In A Worrisome Environment, Cranky McCain Makes No Headway

John McCain seems to forget that a national televised audience is not a rally of supporters.

Supporters may be ticked off, like that Angry Foamer From Pewaukee who made the cable news highlights after the boisterous McCain-Palin rally last week, but everyday voters and mainstream viewers are looking for calm and competence, not more finger-wagging by a sarcastic candidate serving as a self-appointed, vicarious ventilator.

And that's what viewers got Wednesday night watching the Hofstra University debate.

Yes, McCain on the attack, but to what end? It merely reinforced the negatives in his rallies and his ads, thus in his person, persona and message, such as it's been when the campaign hasn't been trapped in suspension.

And it revealed a distance from the real world around the rest of us, but which has not penetrated his consciousness, let along his campaign bubble.

The Dow Jones index plunged another 700 points Wednesday, retail purchasing is stalling, unemployment is rising, and McCain showed he had precious little of himself to offer as salve, or solutions.

It just ain't there, and that's why the polls show it ain't happening for Team McCain.

McCain's debate performances have been displays of self-inflicted wounds. He seems incapable of avoiding them, from being Mr. No Eye Contact, to the "that one" gaffe, to tonight's jaw-dropping sexist "health" put-down, complete and replete with the juvenile and dismissive air parentheses.

Suddenly McCain was starring in his own episode of "Wayne's World."

He came across as unteachable, unfriendly and profoundly unpresidential. His body language and smirking sent out a steady message of condescension.

McCain is certainly not right to lead the country through the times we live it, particularly after installing Sarah Palin in the wings embodying his first, and most-damaging post-nomination decision.