Memo to the Obama Campaign: Don't Accuse McCain of Cheating

Bill Kristol summed it up best.

Now I’m not entirely unbiased (!), so I don’t quite trust my initial judgment in such matters. But it was confirmed the next morning. NBC’s Andrea Mitchell reported on “Meet the Press” that “the Obama people must feel that he didn’t do quite as well as they might have wanted to in that context. ... What they’re putting out privately is that McCain ... may have had some ability to overhear what the questions were to Obama.”

Now, Kristol is speaking about the Saddleback debate hosted by Rick Warren. I didn't see it but there appears to be a consensus that McCain did better. This consensus is being given more legs by the under current being put out there that McCain cheated.

The debate was done with each being on stage for about an hour. The other was supposed to be in a sound proof room and unable to hear the questions. Well, an idea first floated by Andrea Mitchell has it that McCain cheated.

Oh, absolutely. And, you know, there was the crisp, immediate, forceful response by John McCain, clearly in a comfort zone because he was with his base. And Barack Obama, taking a risk in going there but seeing an opportunity. And a much more nuanced approach. The Obama people must feel that he didn't do quite as well as they might have wanted to in that context, because that -- what they're putting out privately is that McCain may not have been in the cone of silence and may have had some ability to overhear what the questions were to Obama.

Now, this rumor will not hold up to any serious inquiry. First, of course, whoever told her this didn't want to go on record. All anonymous statements should always be treated with a grain of salt. Second, here is how Mitchell reports that the Obama campaign believes they cheated.

Ms. Mitchell said unnamed “Obama people” have now told her that Sen. McCain may have smuggled a cell phone into the soundproof room at Saddleback Church, perhaps concealing the device in the heel of his shoe.

If this were so, there is no way the Obama campaign would possibly know this. No one in their campaign was with McCain. If they were, why didn't they immediately protest before he went on? These sort of anonymous attacks with scant cryptic evidence are the hallmark of baseless attacks, and frankly they are obvious. This smear has taken on new life with the New York Times as well of course as the nutroots also floating them.

All this really does is reinforce the idea that Obama got beat. Furthermore, it reinforces all of the worst political qualities in Obama himself. Rather than accept defeat in this debate graciously, Obama instead floats an idea that the other side cheated. That is NOT new politics. That is the sort of trashy politics that Chicago politicians are famous for.

Furthermore, by floating this idea, the Obama campaign puts a much bigger spotlight on the Saddleback debate than it already has. This debate like attracted a few million and of course it will be available on Youtube, but it won't have near the reach of the three debates in the fall. By floating this idea, the Obama campaign will bring extra publicity to a debate in which their candidate didn't do as well as his opponent.

It appears the consensus will have two questions as the ones that will be remembered. When asked when life begins, Barack Obama said such a question is "above my pay grade". That is a terrible gaffe, and the only thing that will keep this gaffe from doing serious damage is to have as few people know about it as possible. The exact opposite will be accomplished if he and his MSM minions attempt to float an idea that McCain cheated.

Second, McCain answered poignantly that his most difficult decision was not leaving early from a POW camp when offered the opportunity. What was left understated was the horrible torture he had to endure as a result of this decision. This bravery and duty of service contrasts pretty remarkably with Obama life full of nothing but personal ambition. Barack Obama really doesn't want too many people seeing this contrast. Floating an idea that McCain cheated is the worst way to accomplish said goal.

This sort of smear is really beyond the pale. Even for politics there needs to be some limits. Telling people your opponent cheated when you got beat in a debate is low even for a politician. It isn't the sort of thing that will reflect poorly on the person you accuse. It is, however, something that reflects very poorly on the accuser. My advice to the Obama campaign is to put a lid on this rumor immediately. The last thing they need is a full examination of the veracity of this charge. Barack Obama claims to be for a new kind of politics, and any examination of this attack will be evidence of exactly the old kind of politics he claims to be against.