From the new Pew Research poll conducted in late June:
By more than three-to-one (65% to 19%), Republicans say that McCain will move the country in a different direction if he is elected. Democrats by a slightly greater margin (71% to 22%) say McCain will largely follow Bush's policies. As was the case in May, a modest plurality of independents (46%) say that McCain will take the country in a new direction, compared with 40% who believe he will pursue Bush's policies.
As the first President Bush said: "This cannot stand." Seriously -- the only chance that McCain has of winning this election is if he can convince voters he is an agent of change.
Given that there is zero chance that the media will document the fact that McCain and Bush have virtually identical policy agendas, this is something the Obama campaign needs to hit hard. Their "McSame as Bush" radio ad was effective in this regard -- getting that phrase out there is a good thing -- but that ad is running in only targeted markets.
If there were only one thing that the Obama campaign says every day for the rest of the election it should be this: Bush = McCain = Out of touch.
© Jed Lewison