The press will be really happy. They win a trip to Hawaii! Again, McCain's press puppies get the short end of the stick as they might wind up at a pineapple smoothie shop - instead of a sausage shop.

Also, he should be flexible enough to make statements to the press if McCain goes off on another smear attack. The rest of the time, he should kick back, relax, play with his daughters, re-energize, and study up on who he wants for VP.

Kerry's vacation worried me much more, because he was AWOL while Republicans were trashing him in NY. I wasn't around for the Dukakis vacation - was it after the convention?

BTW - I think he'll announce the VP the week of the convention, maybe the weekend leading up to it. This will piss off McCain's team since it only gives them three days after Obama's speech to announce their pick.

McCain does not campaign on weekends. He BBQs and serves donuts with sprinkles. Most likely he'll be testing the teleprompter.

On VP, McCain will wait for Obama.

Well, "You can't vote for war and disown the results"

MIAMI - A man is being held in Florida by federal authorities on charges of threatening to assassinate Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama.

As RollaMo said, maybe he needs to be scarce for a while.

9/11 happened on the Republicans' watch.

I hope he announces his VP pick at the convention. I see no benefit to announcing before then.

Bush is "the first President to admit to an impeachable offense." --Former Nixon counsel John Dean

His staff can repulse the idiotic attacks of McCain and the media and he can rest and formulate the strategy for Sept and Oct.

Organizers can still organize.

Our American cycle--end of summer, back to school--is tailor-made for "product roll-out" or "re-introduction" come September, and the campaign should take advantage of it.

there is no such thing as history. there are only historians.

Hasn't Obama already lost his lead? Or have there been new polls since then that I haven't heard about?

"Given the polls, [McCain] can hardly afford [avacation]."

I thought McCain was even with Obama now and even marginally ahead in some polls - isn't he?

What concerns me more is the uncoordinated response to McCain's juvenile campaign.

But the big rule is "Always act as if you know the paparazzi are watching."  It was the photos and video that got Dukakis and Kerry in trouble.

Go play basketball or take the family to the beach to collect shells.  Surfing yes. Windsurfing no.

Hike up a mountain and force the press and paparazzi to huff along on foot with their heavy equipment.

You get the idea.

50 states, 210 media market, 435 Congressional Districts, 3080 counties, 192,480 precincts