It's a lot easier to get on the tiger than off the tiger.  If you find you can't get off, it's a pretty good sign that when you do get, or fall, off, you're probably going to get eaten.  Here's what happened at a McCain rally the other day:

A couple of supporters parrot the old "He's an Arab" "He's a terrorist" line.  McCain, to his credit after a week of letting Palin spout the same nasty rhetoric, comes to Obama's defense.  What does he get for his efforts?  He gets booed.  Booed by his own people.  I'm heartened.  It shows McCain may actually have a conscience.  Unfortunately for McCain, he's come out with a condemnation of the smears a little be too little, and a little bit too late.  In short, he can't get off the tiger.

Where does this leave him?

He can keep speaking up when people start attacking Obama's character, but how does he jibe that with the hateful talk that comes out of his running mate's mouth?

He can say nothing, losing his honor and what modicum of respect wavering voters may have had for him.

He can grab the tiger's fur even tighter and ramp up the smears, endearing himself to the right-wing nut cases but truly alienating himself from even some Republican supporters.

Let's face it.  By taking the low road John's gotten on the tiger.  100% of McCain's ads of late have been negative. No matter what he does getting off that beast he's going to have big chunks taken out of his hide by the left, right, or both.  Obama's run his share of negative ads, but he's never gotten dirty about it.  McCain should remember the race he was in where his daughter Bridgette was pulled into the race as "McCain's black daughter".  He should be ashamed of what he's doing this time around.