There is no doubt whatsoever: our man has hit his stride.
To an audience of 14,000 in Nevada tonight:
Proceeding through a litany of what he perceives to be McCain missteps, Obama mentioned that McCain had recently "bragged about how, as chairman of the Commerce Committee in the Senate, he had oversight of every part of the economy. Well, all I can say to Sen. McCain is nice job."
More zingers and analysis below...
The audience laughed.
"Nice job!" Obama repeated, sarcasm dripping from his voice. "I mean, where is he getting these lines? The lobbyists running his campaign?
"You all remember Phil Gramm," Obama said, once again bringing up the former Texas senator and McCain friend whom McCain distanced himself from several months ago. "He says we’re just going through a mental recession and called the United States of America a nation of whiners. I’m not making this up. You can’t make this up. It’s like a 'Saturday Night Live' routine."
The crowd roared with approving laughter.
"So, then yesterday, Sen. McCain’s big solution to the crisis we’re facing is -- put on your seatbelts -- a commission," Obama said. "A commission! Well, that’s Washington-speak for 'We’ll get back to you later.'"
McCain really is making an absolute fool of himself these past few days. I almost feel sorry for him. His "fundamentals of the economy are sound" remark, with the markets literally crashing all around us, and his pathetic attempts to spin that comment afterward, managed to reinforce in one fell swoop every single one of the narratives that are turning America against McCain:
* he is out-of-touch
* he doesn't understand the economy
* he's a liar
* he represents more of the same Bush/Republican/lobbyist policy.
And it's not like an economic crisis helps Sarah Palin turn this election into a culture war. She is now completely irrelevant. We should follow Obama's lead and just ignore her altogether. (Leave her to Andrew Sullivan.)
While McCain flails and covers his gaffes with lies, and the Republican circular firing squad lines up to assign blame for the shriveled brokerage accounts of their suddenly angry country-club base, Obama not only zings them with humor, but simultaneously makes the brilliant strategic move of releasing his unusual 2-minute ad. Who's straight talk now? Obama. Who understands the economy? Obama. Who looks like a leader in a time of crisis? Obama. Who's gonna win this thing? Well, I don't want to jinx it, but if we all do our part, I think this story has a happy ending.
Don't let up! And let's give him 60 Senate seats too!