The New York Times Sunday Magazine considers the difference between strategy and tactics in its write-up of the implosion of the John McCain campaign.

Despite their leeriness of being quoted, McCain’s senior advisers remained palpably confident of victory — at least until very recently. By October, the succession of backfiring narratives would compel some to reappraise not only McCain’s chances but also the decisions made by Schmidt, who only a short time ago was hailed as the savior who brought discipline and unrepentant toughness to a listing campaign. “For better or for worse, our campaign has been fought from tactic to tactic,” one senior adviser glumly acknowledged to me in early October, just after Schmidt received authorization from McCain to unleash a new wave of ads attacking Obama’s character. “So this is the new tactic.”

The McCain campaign directive that 'The Ayers smears we've been enjoying from the McCain campaign since the weekend are apparently no longer operative' (issued, you may recall, just yesterday) is apparently no longer operative.

I guess this was the "major announcement." (UPDATE: Martin confirms it was.)

Well done, sir.



UPDATE: Somebody owes Alex $20.

The difference between strategy and tactics: The Ayers smears we've been enjoying from the McCain campaign since the weekend are apparently no longer operative. If this is a case of McCain stepping up and doing the right thing, then good for him, but I'm afraid I suspect Greg Sargent's theory is more likely:

If it's really true that the McCain team is holstering this pistol, it suggests that the McCain campaign's internal polling on how the Ayers stuff is playing is just brutal, likely among independents. It also suggests that Obama's counter-attack -- lambasting McCain's campaign for wanting to change the subject from the economy to personal attacks -- has been effective.

The Keating 5 and Council for World Freedom counterattacks probably helped clarify things a bit for them, too.

It remains to be seen whether Palin and other McCain surrogates will really put Ayers back in the box, or not.