I have to say it again, because I can hardly believe it myself.

John McCain's campaign has come completely off the rails.

Doesn't SOMEONE on the McCain team have Joe's cell phone number by now?

How could they let McCain be humiliated like this?

Ultimately, McCain himself is responsible, he picked this team.

[ADDED]

From CNN (although it sounds like The Onion):

A campaign aide later said Wurzelbacher had "decided not to come" and may join McCain later Thursday.

But reached at home, Wurzelbacher said it was "news to him" that he was supposed to be at the McCain rally. Wurzelbacher said nobody from the McCain campaign confirmed he was attending the event and called the incident a "miscommunication."

Contacted by CNN a second time, Wurzelbacher said the campaign only called him to confirm after the event in question already took place.

Wurzelbacher also said he had gotten an initial call about coming to the morning rally, "but no one called back to confirm," and he was "not happy" that McCain had called out his name and he wasn't there.

He said he would try to meet up with McCain later Thursday. McCain's schedule calls for events in Sandusky, Elyria and Mentor, Ohio.

I still believe that Senator John McCain is a decent and honorable man, and I am betting that he will do what needs to be done.

I think he's the same man that I contributed $25 to back in 2000 when he was being smeared and slandered by the same people who are now running his campaign.

It's hard to understand why he ever agreed to let these people in his bus - people like Charlie Black, Steve Schmidt, Rick Davis, and Randy Scheunemann.

When his campaign faltered back in 2007, and he had to let half his staff go, he lost many good people and rumors abounded that he was done.

At some point, John McCain saw another option, and he made a very bad decision. He opened the door to Karl Rove.

He should now summon up his inner Maverick and make it right. John McCain needs to, as he has done before, denounce this kind of war-like politics.

He needs to turn back the rising tide of hatred for Barack Obama that he has helped to create.

John McCain can provide one more example of his outstanding service to his country.

He should finish this campaign the way he began it, and the way he has lived his life; with honor and integrity. On his own terms.

I'm betting he'll do it.

I have really been conflicted over my decision not to attend the McCain/Palin "rally" in Waukesha yesterday.

I saw the clips from the event last night, and woke up this very early this morning wondering who was this guy, the angry black guy, that so moved Senator McCain with his personal attack on Barack Obama that McCain crossed the stage to embrace him, and assure him that after his ass whoppin' here on earth he would surely get his reward in Heaven?

I woke up thinking that this man had to be a plant. Why?

Because it's perfectly Rovian.

This election is in the hands of the 10-12% of voters who remain "undecided". (I believe many of these actually have made up their minds, but for various reasons won't say.)

There are a certain percentage of those undecideds who are undoubtedly leaning McCain, but by the nature of their upbringing in an American culture that has instilled them with the value of racial equality, are put off by the racist tone the McCain campaign has taken on.

Rove thought: "Let's find black people to attack Obama, thereby giving "permission" for undecided white voters to join the lynch mob."

It turns out that the Angry Black Man was not just an angry black man.

He was not, as far as we know, paid by the McCain campaign to denounce and smear Senator Obama, but he was, in fact James T. Harris, a radio host on WTMJ, which is owned by Journal Communications, which is the largest media conglomerate in the state of Wisconsin.

The Journal-Sentinel's own coverage quotes a snip of Harris's comments, but fails to note Mr.Harris' employment by the firm.

The full text of Mr. Harris' remarks goes beyond what is being quoted locally.

 From the Raw Story, which also has video of the exchange, but also did not identify Mr. Harris:

"Senator, at the convention, you asked for us to fight, for you," said the supporter. "I doubt there's anyone in this room that's, pardon me, taken the ass whoopin' I have taken for supporting you, and for supporting your policies."

The crowd roared in approval, then sprang to their feet to cheer the man on.

"Sir, I believe that, the next coming debate, it is absolutely vital that you take it to Obama; that you hit him where it hurts ... the soft spot," he said, drawing another round of audience applause.

McCain crossed the stage and hugged the man.

"Thank you," said the senator. "Thank you for your courage. I believe your reward will be in heaven, not here on Earth."

[ADDED]

Just picked up the newspaper.

The J-S does identify the man as Harris, "a radio host", but does not mention that he works for WTMJ or Journal Communications. I wonder if he also works for McCain?

I was planning on attending the McCain/Palin town hall in Waukesha tomorrow morning.

But I won't do it.

McCain and Palin have crossed the line, and I will not be a witness to their hate-fest.

At recent McCain and Palin rallies, they have implied that Barack Obama is anti-American, and whipped their supporters into ugly mobs.

McCain and Palin have called Senator Obama a terrorist, and smiled and nodded while jeers of "Kill him!" and "Off with his head!" ring from the crowd.

At a recent event an African American member of the media was verbally assaulted by McCain supporters.

This is not politics, this is race-baiting, and it is disgusting and un-American.

One only wonders how much worse it can get in the next four weeks.

It is a tragedy that Senator McCain has allowed himself to become a symbol of racial hatred, but he obviously sees this as his only path to "victory".

[ADDED] A friend sent me a link to this video:

Last night in the second Presidential debate, John McCain looked very much like the tired old warrior that he is.

Swinging as if from memory, but rarely moving anything but air, he struggled to even stay on his feet.

