The Flimflam Strategy by Eugene Robinson

[BrklynLiberal]

Let's see: The financial system is still in grave peril, despite Congress's approval of an unprecedented $700 billion bailout. Unemployment is rising, the economy is slowing, and the question isn't whether we're in for a recession but how long and how deep the recession will be. Meanwhile, U.S. troops are still fighting in two places -- Iraq and Afghanistan -- where, as a rule, foreign occupations end badly. The terrorists who struck us on Sept. 11, 2001, have been allowed to regroup within the borders of nuclear-armed Pakistan and are busy plotting new attacks. Rarely have there been bigger or more urgent issues to talk about in a presidential campaign.
But John McCain wants us to talk about Barack Obama's acquaintances. He and Sarah Palin are going to try their best to make us talk about anything but the big issues facing our country, because most Americans think Obama's solutions are better than McCain's.
Knowing that, are we in the media going to aid and abet the McCain campaign's obvious ploy?
<snip>
And we should be relentless in demanding that the candidates talk about the economy and the wars and America's place in the world. If they won't sit down to be interviewed, we can shout our questions at them. If they filibuster, we can cut them off. If they give evasive answers, we can ask follow-up questions until we run out of breath.

The McCain campaign has made clear that it wants to change the subject. We can, and should, change it back.

more at...
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/10/06/AR2008100602637.html?nav=rss_opinions