I ask the question to my colleagues. What are the things McCain, and heck, Obama, have to do in order to come out a winner?

Obama: Needs to attack more, and even be willing to cut off McCain. He needs to hammer on the economy, and continually link McCain to the legislative failure of the first bailout package. He needs to have a solid, witty, single-phrase retort to McCain’s, “He doesn’t get it” meme — one that will be memorable. Not mess up the name of some person who handed him a bracelet.

McCain: Play up Obama’s inexperience in getting things done in congress and in the state legislature. Talk about how tax hikes will make the economy worse, and scare away jobs, leading to outsourcing. Wink a lot, but without making it look like a twitch. Talk about the fundraising scandal now haunting the Obama team. Talk about previous economic disasters and cite experience in dealing with them. Not die of a heart attack on stage.