Kurtz: Did they say why, Willard, why they want to terminate my command?
Willard: I was sent on a classified mission, sir.
Kurtz: It's no longer classified, is it? Did they tell you?
Willard: They told me that you had gone totally insane, and that your methods were unsound.
Kurtz: Are my methods unsound?
Willard: I don't see any method at all, sir.
Show of hands, folks, do you think our man Obama has overcome his awe of McCain’s resume to know what he’s really up against tonight? Do you think he can leave the fluffing of the peacock’s feathers in the very able and willing hands of William Jefferson Clinton and get on with the serious business of saving the country from what now looks like a fate worst than Bush 3?
The Obama camp is inured by now to the unsolicited advice they keep getting from outsiders on how to best win this thing. They can barely conceal their smugness when they point us in the direction of the latest polls to see where they are. Indeed, where they are. Where they are is about 10 points short of where they need to be. There are many reasons for that--race not being the least of them. But as many of us in the peanut gallery keep pointing out, a lot of it is on our candidate and his maddeningly deferential treatment of his opponent. One would hope and think by now that he’s seen enough of the horrors on his journey up this Mekong River of a campaign to realize that tonight’s the night for cuing up the Doors and putting an end to this scariest presidential run in American history.
For prep, he should have his team put together a 30-second spot of McCain's last 10 days and watch it just before the debate. If the madness inherent in the maverick’s own words and actions doesn’t convince Obama that he must deal ruthlessly with the menace of McCain tonight, I'm afraid nothing will. If he still acts like the man he’s sharing the stage with tonight is a man of honor and a patriot, then he's not cut out for the job history has thrust upon him. If he doesn't understand by now that McCain will do or say anything to demean or demonize him for victory in November, then Obama will show himself dangerously ill-equipped to deal with the unscrupulous bastards who await him on the world stage.
It's apocalypse now, Barack, and only you can avert it.