Wadhams urged Mr. McCain to hit the issue hard, arguing that it was fair game and could be highly effective in raising questions about Mr. Obama in the final weeks of the campaign. He said he was surprised Mr. McCain had failed to do so in the debate last week.

McCain needs to color Colorado red, so will he listen to Wadhams? Wait a second, there's someone on the other line.

Fergus Cullen, the Republican chairman in New Hampshire, said Saturday that he thought it would be a mistake for Mr. McCain to go down that road, warning that it would turn off moderate voters in his state who have a history of supporting Mr. McCain.

“I don’t think he should be giving into elements of the base who have been asking him to be going after, using Wright, using Ayers,” Mr. Cullen said. “Think about it as an undecided persuadable voter.”

McCain needs New Hampshire too. What to do ... be nasty in Colorado, nice in New Hampshire? Send the moose shooter out to Colorado to do the dirty work while he condemns negative campaigning in New Hampshire?

You can just barely see the smoke floating up from John McCain's ears.