perhaps too little too late .. he should have stopped the first hint of this nonsense - Michael Maranda

He showed some basic decency and sanity only after it became clear that the nasty smear tactics were backfiring. - Sean McBride

+1 Sean - William Harryman

Maybe McCain will revert to the more honest, non-asshole McCain who ran for pres. in 2000 - if that guy's still inside somewhere. - Sean O'Brien

blue moon in the States today, or was it a qualitative analysis of polling numbers? :-) - Duncan Riley

I wouldn't call it decency or sanity. Those would be acceptable definitions if he cut it in the bud as soon as it happened. His campaign approved of it with both McCain and Palin continuing the discussion and not addressing the audiences comments. This is back peddling. Its a retraction on his campaigns part. - CW™

Well, the polling numbers today show the negativity wasn't working and his own campaign was divided on the strategy. I'm glad McCain isn't continuing this, but ... he shouldn't get points for doing this. It gets him back to even. - AJ Kohn

it was done because it became so obvious that even the MSM started reporting it. Kudos to the Washington Post for starting the reality check on the dangerous path it was taking. - Gary Leatherman from twhirl