Quitters never win

The revelation that McCain campaign staffers knew by Oct. 12 that the election was over prompts George Neumayr to observe:

That the staffers had given up by October also explains why the most potent attack on Obama came not from the campaign but from pure happenstance outside it: Joe the plumber's accidental meeting with Obama.
McCain acted like that was the first time he had ever heard Obama's thoughts on economic redistribution. Had the campaign exhausted its opposition research budget at Neiman Marcus?

What did Joe the Plumber bring to the campaign? Common sense and authenticity. He wasn't just another Republican Party hack, not just another "strategist" on Fox repeating the familiar talking points. He expressed a basic conservative message in layman's language.

More plumbers and hockey moms, fewer Nicolle Wallaces, please.