I'll admit, it wasn't much of a town hall, in the sense that most of the questions seemed to come from Brokaw, and audience members were not asked to respond to the candidates' answers, but this was supposed to be John McCain's venue. He has been repeating his challenge for a series of town halls with Obama for months.

The conventional wisdom, which McCain has deliberately cultivated knowing that he wouldn't have to prove it if Obama wouldn't take his challenge, was that McCain would connect with the audience, whereas Obama would be too cool.

What I saw, and from everything I have read, what occurred last night was exactly the opposite.

When Obama talked about health care, and his personal experience with his mother struggling against cancer and the insurance industry at the same time, it clearly resonated with the audience, who understand that losing your job means losing your insurance as well. When he repeatedly talked about tax breaks for the middle class, he successfully put to rest the Republican talking point. McCain neglected to even use the phrase "middle class" once, reinforcing the perception that he cannot relate to the concerns of anyone who actually works for a living.

On foreign policy, Barack again brought it home. Drawing a direct line between the staggering cost of our continued occupation of Iraq and our frightening budget deficit that is shaking confidence in the dollar worldwide, Obama offered yet another sound reason to bring our troops home now.

McCain did have the three most memorable moments of the debate, however.

The best was when he connected with the Navy guy. That was a very genuine moment in a campaign that has otherwise seemed surreal in its inability to find a channel, and sync up with the American people.

The second was definitely the most bizarre moment - when Brokaw asked McCain who he might consider appointing as Secretary of the Treasury. If he was going for a laugh by answering "Not you, Tom." it sounded like bitter sarcasm to me, and Brokaw didn't seem to think it was funny either. I think Brokaw's pained and puzzled expression pretty well summed up America's reaction to John McCain at this point.

The third memorable moment, and the one that I believe will smack the undecided voter in the face, was when McCain referred to Senator Obama as "that one".

One what?

This candid display of disrespect for Obama may resonate with bitter McCain supporters, but to me it seemed very small and tinged with racism.

I so wish the election were today.

OK, I am a complete political junkie. (I know. Nerd.)

I collect the flotsam and jetsam of campaigns; bumper stickers, signs, etc. But buttons are the real collectibles, and I have a few pretty good ones.

When I was at the Republican Waukesha County HQ yesterday getting my ticket to see the McCain/Palin town hall, I also picked up a few buttons. (Yes, I paid for them.)

The one pictured here is my favorite. I think it will be even more interesting as time goes by.

As you can see, the regular McCain/Palin logo has a little something extra - a bright red lipstick kiss right on the corner of Palin's name. (Lipstick was a common theme for the buttons there.)

But, what's more interesting is the line below the graphic; "The ticket with "X" appeal!", with the X inside of a box, in the style of a movie rating.

What?

What was Sarah doing between high school and being elected Mayor of Wasilla? I mean I know she was runner-up for Miss Alaska, but was there a film career that we haven't heard about?

I find this totally bizarre, but it really symbolizes, for me, what is so terribly wrong about the McCain campaign. Talk about mixed messages.

OK, I get that Sarah is a MILF. (wink, wink)

But she is also supposed to be bringing aboard the social conservatives and evangelicals, isn't she?

SO which is she?

A faithful hockey mom or a porn star? Mommy/s*l*u*t? Eww.

Which puts a completely different light on the tiny pink T-shirts they were selling that said "When I grow up, I wanna be just like Sarah"

Anyway, it's a cool button.

[ADDED]

You know, it just occurred to me that the "X" inside the box may represent a selected box on a ballot - an X inside a box.

But then, the only way to read this that makes any sense at all is if you read the "X"-in-the-box as "SEX".

"The ticket with "SEX" appeal!"

Maybe it's me, but that conjured up a McCain/Palin image I just didn't want to see.

Anyway, we get that Sarah is one Hot Mama!

And socially conservative, so don'cha be gettin' all worked up, then, OK? (wink)

Get ready to be assaulted by the nastiest political campaign you have ever seen.

Plummeting in the pools, and with no message that resonates with the voters, the McCain campaign's only hope is to try to tear down Barack Obama as a man.

From the Washington Post: "We're going to get a little tougher," a senior Republican operative said, indicating that a fresh batch of television ads is coming. "We've got to question this guy's associations. Very soon. There's no question that we have to change the subject here," said the operative, who was not authorized to discuss strategy and spoke on the condition of anonymity."

When Karl Rove says he's going to "get a little tougher", one can only imagine what's in store.

Rather than hone in on issues and policy differences between the slates in the next 30 days, which is what the voters want and deserve, we will see an unrelenting questioning of Barack Obama's character and personal qualities.

We can expect to see - Willy Horton style - grainy black and white images of Jeremiah Wright, William Ayers and hear low, frightening voices suggesting that Senator Obama is some kind of threat to America, and the world as we know it. Obama photos will make his face look darker that it actually is.

It will be intimated that, in spite of being a U.S. Senator from the neighboring state of Illinois, Barack Obama is disloyal to our country and has allegences to shadowy "others" in a deliberate attempt to stoke racial divisions and fears.

Rove is a demonstrated master at the politics of hate and fear, and virtually 100% of McCain's efforts from here on out will be negative and below-the-belt, with distortions and outright lies becoming primary McCain campaign themes.

Obama will be cornered and will certainly have to mix in defensive and countering messages, diluting his efforts to inform the voters of his policies.

It's a damn shame, but that's the way it's going to be.

Brace yourself for ugly.