John Judis compared McCain to Bob Dole's inept presidential run in 1996, but looking at Obama's recent polling numbers, cautioned the Obama campaign to not be overconfident. Commenter dbhuff, however, is not too worried, arguing that the Obama campaign's plan will pay off later in the election:
I think you are right in the assessment of the current polling data. But I also feel there is a plan to Obama's approach: First, make a big national splash and introduce yourself to the electorate in a grand European tour, putting the lie to that lack of international cred. Meanwhile build the groudn forces in battleground states to start registering voters and build grassroots enthusiasm. Next, have a Grand Convention which will put the other party to shame. Then go head to head in campaigning and debating. By then, the various digs and monikers won't stick. I don't think Obama is buying the pundit line, his campaign is executing a plan. The poll numbers now don't matter, and they won't. The strangeness you speak of needs to be dealt with in a careful stepwise fashion.