If John McCain loses on Nov. 4 -- and that's a big if, considering the politically volatile environment --the turning point could be traced to a half-empty campaign rally on Sept. 15, right here in Florida.
It was in Jacksonville, as the financial and credit markets were crashing, that the Republican presidential nominee uttered those fateful words: "The fundamentals of our economy are strong.''
Just hours later in Orlando, he expounded on the economic crisis.'' But the damage was done.
A Strategic Vision poll released Friday showed Barack Obama leading by eight points in Florida, a substantial swing from two weeks ago, when a survey had McCain three points ahead. A Rasmussen Reports poll indicated a tighter race, with Obama up by three points.
The state that made McCain could also mark his undoing.
His win in Florida's hotly contested Jan. 29 primary set him up to sweep the Super Tuesday states and claim the Republican nomination. But the happy, scrappy warrior who barnstormed through Florida before the primary has been rushing through speeches and freezing out the press. The chipper campaign that rarely stooped to personal attacks is now bringing out the worst in people.
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