If there is anything painfully obvious that can be taken from these past three presidential debates, it is simply this: John McCain can’t connect with the American people. 

He has failed to run a campaign that exhibits any understanding of the issues voters care about. 

Having been outclassed in three consecutive debates, McCain is desperately in search of pretty much anything that will shift the momentum in his favor.

Need an example? Let’s take “Joe the Plumber,” a fellow in Ohio who on the afternoon before the third debate had a discussion with Barack Obama about the effects of his tax policy on individuals and small businesses making more than a quarter million dollars a year.

The purpose of Joe’s pointed questions was to illustrate a case where Obama’s tax policy would supposedly hinder the ability of a blue-collar worker to get ahead.

Video clips of the exchange spread all over the Internet, giving the mainstream media an opportunity to cover this dramatic story instead of continuing to regurgitate their preview of the final debate.  

What ensued was even more interesting.

McCain referenced Joe the Plumber in the debate more than he played his “I’m a Maverick” card that we’ve grown all too familiar with.

In fact, it came off as though McCain had gotten to be pretty chummy with Joe the Plumber.

Unfortunately, as the media began to dig deeper into this story, it became clear that John McCain may have vetted Joe the Plumber less than he vetted his running mate, Sarah Palin.

Joe the Plumber is not a plumber, nor is he an Independent as we were originally led to believe by the narrative set up by the McCain camp.

Rather, this man is a contractor, is not registered to vote and has recently made appearances speaking on his area’s right-wing radio shows.

Hmmm… Does anybody remember when in 2005, the Bush administration planted Jeff Gannon as an operative in the White House Press Corps for the sake of asking softball questions and smearing political critics?  This seems eerily similar to that situation.

Again, McCain’s incredible lack of judgment is keeping him from striking any chords with undecided voters.

The polls have drastically slid in Obama’s favor, especially in the swing states that played a key role in Bush’s victory in 2004.

The problem for McCain is that he is being forced to play defense in the states he needs to win, such as North Carolina and Missouri, while at the same time needing to chip away at the huge lead Obama has developed over the past month.

And McCain needs to do this all in two weeks. 

If that isn’t being stuck in the proverbial “No Man’s Land,” then I don’t know what is. 

The one thing I do know. Barring any Election Day antics in terms of voter lawsuits or recounts, this election is over.

It’s been over for a while. It just took longer than expected for voters to see the McCain-Palin ticket for what it is: a continuation of the same old political ploys, empty rhetoric and failed policies that have left the American people hanging out to dry for far too long.

Go vote.