So do you think McCain's attack on Obama's character thru Ayers will work?

[WI_DEM]

I don't. I think people now have seen McCain and Obama up close and they are now going to vote for true change not for a campaign that offers nothing but personal attacks.

[amitten]

1. No. It just looks McCain look desperate, and paints Palin as a

snarky bully. n/t

[Arrowhead2k1]

2. It's nothing people haven't heard before. This was brought up during the primaries and it

didn't do squat. It's not like it's a bombshell.

The economic turmoil combined with Obama's revealing video about McCain, now that's a bombshell. :)

[SuperTrouper]

3. No, it will backfire

[groovedaddy]

4. If guilt by association is the acid test, there would be no republicans in office! n.t

[Bluenorthwest]

5. No way

They are in auto-backfire territory. Anything they try will blow up on them. It has all gone sour, from the Monday of "fundamentals are sound" and there is no regaining the balance.

[TooRaLoo]

6. No. nt

[NatBurner]

7. nope.

[Median Democrat]

8. Its Another Hail Mary That Just Makes McCain Look More Erratic

McCain gave a speech at the beginning of the general election about how he wanted to campaign on the issues not on smears. However, when the going gets tough, McCain decides to junk these principles. Ignoring his policies, McCain is a knee jerk decision maker with no vision, except to get himself elected, and the attacks just show that McCain will flip flop and back again.

Can you imagine McCain as a President? Can you imagine that type of knee jerk decision making in the White House? McCain may even make Bush look thoughtful and methodical.

[tpi10d]

9. two days of tracking polling since that began

On Rasmussen Obama up this morning to 8 points.

Keating documentary out, stock market down..

The wind is not at McCain's back.

[TwilightGardener]

10. No--casual acquaintance through work, politics, and living in the same neighborhood

means very little to most people. Plus, no one is afraid of this guy, so it lacks that visceral angle of fear.

[Sensitivity]

11. Only as a cover for a RACIST VOTE Palin link destroys its credibility w all who feel she

is full of crap -- that includes most independents

[cags]

12. Nope, just makes him and the fibber look even more like liars

[alsame]

13. No. I think it's ridiculous. Obama was a child during the Underground's

activities. Obama came into contact with Ayers years later, after Ayers had already been accepted into certain mainstream circles, which Obama had nothing to do with. The 'connection' is flimsy at best, there really is no there there.

[Schulzz]

14. Most people who buy this would not vote for Obama anyway.

They will only take this as an exuse. McCain will also lose some votes from people concerned about the economy and some voters who lose more and more respect for him. There is no way he can close the gap with Ayers.

[youthere]

15. Nope. It's already backfiring.

[amborin]

16. people believe lies, even those who know they are lies

[Democat]

17. I would believe anything after seeing Kerry get swiftboated

Let's see what Gallup has to say today.

I am hopeful that Obama has been waiting for this and that his team has a plan to diffuse it.

But, I wouldn't be surprised about anything after 2004!

[oviedodem]

18. Yes, to an extent with the base and those that want a reason not to vote for an AA

[FloridaGrl]

19. No

Despite the fat that it is untrue. If they really believed he was a terrorist sympathizer and decided to wait this long to share it with the American people well they aren't worth one vote. Therefore, I feel people will see it as a gimmick and a last minute desperate ploy.

[wowimthere]

20. No... whose paying attention to everything we've heard about during the primaries... I have

to thank Gibson and Stephanopolous for bringing this to the forefront during the primaries even though it wasn't necessary but this insulated Obama against some of these attacks. The Dow is falling and Companies are laying workers off. Think they give a shit about a 1960's.

[FSogol]

21. Nope. n/t

[casus belli]

22. They are trying to define him after he is already known to the American people.

It won't work. this would have gotten more traction for them if they had brought it out early, when people were forming opinions of Obama. At this point, I think people see McCain's smears for what they are - desperation.

[BlueIdaho]

23. Gee I don't know - lets look at the stock market today... oh my... no it won't work. nm.

[hasssan1]

24. God knows , But Obama MUST fight back hard.This is very dangerous 4 weeks before election.

[Bonn1997]

25. I'm with you here

I think most people are saying what they *hope* will happen. We really don't know what will happen. In a few days, any changes in the polls will be worth noting.

[LibraLiz1973]

26. Not at all. Every single person I know who has heard it, Rethugs included, has laughed.

And suggested that perhaps the Republicans need to find something better. This isn't going to work.

[Phoonzang]

27. Yes.

But fortunately Obama has enough of a lead that it probably won't help him in the end. I'm actually kind of grateful for that brutal primary.

[grace0418]

28. In 2004, it would've. But I think people are starting to see through this kind of tactic.

I'm just basing this on a gut feeling. In 2004, people would've loved Sarah Palin's bullshit and I would've been screaming at the tv "WHO IN THEIR RIGHT MIND BELIEVES THIS IDIOT?! But in 2008, the focus groups of supposedly undecided voters overwhelmingly dialed down whenever SP started pulling out all her winking and stupid folksy-isms.

[SeaLyons]

29. No, it's not going to work....

if it was a bombshell that nobody had heard before - maybe it would have some impact. This is old news and it didn't work for Hillary. It's not going to work for McStupid.

[Thrill]

30. It might have worked if they didn't tell the media. They wanted to focus on personal attacks and

not the economy

[Abacus]

31. I think it will bring down Obama's favorables and increase McCain's unfavorables

which will reduce the margin, but decrease his chances of winning by cementing more independents for Obama.

[marshall]

32. Anyone moving up in Chicago politics would have bumped shoulder with Ayers

That's just the way it is. Same as trying to find somebody from the 60's or later who has never smoked marijuana.

[Alter Ego]

33. No. People heard about Ayers--a long time ago. They had the opportunity

to change their minds then and did not.

[LiberalAndProud]

34. No, but it'll make McCain's base feel better.

McCain's people know this won't change votes. They are playing to their base right now. (Nebraska! for pity's sake!) Ayers was a nonstarter in the primaries and it remains a nonstarter.

[Rosa Luxemburg]

35. people hear the word terrorist they listen

whether they will listen to her is another matter

[AllentownJake]

36. 6.2% of the DOW's value has evaporated today

No I don't think attacking on inane insignificant character issues at this time will have much effect.