Rich Lowry salutes McCain’s virility. Wait. Did I say virility? Ewww. I meant McCain’s virality:

Who would have thought it? The McCain campaign is now running more effectively viral ads than the Obama campaign. The Landstuhl ad, which I didn’t like (because of the factual problem) stoked a week’s worth of debate that was harmful to Obama. The “Celeb” ad has dominated cable chat and had 1.2 million YouTube hits the last time I looked. Now, there’s this brilliant “The One” ad noted by Kathryn earlier which will, I’m sure, be a YouTube sensation because it’s so fun to watch.

And for those of you who think it’s just too tawdry to contemplace, and beneath McCain, and that he has somehow sullied himself—well, I hate to say it, but consider the curious case of John Edwards. Now, there’s someone someone who has (allegedly) sullied himself (not to mention his wife, his family, his friends, and his political supporters).

Meanwhile, here’s John McCain, whom you were mocking just recently because he doesn’t even know how to use the google…as if that matters.

Lowry concludes [e.a.]:

As everyone has said this week, this isn’t “worthy” of the old John McCain of 2000. Which is a good thing because: 1) it’s a new media and technology environment and he’s got to plug into it; 2) he’s running behind with fewer resources and less organization, so his campaign has to have a certain guerrilla element and viral video is a cheap way to drive the debate. Bravo…

Those of you who continue to think that a presidential campaign is serious business about the catastrophes facing our nation need to do some reading and to think again.

About the latest ad, Jennifer Rubin writes:

The interesting thing about these humor pieces is that there is really no response [from the Obama camp] other than: “Knock it off !”

What are they gonna say? That there’s nothing funny about their candidate? They tried that once.

And (funny thing!) it almost worked … for a couple of weeks.

I don’t know about the rest of you, but I’m gonna sit back and enjoy the rest of this campaign. I’m pretty sure that both candidates will do an adequate job as president, and I am cold to both of them.

(I’m a registered Democrat. I have never yet in my life voted for a Republican for president … in case anyone is interested.)

Richard Byrne recently reread The Selling of the President (which I happen to have mentioned just the other day) and took away some lessons [e.a.]:

Forty years on, McGinniss and the prominent Nixon staffers of his generation are in their late 60s. But The Selling of the President 1968 holds valuable lessons for the present generation of presidential campaign staffers, who are already trying to define Barack Obama and John McCain.

The fact that these lessons continue to be so relevant also hints at an uncomfortable fact: There is little true innovation in American political discourse, and its purveyors recycle key language and concepts to a disturbing degree.

In a campaign where Obama’s mastery of political oratory has been applauded, it may be difficult to remember that words can clutter or bog down the total impact of a televised campaign message. Nixon’s 1968 campaign ads are notable for their willingness to set a simple and forthright proposition and then let music and images do the heavy lifting to evoke a host of conflicting moods. That tempest of sound and image is then resolved succinctly with a carefully modulated statement from the candidate — tough, but not mean.

For John McCain, a similar approach might be the most effective against Obama in the fall. In fact, his first TV ads are already doing it: Obama as celebrity. Obama as cheap politician using troops as campaign fodder. Particularly on Iraq, look for McCain to set forth simple propositions like “the surge worked” — and pluck heartstrings with patriotic pictures and music.

Don’t say you weren’t warned!

The Edwards story takes another step up the ladder to the MSM from the undernews.

(via Kaus, your source for paranoia and for tabloid truth)

Faster Comics–Jay Leno Beats NBC News: Charlotte’s WCNC airs a hostile, smart, doomy segment on the “scandal brewing.” Pegged to Edwards “ducking reporters,” plus the suggestive birth certificate. … Leno, Conan jokes featured. Leno’s is even funny. … Resonant clip from campaign “webisode.” … Reporter Stuart Watson says Edwards is in danger of “disappearing from the national stage … unless he finds a way to squelch this story fast.” … Maybe he did: It would be paranoid to notice that the segment isn’t featured on the station’s Web site. … Update: Strangely, I am paranoid! Video is on main WCNC video playlist and on the “Investigators” page. … 12:18 P.M.