More bad timing

There's certainly a strong case to made that McCain is out of touch based on his stance on the issues. But his recent and continued attacks on Obama's character are more proof than we've ever had that the man doesn't have a clue. The campaign started bringing up Ayers earlier this week, only to run away from it at the debate and even claim that they weren't going to talk about Ayers anymore. Today, they stepped up the Ayers attack and even released a 90-second ad about the Ayers-Obama connection. Now, a McCain co-chair brought up Obama's past admitted drug use. 

At first this all seemed desperate, like a campaign kicking and screaming as its poll numbers took a dive. Today, though, as McCain makes guilt-by-association claims left and right, the stock market fell 7 percent and is now at its lowest point since 2003. There's no end in sight to the greatest economic crisis since the Great Depression, yet one of the main presidential candidates doesn't even discuss the economy. 

As I'm writing this, I'm listening to Hardball and talk show host Michael Smerconish made the point I'm coming to. This tactic by McCain is certainly desperate, but what's more puzzling is that it's bad politics. It's the most glaring evidence yet that the man is out of touch. It's as though four months ago the campaign decided it was going to bring up Ayers in October no matter what. Well, the race has changed. You can't keep talking about a relationship someone had 10 years ago as people's pensions go down the drain.

ALSO: Drudge links to an exclusive report saying Obama has just purchased a half hour of network primetime television.