The McCain campaign has released a 60-second ad that uses Bill Clinton’s words to pin the blame for the mortgage crisis on Democrats. The link to Obama is tenuous — and nowhere does the ad acknowledge the fact that Fannie and Freddie were not the primary causes of the broader crisis — but it could [...]

So House members scuttled the bailout bill out of pique over the tone of the speaker’s speech? Does that remind you of something?

According to the McCain campaign’s preferred narrative of last week’s unusual events, the GOP nominee swooped into Washington to rescue the rescue plan. And he did that, supposedly, by bringing rebellious House conservatives to the table and getting their concerns addressed. As Bill Kristol wrote this morning, “Assuming the legislation passes soon, and assuming it [...]

Some strategists who have prepared presidential candidates for past debates offer a few predictions, and some advice, in a piece I wrote for Time.com. And if you haven’t already, check out this collection of memorable debate moments from the past. Gerald Ford on Poland is particularly cringe-worthy.

John Dickerson, a former colleague and reporting partner, has a great piece over at Slate on McCain’s gambit.

The McCain campaign is worried enough about the new ABC/Washington Post poll that they’ve scheduled a conference call for 10:30 am to try to debunk it. The poll gives Obama a 9-point lead, 52-43, among likely voters nationally, and suggests that voters’ fears about the economy are driving them toward the Democratic nominee. Although the [...]

The presidential nominees delivered statements and held dueling (and brief) press conferences this afternoon to discuss the Bush Administration’s bailout plan. Both candidates spoke about the need to do something, and to do it quickly. And both said similar things about the the need for the plan to provide more oversight and to prevent CEOs [...]

McCain has a new ad (see below) attacking Obama “and his liberal allies” for failing to lead in the midst of the current financial markets crisis. As many have noted, including George Will and the Wall Street Journal, McCain’s own handling of the crisis has hardly been a profile in leadership. But what’s important about [...]

It’s not quite one of Ross Perot’s 30-minute infomercials from the 1992 campaign, but Obama’s new, two-minute ad featuring just him talking directly into the camera seems like a bow in the direction of those who argue that voters want to hear the candidates talk about what they would do as president rather than what [...]