McCain Closes the Gap

Issues don’t always flow from the top down — from the campaign hierarchy to the voters. Sometimes they flow the other way, from an angered public upward.

This is the case with the oil drilling and energy issue. Every time Americans gas up, they are reminded that the Democrats’ refusal to allow oil drilling virtually anyplace has caused the long-term escalation in oil prices in the United States.

Democrats don’t say they oppose all drilling, but they do. You can drill, but not in Alaska, not offshore, not in the shale, etc.

McCain is benefiting and Obama suffering because of the drilling issue. It is most likely this issue that is driving the closing of the race. Rasmussen has the race tied for two days in a row in his tracking and Newsweek has the Obama lead collapsing from 15 points to three. And it may be oil that is driving the difference.