GOP Leaders Increasingly Concerned About McCain's Sinking Campaign

With the presidential election less than a month away, the Republican ticket of John McCain and Sarah Palin is falling behind, a big worry for GOP leaders across the country.

It didn't help Friday that a bipartisan legislative investigation of Gov. Palin's so-called Troopergate scandal found that Palin violated state ethics rules. Contrary to the campaign hype, Palin is less a political maverick than a thin-skinned politician, settling personal scores by abusing the power of her office.

The New York Times interviewed a number of Republican leaders for todays' edition and found some worried politicians. Here's a sample:

Tommy Thompson, a Republican who is a former governor of Wisconsin, said it would be difficult for Mr. McCain to win in his state but not impossible, particularly if he campaigned in conservative Democratic parts of the state. Asked if he was happy with Mr. McCain’s campaign, Mr. Thompson replied, “No,” and he added, “I don’t know who is.”