IMHO, Obama needs to be exposed for his ideological extremism, which Obama generically packages as hope and change. McCain would be in a far better position to do so if he wasn’t competing with Obama by embracing similar rhetoric. And by attacking Obama’s radical views, he would not be personally attacking Obama, a mistake I believe the Clintons made because of the lack of differences between them on policy. The problem for McCain is that he oddly shares not Obama’s ideological radicalism, but Obama’s radical rhetoric (demonizing industry, embracing global warming, etc.) in addressing some big issues. Therefore, it is more difficult for McCain to isolate Obama’s views and contrast them with his own. And if McCain’s message is muddled and confusing because, frankly, he is inconsistent in his approach to governing, and if Obama and McCain wind up debating over who is the reform candidate, many people will vote on charisma and speaking ability. The television favors Obama. Moreover, if McCain continues to follow the path suggested by some pundits, where he gives minimal lip service to the base and to Reagan Democrats (who are not part of La Raza, the global-warming set, etc.), he will lose and lose badly. McCain needs to secure the base, which he has not, go after the Reagan Democrats, which he has not, and rid himself of the politically naive and inexperienced reformers who are encouraging his worst instincts. Forget about winning over Democrat and liberal partisans, and forget about the New York Times conservatives (such as they are).