The McCain campaign has sunk below where the press is willing to go...

[Barack_America]

It's been refreshing to hear them call McCain's tactics for what they are (though I know it won't last).

The McCain campaign is asking them to act more stupid, more naive than their egos will allow. To believe and regurgitate the current McCain line that "Obama played the race card" and "McCain is running a positive campaign" is simply more than their egos can handle. It's too much of an insult to their perceived intelligence.

Eventually, of course, their bosses will remind them that their paychecks are more important than their egos. But, for now, it's nice to see actual intelligence on display, accurately describing McCain's strategy for what it is...despicable.

Margaret Carlson (Bloomberg), who normally frustrates me immensely, just presented a very smart analysis suggesting the McCain folks had been waiting for Obama to mention race (however lightly) and had a plan in place to pounce and refocus the media's attention on race. Very smart analysis. It's been far too long since I've encountered something so clever coming from the MSM (Rachel Maddow and Eugene Robinson excluded).

No wonder the RW shills such as Buchanan and Watkins have been losing their shit. Their friends have, for the time being, taken their ball and gone home.

[madaboutharry]

1. They may have actually had it with McCain.

The truth is that they have known for a long time that McCain is full of shit and big phony. They just never had a way to move away from him and do start exposing him for what he was would have made them look foolish for all the water carrying they have done over the years. He just gave them the opportunity.

[Barack_America]

7. I hope you're right.

I like it when the media actually use their brains. But, with their bosses financial interests (and their own...they're well paid too), I just don't see it lasting.

[Supersedeas]

2. that's not what I'm seeing from Lauer, CNN, M$NBC Morning - all lapping it up and rejoicing in the

bogus controversy

[Barack_America]

4. Of course not all of them. But Klein, Robinson and *gulp* even Mitchell....

Have been bold enough to call this for what it is.

And, even a few of them speaking the truth is a nice change.

[Supersedeas]

5. Mitchell has been surprising but was especially weak on Morning Skank today

[SuperTrouper]

10. Morning Joke is odious, especially that moron Scumborough

who pontificates spitting all the RNC talking points whereas Mika just acts stupid and inane

[eShirl]

3. they have a number of "outrage" scripts ready to go

edit: meaning the McCain campaign

[redqueen]

6. If the decision has been made that McCain won't be the candidate after the convention...

than this all starts to look like nothing but laying groundwork and trying to cover their asses (pretending to have integrity) while they have an opportunity to do so.

[liberal N proud]

8. Maybe the next set of talking points was lost on delivery

They are running on their own right now.

[Barack_America]

9. I still think McCain is asking them to be too stupid.

I think they've temporarily rejected their talking points.

It won't last.

[ladjf]

11. No. McCain and the media are employed by the same crime syndicate.