Abe, the “McCain’s turn” thesis makes a lot of sense — except for the Lazarus bit. There is no precedent in primary history for a candidate who ran out of money, sank 15 points in the polls, and dismissed the top echelon of his staff turning it around as McCain has. He was left for dead in July, when he ran out of money and fired his closest electoral aide, John Weaver. Weaver was, by most accounts, a bad influence on McCain in the sense that he heightened his candidate’s sense of injury and entitlement and blamed the Republican party and the conservative movement for McCain’s own mistakes on the stump. One has to think that the departure of Weaver has proved a profound benefit to McCain, who doesn’t seem to have someone whispering in his ear recommending he insult and offend Republican voters as a means of securing independent support.

But McCain didn’t need Weaver to make mistakes, as his peculiar way of running to win the Michigan primary demonstrated. He has a defiant, even perverse streak, which is perfect for a gadfly but not the best quality for someone who needs to work to unite a coalition behind him. The next two weeks are the most important of his political life. It is his responsibility now to find a way to unite a divided party behind him — to say the things he needs to say to quiet the conservative-media riot against him. The danger for McCain is that he will be tempted to believe it’s the responsibility of those who don’t like him to shut up and support him anyway.