearing about anymore is a hacked Yahoo! e-mail account and "lipstick on a pig" references.
But it was Palin who boosted McCain's ratings with two major demographics - young people and white women. And it was Palin that gave McCain his first push ahead.
Despite the perks of Palin, she falls short of being an ideal candidate for the female vote. As her opposition to Roe v. Wade remains on the backburner, the McCain camp may fear that much of that support may falter once reporters start asking about it, seeing as women typically vote in support of abortion rights.
McCain says that Roe v. Wade is a flawed decision that should be overturned, and it is here that he stays connected with more traditional conservatives. It seems like an ironic turnaround, as McCain discusses Roe v. Wade. It is a policy he will not likely affect.
Perhaps keeping mum will be best for McCain - allowing the Democratic nominee to drown in media saturation.
While waiting to see whether Obama will sink or swim, McCain could coast in to the White House. Reserving Palin for the debates is a risky decision- but one that might pay off.
Photo: Courtesy of Laron Fomby
