"A Crazy Cancer-Ridden Dishonest Madman"

Matt Stoller at OpenLeft discusses McCain's so-called cancer problem. His post is representative of the left's inability to launch effective negative attacks. I love this bit:

McCain is 72 years old and he was a POW, a member of a group with high rates of illness due to ill-treatment on the part of their captors.

I know it's supposed to be a good idea to go after your opponents' strengths. But negative politics is an art, and tone-deafness of this magnitude is a serious handicap if you want to be any good at it.