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Todd SchultzIMO, McPain has had several opportunities and once had the personality to separate himself from Bush sufficent to win the election. The economy certainly has taken its toll on him, but I believe he could have overcome it, or at least stalemate it. However, his campaign has been a series, seemingly unending, of missteps and blunders. I believe it's possible, but extremely unlikely, that he can pull it out, yet each day it seems to get worse. I don't recall where a candidate, in a hole, ever continued to repeatedly ask for a bigger shovel.
Someone said on one of the talk shows recently that McCain reminded him of Bob Dole when he ran in '96. Recognizing that his opponent was probably a better politician and orator, Dole could not believe that his lifetime of experience and service was not sufficient for him to win, resented the possibility he could lose, and became basically downright irascible and obstinate at the end. I agree and would add that Obama's people are spot on in calling McCain erratic and thereby unsteady--the very attribute McPain says is critical for the President. He's been both a freakin drama queen (gotta suspend operations and return to Washington, wherein I will literally phone in my vote) and putatively resolute (the fundamentals of our economy are sound). I don't know if it's his personality or the receipt of poor advice, but he appears to become less impressive as a candidate each passing day. I have serious complaints against the Republican Party and they way they run most elections, but would say that McCain is indeed a maverick in the way he bucks his own party and is his own man. I believe he sold out all of that when he hired Karl Rove, Douglas Holtz-Eakin and others to steer the ship, and when he named Sister Sarah as VP. His "country first" mantra disappeared that day, and his occasional repeat of that term since just makes him look worse.
When George Will puts a fork in a major Republican candidate, the fat lady is at least warming up for her song. We'll see on 11/4, after which, as Barry and others have noted, we really need to band together. We must realize that there will be alot of so-called solutions that will carry a bunch of bad with the good. It will probably even be unfair at one level or more. We need to be vigilant on what is going on, understand that risks may lead to some failure, and work towards something that will be better and stronger in the end, for the next generation. My two cents, probably now worth less.
EDITED TO ADD: Can't believe I forgot to mention Rick Davis as a man who added who knows how much unwanted weight on McPain's shoulders, although how he failed to foresee that albatross beforehand is beyond me and is the Senator's own fault.