Obama Campaign Sinks Into the Mire

I'm beginning to think that the not-ready-for-prime-time Obama campaign is in such a free fall it will be unable to recover, particularly given the simultaneous success of the McCain-Palin ticket.

Senator Obama pledged to come out swinging and get tough with fresh attacks on Senator McCain beginning today. Instead, as John Hinderaker at Power Line headlined: "Obama Gets Tough, Shoots Self in Head."

Senator Obama -- who we will remember cites his ability to manage his campaign as one of his qualifications for President -- decided to release an ad today citing John McCain's horrifying inability...to send email. The message was clear: John McCain is an out-of-touch old fogey.

In and of itself, the ad was silly, potentially alienating thousands if not millions of our citizens who also don't email...especially older citizens who are reliable voters.

But it gets better: it turns out Senator McCain can't send an email because his war injuries left him unable to easily type on a keyboard. (He also can't tie shoes or comb his hair.) He reads email and dictates responses. He also reads certain websites.

All of this info was easily available on the Web.

So it turns out that Obama, the candidate slinging mud because his opponent is unable to use email, reveals of himself that he is unable to use Google! And because of his lack of computer know-how, poor judgment and bad campaign management, Senator Obama recklessly slimed an American war hero.

Instapundit has a large roundup of links.

I note that the New York Times, which cites the ad's message that McCain "does not use a computer or send his own e-mail messages," also hasn't bothered to mention why.

Speaking of not-ready-for-prime-time, I believe Senator Obama's decision to go on SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE tomorrow is ill-advised, but then I've never understood why anyone would go on that show, so maybe it's just me. It seems to me as though it will reinforce that he's not Presidential material...which is fine with me. (Update: Senator Obama has cancelled at the last minute, citing Hurricane Ike.)

I also believe Mrs. Obama's decision to skip the 9/11 memorial ceremonies yesterday was a mistake. These are the types of national events where Americans appreciate seeing a First Lady accompanying her husband, and it would have been a nice gesture of respect if Mrs. Obama, who famously had never been proud of her country until her husband's campaign, had put in an appearance. Mrs. McCain attended ceremonies in both Pennsylvania and New York.

The explanation, that Mrs. Obama was at home for her daughters' first week of school, seemed rather weak once it was clear that Mrs. Obama had not spent Wednesday at home in Illinois, but campaigning in two different states. If she was going to be away from home one day this week, one wonders why she couldn't have made September 11th her priority, rather than campaigning.