Download Download (h/t Heather)

Thanks to C&Ler Mugsy for suggesting this clip. It's amazing to me that if this is the best the McCain campaign has to offer in terms of promoting his candidacy, that Barack isn't ahead by double digits. And what does it say about the state of McCain's campaign when FOX News isn't even helping him out, but confronting him with *gasp* logic?

WALLACE: Does Senator McCain really believe that, that this country is worse off than we were four years ago?

DAVIS: Sure, all along the trail, John McCain campaigns around real people. He goes to town halls, he hears what they have to say to him. You don't have to be in very many town halls, Chris, to understand that people are pinched by the increase in gas prices, they're losing jobs because of some downturn in manufacturing, and the economy as a whole has been very hard on the American family. That's what John McCain's referring to. He doesn't have to go very far every day to find those kind of examples.[..]

WALLACE: Given that, if the country's worse off, isn't both the President and John McCain, aren't they both responsible?

Whoops! I don't think Davis wants to be backed into this particular corner. His response? Beyond lame.

DAVIS: Well, look, if you want to talk about history, then you can make all the cases you want to make.

History? His own ad asks if we're better off four years ago and then Davis doesn't want to go into the fact that McCain's voted FOR the policies that have put us in this position. So what's an uber- lobbyist turned campaign manager to do to deflect this cognitive dissonance? Reach into the bag and pull out the tried-and-true, "But he's such a Maverick™!" meme:

DAVIS: Let me remind you too, there's been never a bigger maverick in this town than John McCain. I mean, we talk about how many times you voted for Bush or against Bush. But you've been in this town a long time. Who is the biggest irritant to this administration for the last ten years or last eight years? John McCain. He sided with Democrats when he thought they were doing the right thing for the country, he sided with Republicans when he thought they were doing the right thing for the country. So you can say all you want about the record, but who is the one proven commodity in this town who's willing to put his country first and take strong positions, sometimes against the current administration or his own party in order to do what's right? And that's been McCain.

I don't want to shock those low information voters still supporting McCain at this point, but wouldn't the gist of this defense --considering the stipulation made by McCain's own campaign that we're worse off -- indicate REALLY poor judgment on McSame's part? Even Chris Wallace isn't buying it:

WALLACE: But I got to come back at you. If you say the country is worse off than it was four years ago, clearly, the President has to bear some of the responsibility and by his own record, by his own admission, John McCain voted with the President, last year 95% of the time.

Oops, there's that corner again. And Davis has no ammunition to get out:

DAVIS: Sure, but how many of these things actually had anything to do with the current economic conditions, or where we are in other places?

Crazy ill-prepared campaign hack say what? I'm telling you, if this is the best they have, the polls are pretty pathetic.

Full transcript below the fold

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WALLACE: Does Senator McCain really believe that, that this country is worse off than we were four years ago?

DAVIS: Sure, all along the trail, John McCain campaigns around real people. He goes to town halls, he hears what they have to say to him. You don't have to be in very many town halls, Chris, to understand that people are pinched by the increase in gas prices, they're losing jobs because of some downturn in manufacturing, and the economy as a whole has been very hard on the American family. That's what John McCain's referring to. He doesn't have to go very far every day to find those kind of examples.

WALLACE: Given that, I want you to respond to this clip from an Obama ad. Take a look.

[video of Obama Campaign ad]

McCain: The President and I agree on most issues. There was a recent study that showed I voted with the President over 90% of the time.

[end video]

WALLACE: In fact, Mr. Davis, Sen. McCain is understating it. Last year, he voted to support Bush legislation 95% of the time. Given that, if the country's worse off, isn't both the President and John McCain, aren't they both responsible?

DAVIS: Well, look, if you want to talk about history, then you can make all the cases you want to make.

WALLACE: You're talking about history, you're talking about the last four years.

DAVIS: Exactly. And what I'm talking about though right now is what the future holds, and who's got a plan to cut taxes and get the economy moving again. Because growth is the only way we're going to improve people's situation, whether it's in their family or small businesses. And so, John McCain has got a plan for growth. Let me remind you too, there's been never a bigger maverick in this town than John McCain. I mean, we talk about how many times you voted for Bush or against Bush. But you've been in this town a long time. Who is the biggest irritant to this administration for the last ten years or last eight years? John McCain. He sided with Democrats when he thought they were doing the right thing for the country, he sided with Republicans when he thought they were doing the right thing for the country. So you can say all you want about the record, but who is the one proven commodity in this town who's willing to put his country first and take strong positions, sometimes against the current administration or his own party in order to do what's right? And that's been McCain.

WALLACE: But I got to come back at you. If you say the country is worse off than it was four years ago, clearly, the President has to bear some of the responsibility and by his own record, by his own admission, John McCain voted with the President, last year 95% of the time.

DAVIS: Sure, but how many of these things actually had anything to do with the current economic conditions, or where we are in other places? Look, trade's a good example. John McCain voted with George Bush for trade, many times in the past and will support trade in the future. Democrats have opposed that. What's better for the economy, trade or no trade? It's very simple. It doesn't mean everything George Bush has done in the economy's been bad. But look, everybody's...a pox on everybody's houses. Why do you think the public has a low approval rating of the current administration and Congress? Because they've figured out that no one person is responsible for what we're doing. They're all at fault. And you have the one guy who's been screaming about spending, by Congress and trying to get George Bush to veto some of these measures. Who's the one guy who stood up in the middle of that crowd and said, "we got to fix this problem"? John McCain.