Earmarks, Earmarks, Earmarks

In case you didn't know, John McCain is against them. And against them. And against them.

Here's Ramesh:

A Republican strategist told me, "John McCain is not capable of carrying an economic message on anything other than spending." Tonight that strategist is being proven right.

That being said, the realities of the fiscal situation - I'm listening to Jim Lehrer press both candidates on how they'll adjust their plans to deal with the post-bailout landscape - does lend McCain's tendency to answer every domestic-policy question by promising to "cut spending, cut spending, and cut spending" slightly more resonance than it would have enjoyed if this debate had been held even two weeks ago.