An essential part of Romney’s final push in Michigan was his lambasting of McCain for “pessimism” about the state’s economy. In my opinion, that’s a rare example of successful negative campaigning against McCain. McCain served it up for him on a silver platter, but it is a local issue that won’t work anywhere else.

But negative campaigning (“Amnesty! CAFE! McCain-Feingold!”) against McCain is seldom effective. His voters don’t care nearly as much about issues as they do about McCain’s life story and personal qualities. And attacks on McCain’s character will only backfire in a military-heavy state like South Carolina.