Who knew that John McCain was such a gambler? In this campaign, he has rolled the dice on many occasions.
When he was behind in the polls at the beginning of the campaign, McCain staked everything on his proposal for a surge in Iraq. McCain was the leading force for an insertion of additional forces in Iraq at a time when most Americans were against the war. The gambit paid off as the President adopted the policy and the surge worked. For the first time since the war started, we are making real progress in Iraq and can see the light at the end of the tunnel. McCain deserves a tremendous of credit for this success.
McCain’s next big gamble involved selecting Sarah Palin as his vice presidential running mate. Palin was considered a long shot and most of the national media was unfamiliar with her record. The media was caught flat footed by the selection and they have reacted with anger and by harshly attacking her. Yet, the base of the Republican Party has enthusiastically embraced Palin and her presence on the ticket has helped boost crowds and overall support for the ticket all over the nation. Again, it was a gamble that has seemed to work. For a while, he even was ahead in the polls.
As attention has turned toward the economy, McCain’s fortunes have turned sour. This is not his strong suit and the American public is blaming the Bush administration and Congress for the economic problems. As high level talks continue on a $700 billion Wall Street bailout plan, McCain made his next gamble. He suspended his campaign and returned to Washington to focus on the bill. Initially, McCain said he would not debate unless an agreement was reached. Well, no agreement has yet been reached and McCain was not successful in hammering out a solution. Too many congressional Republicans and ordinary Americans have expressed their anger about this bailout bill. There is very little sentiment for Wall Street executives to receive any sort of a bailout.
Eventually, McCain decided to return to the campaign trail. So, he is going to Ole Miss to debate Obama tonight. Did his political maneuver earn his credit with the American people? We will not know until the next set of polls are released
At this point, McCain needs to reestablish momentum and take the initiative from Obama. It might start tonight in a debate about national security and foreign policy, two areas where McCain holds a clear advantage over Obama.
McCain should do well, but, if for some reason, Obama holds his own with McCain tonight, it will be a big victory for the Illinois Senator and the dynamics of the race will not change. At this point, no change in the race is good news for Obama,
Jeff Crouere is the Host of “Ringside Politics,” which airs at 7:30 p.m. Fri. and 10:00 p.m. Sun. on WLAE-TV 32, a PBS station, and 7 till 11 a.m. weekdays on WGSO 990 AM in New Orleans and the Northshore. He is the Political Analyst for WGNO-TV ABC26 and the Political Editor for NewOrleans.com. For more information, visit his web site at RingsidePolitics.com.
Who knew that John McCain was such a gambler? In this campaign, he has rolled the dice on many occasions. 
