Cheat Sheet

Third-party 527 advocacy groups were supposed to be the McCain campaign's reinforcements, swooping in with advertisements that went further than McCain himself was willing to go (read: Jeremiah Wright). But it appears that McCain will be left high and dry, Politico reports. "Thanks largely to lack of passion for McCain within the conservative base, diminished hopes that he can win, and a sharp decline in the stock market that has badly pinched donors' pockets, veteran Republican operatives say it appears almost certain that what could be the most damaging line of attack against the Democratic nominee will be left on the shelf." Freedom's Watch, a high-profile 527 whose founder's large purse had Democrats nervous a few months ago, has not even aired an ad during the presidential race.