The Ten Most Important Moments and Events of the Campaign

1) Bush announces financial meltdown.

Nothing has affected the campaign more than the announcement that the economy was on the brink of collapse, that we are in need of a bailout, and that major financial institutions were no longer in a position to lend. As Barack Obama then said over and over, "this is the final verdict on the policies of the last eight years". We can debate whether or not this is actually fair, but politically it is correct. McCain has been tied to the policies and they turned a few point lead into a multi point disadvantage.

2)McCain decides to back Bush's bailout in the first debate.

McCain stuck his neck way out and suspended his campaign. The Republicans appeared to be holding their ground against the bailout. The bailout was nearly as universally despised as the President that proposed it. Why in the world did McCain back it? We will never know. He had an opportunity to tie Obama to a bad bill and an unpopular President and instead he blinked.

3) McCain picks Palin

For about two weeks it was all Sarah Palin all the time. The Obama campaign couldn't have been more flat footed. For a week, they attempted to argue that Barack Obama was more experienced than Sarah Palin. Wow!! She vowed crowds. Her speech was tremendous, and she continues to be infinitely fascinating. All of this would matter a lot more had it not been for number 1.

4) Senator Obama opts out of public financing.

He took a little heat but just a little. In the end, it meant that he raised and spent four to five times that of Senator McCain. He has hit McCain in all sorts of niche votes: seniors and Hispanics, most prominently, where McCain can't counter. It has allowed his ground game to dwarf that of McCain. He was able to do an infomercial. If anyone in the MSM cared, some would call this unfair and hypocritical (given that he himself says he wants to "spread the wealth around"), but they don't.

5) Inflammatory sermons by Reverend Jeremiah Wright surface


They speak for themselves, and it was the first time the Obama juggernaut hit a road bump. Once they found their way into a loop, Obama's image was forever tainted.

5) Obama calls Pennsylvanians from small towns "bitter Americans"




Just as Obama was recovering from the Wright fiasco, he gets caught on tape in San Francisco disparaging those from small towns. Obama's campaign was in free fall. Three things saved him. 1) He had an insurmountable lead in the primary. 2) It was still in the primary. 3) It was nearly impossible for a Democrat to lose.

6) McCain wins New Hampshire

His campaign was left for dead following the debacle of the immigration bill in which he got into bed with Ted Kennedy. He was nearly out of money. He was flying coach and carrying his own bags. He made a desperate play for a state he could win, and it paid off. He never looked back and coasted to victory.

7) Hillary and Senator Obama go after each other in the Democratic debate hosted by Stephanopolis and Gibson.

If you are Conservative, there was never a finer moment than the mudslinging at this debate. Clinton accusing Obama of hanging with slumlord. It doesn't get any juicier. The scars haven't left completely, however the two sides toned it down afterwards and didn't allow this debate to send the campaign over the cliff.

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8)Senator Obama tells Joe Wuzelacher that he wants to "spread the wealth around"


Whatever chance Senator McCain still has, he owes it all to Joe the Plumber. By pronouncing that he wants to "spread the wealth around", Senator Obama allowed a whole new line of attack against him. Joe the Plumber has become a media darling/villain depending on where you turn. The election has turned as a result. The only question is will it be enough.

9) Obama wins Iowa

The "presumptive nominee" Hillary Clinton got beaten. Senator Obama first discovered that his base was tailor made for the caucus system. Suddenly, we not only had a race, but we had a race in which the first term Senator was the front runner.

10) Hillary beats Obama in New Hampshire.

My how fortunes change. Obama comes out of nowhere to beat Hillary in Iowa. Hillary turns the tables in New Hampshire, and it was on. It didn't end until the next spring.