McCain Fumbles for Right Tone on Economy

John McCain struck his latest discordant note on Monday when he described the economy's fundamentals as "strong" even as the financial system shuddered under hammer blows. McCain swiftly backpedaled, calling America's workers its fundamentals, but the issue highlights the candidate's struggle to overcome Democratic charges that he's out of touch on the economy, reports the New York Times.

McCain's campaign has now launched a fresh effort to emphasize his economic experience —a vital issue in this election that he's acknowledged isn't his strong suit. But McCain may have trouble reconciling his plans to continue many of the GOP's economic policies of the last 8 years with his vow to shake up Washington.
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