Thought Theater

It was bound to happen. After weeks of carefully calculated spin, the McCain campaign's web of incongruous rhetoric is beginning to unravel. In less than 48 hours, the straight talk express has run itself into a ditch, and the rubber that no longer meets the road is wearing perilously thin as they attempt to get the bus back on track.

On the heels of John McCain's assertion that the economy is fundamentally sound...followed by his two attempts to clarify his intent...one of the campaign's leading economic advisors, former Hewlitt-Packard CEO, Carly Fiorina, tossed both the Senator and his running mate back under the bus. The manner in which it happened only amplified the recognition that Fiorina had handed the opponent another weapon with which to win the news cycle and capitalize on the gaffe.

Appearing on a morning radio program, Fiorina, when asked if she thought the Alaska governor had the experience to run a company like HP, quickly and emphatically stated, "No, I don't."

In a follow up appearance, Fiorina modified her remarks, asserting that none of the candidates have the experience necessary. The Obama campaign offered a quick response, stating, ""If John McCain's top economic advisor doesn't think he can run a corporation, how on Earth can he run the largest economy in the world in the midst of a financial crisis? Apparently even the people who run his campaign agree that the economy is an issue John McCain doesn't understand as well as he should."

He remarks do three things. One, they reinforce the doubts that Palin may not be prepared to be the vice president or to assume the presidency should something happen to McCain. Secondly, they further undermine the experience argument...an argument that, according to many GOP pundits, was already damaged by the selection of Palin. Lastly, they make the McCain campaign appear to be on the defensive at a time when economic instability and uncertainty has voters looking for a steady hand and clear leadership.

Perhaps Fiorina's comments reflect another unspoken reality? Perhaps Fiorina, fired from her position as HP's stock fell and the company was forced to layoff thousands of employees, was merely expressing her understanding of the nature of Washington under the direction of the GOP...an environment in which politicians defer to the whims and wishes of corporate America...an unsupervised and deregulated environment that allowed for the current financial meltdown that will eventually saddle taxpayers with the debts of those who lined their pockets with billions of dollars. After all, Fiorina herself walked away with a 21 million dollar severance package for her efforts.

As this current Wall Street crisis unfolds, I suspect that the curtains are going to be drawn open...and voters are going to realize whose been in bed with whom...and I don't think they're going to like what they see.

UPDATE:

Just moments ago, on MSNBC, Minnesota governor Tim Pawlenty (I believe it was him) suggested to Nora O'Donnell that Fiorina has issued another clarification...suggesting that Palin, is, in fact, qualified to run a company like HP. Ouch...if true, someone needs to send Fiorina home for the rest of the day. I have yet to confirm Pawlenty's statement.