Get Your Game Face On

After some confusion and overdramatic posturing, John McCain will indeed be attending tonight's presidential debate (the first of three) at the University of Mississippi. I generally look forward to debates and other situations where the candidates get to face off, and this is no exception.

Even though some are already calling the result in favor of McCain.

That's right, before the debate has even started the McCain camp is declaring victory. These little puppies have been popping up around the web today. Being the reasonably reasonable guy I am, I can see having them on hand and ready to bust out immediately following the debate should McCain manage to trounce Obama (my prediction - some hard back-and-forth brawling but no knock outs; Obama will look better but not necessarily be the clear winner). No, the big red flag I see raised by the preemptive release of these ads isn't so much arrogance as it is carelessness. If McCain and his campaign can't wait to declare victory until after the debate concludes, what else will McCain jump the gun on as president?

Maybe he'll throw hundreds of billions of taxpayer dollars at hasty and ill-conceived rescue operations for a flailing Wall Street? Or pay thousands less on his taxes before enacting his new tax proposals? He might even launch a preemptive strike against a national threat like Iran, North Korea, or even Spain, those evilest of evildoers?

Senator McCain, I suggest you get your head in the game, or this will be the closest you come to winning anything this election. What's that saying about counting chickens before they hatch, again?

One step at a time - that's all I really want from you,
Regis