Three Weeks To Go

In the days before the final presidential debate on Wednesday night, things are getting downright ugly on the campaign trail. In this case, it's not just the economy, stupid.

The polls tell us that Democratic Senator Barack Obama has opened up significant leads in key states over Republican Senator John McCain. But not everyone is comfortable with the idea of a biracial man with an exotic name as President of the United States.

At McCain's campaign rallies, the tone has lately become more bellicose against Obama. If Alaska Governor Sarah Palin, McCain's running mate, isn't accusing Obama of "palling around" with 1960s-era terrorists, then audience members stoked on too many McCain campaign ads were more than happy to supply their own epithets--possibly to the point where certain federal agencies should get involved.

The Senator from Arizona must have noticed the harm this was doing not just to his campaign, but also to civil discourse. At a rally in Lakeville, Minnesota, McCain called Obama a "decent family man" to a woman who thought his opponent was "an Arab".

Governor Palin's problems haven't helped the campaign, either. An inquiry into the dismissal of Walt Monaghan, Alaska's public safety commissioner, found that while she may have abused her power in this matter, she was in the right to fire Monaghan. And she also got booed at a Philadelphia Flyers hockey game, where she dropped the ceremonial first puck (Big deal, They boo everybody in Philadelphia, regardless of political affiliation. Even Santa Claus.).

Things may look bleak for the McCain campaign right now, but there is still time to turn it around before November 4. The economy could improve. Obama could make a major mistake that costs him votes. And Osama bin Laden might decide to stick his nose into the campaign by releasing a tape, just like he did before the 2004 election, cementing another four year term for President George W. Bush. Hey, anything can happen.