Taking the Gloves Off

You'll recall that, before the second presidential debate, McCain and Palin said McCain would "take the gloves off" in his debate dealings with Obama. People generally saw that as a promise to raise the specter of Bill Ayers. But he didn't.

Obama was surprised: "I am surprised that, you know, we've been seeing some pretty over-the-top attacks coming out of the McCain campaign over the last several days, that he wasn't willing to say it to my face. But I guess we've got one last debate. So presumably, if he ends up feeling that he needs to, he will raise it during the debate."

McCain, who doesn't seem to be able to find one model of honor and stick with it, saw that as a challenge to a duel on the Heights of Weehauken. In an interview with a St. Louis radio station, he said:

"I was astonished to hear [Obama] say that he was surprised that I didn’t have the guts” to bring up Ayers.

"I think he is probably ensured that it will come up this time.”

This might be the only interesting confrontation in the debate, but it's more high risk for Obama than for McCain, who, face it, hasn't got much to lose at this point. The down side for McCain is that it will remind everyone of his negative campaigning, which has not moved the polls one inch but has put everybody in a nasty mood. The down side for Obama is if he is perceived to stammer or seem evasive in his answer.

How will McCain bring it up? And how will Obama shoot it down?

We've got to think the Obama campaign had this thought out long ago. Will his response bring up McCain's own dalliance with a convicted felon and known terrorist? We'll see.

Update: Steve Benen at The Washington Monthly has been thinking about this, too.