Nicole Wallace, Robert Gibbs and Harry Smith on John McCain "Early Show" 7:04am Debate HARRY SMITH: Do you wish the elections were three months from now? Do you need a little more time? NICOLLE WALLACE: We need a little more time, but you know, I've sat here before, in this room, and we've talked about John McCain being down, we've talked about John McCain being out and I think he said on Monday he's been counted out by opponents before, [and] he's been counted out by the national media before. He's heartened by the fact that Barack Obama and Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid are planning a liberal democratic takeover of all the levers of government. They're measuring the drapes and we're fighting for the American people. SMITH: [W]hat does your candidate have to do tonight to make a difference, especially three weeks from now? WALLACE: No one can out talk Barack Obama. I mean, he's brilliant. He is absolutely the most brilliant speaker in America. SMITH: Lowering the expectations! WALLACE: He's the most gifted political communicator of our generation, but what I think they're looking for is a fighter and John McCain laid his cards on the table on Monday. He said there's one person in this race who says what he's going to do and does what he's going to say and there's someone else who, you know, lobs untrue attacks against John McCain. The truth is Barack Obama's spent more millions attacking John McCain than any politician--democrat or republican--in the history of American politics. [...] SMITH: You guys are both all over your talking points. [...] SMITH [doing role play as Bob Schieffer, Wallace is McCain]: Admittedly, the economy is not your strong suit, Senator McCain. With the economy in the worst economic crisis since the great depression, why should we trust you to get us out of this? WALLACE: We're in more than just an economic downturn, we are in a major national crisis and, in an hour of crisis, John McCain is someone who has actually reached across the aisle, worked with democrats to take on big, entrenched special interests and has a record of reform. That is the best indicator yet that he's the only one that can shake up the broken institutions in Washington and Wall Street NW2 JM CBS 10-15-08 7.04 (JR#551)