Brutal analysis of John McCain and his campaign from Thomas DeFrank at the New York Daily News:
The collapse of McCain's Hail Mary intervention capped a tumultuous week which saw the Arizona Democrat's lead over Obama evaporate and his running mate deliver a ragged and at times impenetrable TV interview. With economic jitters playing to traditional Democratic dogma, McCain's Big Mo suddenly reverted to his challenger.McCain scares people. Not because he's a maverick, but because he's not stable and has bad judgment. We really can't afford an "attention-deficit-disorder" presidency.
"This is the attention-deficit-disorder campaign," said a bewildered senior Republican operative. "They've had a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad week."
In the process, McCain invited questions about his judgment and ability to work his will in Washington if elected.
"This raises the fundamental issue of how a guy who is hated by his own party can govern," fretted a GOP mandarin who worked for several Presidents. "If he can't control the Republicans, how can he run a country?"
