Obama’s performance today made this business week a clean sweep for the Democrats. When the Illinois senator called McCain “panicked” during a campaign stop in Florida, he was overstating the case, but this week the Democrats have defined the economic debate every single day. And though Obama has yet to lay out an especially detailed or substantive response to the economic crisis, he’s kept up an series of attacks on McCain-Palin that have taken their toll. A week ago, the Gallup tracking poll showed McCain with a three-point lead nationally. Today, it showed Obama up 49-44, an eight-point swing.
After another unsuccessful attempt to assert his economic philosophy this morning, McCain heads into the weekend limping and in dire need of a conversation shift. The best opportunity he’ll have might be the first presidential debate, one week from tonight.