Ayers And The Debate

I think people are misreading this. John McCain did NOT vow to raise Ayers in the debate. Listen to the audio. He passive-aggressively leaned on Bob Schieffer to bring it up. He feigns astonishment at Obama saying that he wasn't man enough to talk about McCain to his face, and explains that "it wasn't a topic" that came up in the Brokaw debate. Then he says that "I think that guarantees it will be a topic" tonight.

If McCain answers a health care question with "Bill Ayers bombed the Pentagon," he loses. But if Schieffer raises it, he isn't dinged for bringing it up. They want Schieffer to raise it, and considering Bob's brother is the current US Ambassador to Japan, I think they may get their wish.

McCain wants to take the high road and the low road at the same time. He will not bring up Bill Ayers unprompted. He will wait for the question to be fed to him by Bob Schieffer. And Schieffer is subtly giving away his punch.

The veteran "Face the Nation" host won't telegraph what he will ask. But he said he will be seeking more details about their potential presidencies than have been evident so far.

I say he goes for it.

Schieffer, you recall, is the guy who couldn't fathom how being shot down in a plane over Vietnam wasn't a qualification for the Presidency. If there's anyone who's willing to save McCain's honor, it's Schieffer.