Blame game: GOP forms circular firing squad

“The cake is baked,” agreed a former McCain strategist. “We’re entering the finger-pointing and positioning-for-history part of the campaign. It’s every man for himself now.”

A circular firing squad is among the most familiar political rituals of a campaign when things aren’t going well. But it is rare for campaign aides to be so openly participating in it well before Election Day.

(I claim credit for DEPRESSION, POISON, CRAZY LADY #3, STRIPPERS, and SERIOUS BUSINESS.)

Related: With Palin revelations, McCain’s gamble is clearer

According to this Republican, who would discuss internal campaign strategizing only on condition of anonymity, the McCain team used little more than a Google Internet search as part of a rushed effort to review Palin’s potential pitfalls.

Related: Daily Show: Pfriend or Pfoe
http://www.indecision2008.com/sitewide/video_player/view/default/swf.jhtml

“I certainly believe that Northern Virginia has gone more Democratic, but the rest of the state—Real Virginia, if you will—I think will be very responsive to Senator McCain’s message.”
— Nancy Pfotenhauer, McCain Campaign Sr. Policy Advisor

Related: ibid.

Matthews: How many congresspeople are in the anti-American crowd you describe?

Rep. Michele Bachmann: What I would say is that the news media should do a penetrating expose and take a look. I wish they would. I wish the American media would take a great look at the views of the people in Congress and find out: Are they pro-America or anti-America? I think people would love to see an expose like that.

I think you know how I’m voting this year.