Could both campaigns lose the election? For now, McCain is gaining an edge

Ah, what a good shot at the U.S. presidency a strong Independent candidate would have after the past several days.

This shortened holiday week has shown Republican and Democratic campaigns making critical mistakes so early that September and October will be nothing but daily gaffes and clarifications. Polls will see saw like the Dow Jones. Using the old football analysis on two mistake-prone teams, "no one seems to want to win this game".

Let's do some play-by-play of a very frightening week that left voters shaking their heads in indecision:

Sen. John McCain added to the baggage of his record of flip-flops when he claimed he voted for Ronald Reagan's immigration amnesty law in 1986. Records showed he didn't. McCain also has drawn fire for switching from a position of moderate in supporting immigration policy reform in Congress but becoming a "secure the borders first" hardliner on the campaign trail.

Bobble. Fumble. Turnover!

Sen. Barack Obama showed up unusually large on the flip-flop radar for telling a veterans group that he may change his mind about his 16-month pledge to get troops out of Iraq when he gets on the ground and assesses the situation by talking to the military commanders. What?!?!

That's a much different approach than the one he used to repeatedly batter Sen. Hillary Clinton in the Democratic primaries for voting in favor of the conflict. Now he has moved closer to McCain, who will stay in Iraq from indefinitely to 100 years in the future. Someone needs to tell the Republican that his authority on troop deployment is only good for eight years at most if he wins and then is re-elected.

Pass. Dropped. Fourth down!

Obama emerged later in the day to backtrack from his statements before the veterans to say he was not backing away from his 16-month pledge. Still, the Democrat reiterated that he always has said he reserved the right to change his mind based on new evidence. At least that's what I think he said. I'm open to a different interpretation. This latest flip, flop or firming of an existing position comes after Obama last month rejected campaign finance reform he initially supported.

Fake punt. Errant pass. Interception!

One thing for sure, he has pundit Arianna Huffington mad at him for moving toward the center politically. I really can't figure out how Huffington has gained enough credibility to appear on shows like ABC-TV's This Week, other than she had enough money from a divorce settlement to build a big, liberal political website and take important politicos to lunch at expensive eateries. Perhaps that's how Hispanic pundits finally could get on This Week's roundtable. Most certainly, their intelligence and insight on the most pivotal electorate in the general election is not enough to break the show's barrier on brown.

Tweeeeeeeeeet! Clock runs out. Halftime!

Yet while Obama was retreating from his moral summit against the war, McCain was shaking up his campaign's leadership by phone from Colombia and Mexico. Republicans have been extremely critical of his efforts. Deep down, they really don't like him. They know if McCain gets in office, he could go maverick and cooperate with the Democratic Congress on matters other than the war to pay back these GOP pains-in-ass like Rush Limbaugh. Heck, he almost went Democrat after he lost to a cheap-shot opportunist named George W. Bush in the 2000 Republican primaries.

As the campaign now stands, I believe, but don't hold me to this, that I am leaning ever slightly toward McCain. He is tilting left as Obama goes right. I don't know whom will pass the other in the center. I endorsed Obama in the Hispanic press before the Texas primary. I did not endorse on the GOP side, because McCain already had things pretty much sown up.

I won't endorse for the general election until it is apparent whose ship is heading in which direction on eliminating the 287g deportation program and ICE raids in the first phone call on the first day of his first term in the White House.

Real immigration policy reform will take much longer. Hispanics -- citizens and non-citizens -- want respect and relief now. Remember the urgency of the times, as Sen. Obama has cited for his candidacy? Ditto for the Hispanic electorate.

As it now looks -- and that could change depending on where Gen. Clark or some Catholic-hating televangelist is speaking -- I am counting on McCain being petty and angry enough if he gets into office to follow his history and pay back all the staunch Republicans for all the barbs hurled at him. He did it to Bush by trashing Rumsfield. Thankfully, he was right. I believe that immigration will be the best and most available issue for President McCain to give Limbaugh and his lackeys hell.

Bad note. Tuba player faints. Second half begins!

Obama starts on defense. McCain is making big yards on the national security sweep. That issue will ultimately determine the game ... er, the election as Israel and Iran prepare to duel amid the world's primary oil supply and the Afghanistan war on terror escalates..

For the past several days, McCain has been in Latin America as Obama's spokespeople had to tell writers like myself on a Tuesday teleconference that they didn't know when their candidate would get south of the border. He is busy preparing to get to Europe and the Middle East, places McCain has already traversed several times.

Finally, one team has made it just inside the 30. But McCain doesn't have a good kicking game. The offense sputters.

Fourth down!

The long July Fourth Weekend descends on the game as McCain is deciding whether to pin Obama deep inside his own ineptness, or go for a 40-plus yard field goal to take the lead.

Go for it!

Keep Obama pinned down in hopes of another turnover!

The fans just can't decide. Meanwhile, the polar icecap continues to melt as the clock runs down on the good ol' planet Earth.

Ah, what fans, I mean voters, wouldn't do for another choice ... like a strong Independent candidate. Until then, McCain appears on the move on this July Fourth Weekend.