'Dysfunctional' Campaign Must Go: Kristol

John McCain’s campaign isn’t working, and if he’s smart, he’ll “junk the whole thing and start over,” William Kristol writes in the New York Times. McCain’s current “combination of strategic incoherence and operational incompetence has become toxic,” the high-profile conservative argues. McCain should pull all of his attack ads (“they’re doing no good anyway”) and go back to being a "cheerful, open" candidate.

“The American people have by no means turned decisively against” McCain and Sarah Palin, Kristol contends. But their attacks on Barack Obama and McCain's “gimmicky” economic proposals have failed. "McCain needs to make his case, and do so as a serious but cheerful candidate for times that need a serious but upbeat leader." (More Election 2008 stories.)