He's trying to keep the undecideds from thinking he's a hatemonger. But it's a risky move for his campaign. It appears to be double talk and it plays right into Obama saying "he won't say it to my face" which paints McCain as a coward. I almost wonder (me being the distrustful, paranoid that I am) if there isn't some sort of threat or money exchange going on behind the scenes to cause McCain to back down.

Republicans are in a no-win situation with the liberal mainstream news media, so there's nothing Sen. McCain can do to get good press at this time. If he's too nice, he's weak, and if he's too mean, he's a 'hate-monger.' These rules only apply to Conservatives of course, and there are even worse labels for any Conservative that is not a white male, as well.

The best strategy is to demonstrate what McCain does best...lead Americans to victory. Obama was ready to throw up the white flag of surrender, and relegate us to a less than superpower status, but McCain never conceded defeat, and won one of the most important arguments of our time over the Iraq war.

www.offeringcommonsense.blogspot.com

--JD