Angry Grandpa!

There's still a lot of time yet until election day, but for now neither the trends nor the momentum are in McCain's favor.

While McCain and the GOP predictably have moved into attack mode, given people's worries about the economy, his attempts to avoid the elephant in the room (i.e., the economy) and instead engage in mudslinging and character attacks further reinforces many people's belief that McCain is out of touch and doesn't understand the concerns of middle class Americans. Plus it smacks of desperation.

McCain, of course, didn't help himself in the recent debate. While McCain pushed for the town hall format, he came off as stiff and uncomfortable. McCain conveniently forgot that the town hall meetings he has participated in and finds so invigorating consist of audiences who are selected to be enthusiastic and support him. True, the format used for the debate was hardly a true "town hall" meeting, and instead was clinical, controlled and cold. But Obama adapted easily while McCain, perhaps showing his age, did not.

McCain has partly painted himself in this corner. In instant responses and polls, viewers reacted negatively when McCain went on the offensive, which only served to underscore his unlikability and reputation for being a hothead. So McCain must tread a delicate balance to avoid looking too unhinged. (One commentator likened McCain as coming off as an "angry grandpa" when he referred to Obama as "That one.") By contrast, Obama's ratings went UP when he went on the offensive.

McCain also has the disadvantage of being closely tied to this Administration and the GOP. As much as he tries to run away from it and portray himself as a "maverick," McCain nonetheless is part of the status quo and the Washington beltway, who supported deregulation with his Congressional colleagues and has been an especially vocal proponent of going to war, whether it be Afghanistan, Iraq, Iran or North Korea.

Though some have expressed amazement that there still remain a significant group of "undecideds" as we approach election day, my take on it is that many of these people simply are trying to get comfortable with the idea of Obama as president. Obama's cool, measured performances in his debates have served him well and made him look more presidential.

One month left to go!