Tonight’s McCain ad

The McCain campaign used to rail against the media’s obsession with Obama but now it feeds it. It has jumped into the conversation through a series of ads mocking Obama and tough charges all of which has helped turn the election into a referendum on Obama. (This shift from a referendum on the Bush years to a referendum on Obama is the best explanation for why race is so close.)

As part of this approach, the McCain campaign will bracket Obama’s acceptance speech tonight with an ad from McCain asking Obama a series of pointed questions. The ad will undoubtedly get good play in the media but it is a risk. If McCain gets the tone wrong, it could look mean spirited on a historic night for America.