McCain is looking for another comeback

But Don Sipple, a GOP strategist sitting out the campaign, said the attacks on Obama for his ties to Ayers had been "trite and petty" and had diminished McCain. "Instead of the statesman he seemed at one time, he's seeming like a desperate politician who's throwing out stuff that is so irrelevant to the American people at this stage," Sipple said.

Even when he pivots to the economy, McCain has seemed less than sure-footed, veering between a laissez-faire approach and a call for more government intervention.

On Sunday, one of McCain's closest advisors, Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, said McCain was considering a "very comprehensive" plan that might include cutting the tax rates for capital gains and dividends to help "jump-start" the economy. But within hours, the campaign backed away from that.

After Obama delivered a speech on the economy Monday, McCain aides said the Arizona senator would lay out his own set of economic proposals today.

Pressed for details, McCain's chief economic advisor, Douglas Holtz-Eakin, said McCain would "both sketch out a vision that has been in the process of being fully depicted since the beginning of the campaign and also [offer] new specific measures."

McCain was no more enlightening when asked about his plan on CNN. "I'll let you know tomorrow," he said.

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mark.barabak@latimes.com

maeve.reston@latimes.com

Barabak reported from San Francisco, Reston from Virginia and North Carolina.

Times staff writer Michael Finnegan contributed to this report.