After a turbulent week that included disclosures about Sarah Palin and signs that John McCain was struggling with the tone of his campaign, Republican leaders said over the weekend that they were worried the Republican candidate would lose the race unless he brought stability to his candidacy and settled on a clear message to counter Barack Obama.

According to an article in the International Herald Tribune, Bill Kristol, a conservative political commentator, said Obama’s favorable ratings had steadily risen despite tough negative ads from the McCain campaign. A lack of coherence in the McCain camp was taking a toll, Kristol said on Fox News.

“It’s a stupid campaign,” Kristol said in unusually blunt language that seemed to reflect deep frustration. “It’s really become a pathetic campaign.”

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