The McCain Surge

Wow. What a difference a week can make. Obama was up by 8-points and had all but been annoited as the next leader of the free world. And a week later it appears as though John McCain has found his mojo and is ahead by as much as 10-points according to some polls. That's a pretty dramatic shift considering the only thing new is McCain's running mate.

It's funny to watch the Obama campaign actually struggle for the first time. The one thing they're trying to pound on is Palin's inexperience. That strategy is poor though considering Obama's relative inexperience. Shoot, compared to Obama, Hilary Clinton was more than adequately prepared to be president and there were plenty of people out there complaining about Hilary's greenness.

Playing even more into the McCain campaign is the fact the American people don't know that much about Palin. Much like Obama, citizens can paint her with whatever brush they see fit. The caring and sensitive mother? Check. The hunter? Check. The "soccer / hockey mom?" Check. The fiscal conservative? Check. The progressive? Check. I could go on. That's how Obama gained his following. Say little and never show where you stand.

Unfortunately for the Obama campagin, he had to start taking actual stands on issues and his ideas, or lack thereof, have become apparent. And his overall inexperience is beginning to take center stage. Unlike Palin, who will just be backing up the much experience John McCain, the Obama campaign is trying to put someone with little experience in the driver's seat. And, as the election approaches, more people are beginning to realize they would rather have someone they know in that driver's seat than a huge question mark.

Still 56-days before election day. The media will do its best to drag Palin through the mud between now and then and try to ruin that clean gloss that covers her today. The attacks on McCain, Obama and Obama's running mate (is it Biden?) will obviously get much, much harsher. It actually may get exciting now. I'm looking forward to a good election season. Has to be better than Mountaineer football at this point...