The fact that the R ticket has adopted the populist attitutde is the heart of the problem. Obama has taken McCain prisoner with blaming the financial crisis 'on the last 8 years of the Bush administtration which John McCain would continue.' In fact as is well discussed in comments in a succeeding blogpost: 'McCain and lobbyist shame,' the Dems have enormous responsibility due to their GSEs and the CRA. There isn't going to be any glory in JM beng taken prisoner this time. See also Pethokoukis.