Did John McCain move up his formal announcement for the Letterman show because of his sinking poll numbers? Many at his campaign had no clue about it, according to DC Confidential at Radar Online:

Many of his staff were blindsided by his campaign announcement. And several aides were so outraged that they've quit, say Republican insiders.

"They're imploding--he had a game plan that had him announcing much later in the year," one top Republican aide tells Radar, adding that the campaign is "in serious trouble ... Romney's plan and Rudy's jump in the polls caused him to scrap his plans completely. When you do that, and you're not prepared for it, the staff goes crazy. Some of his coordinators in different states were pulling their hair out!"

Read the whole report at the link above. McCain has problems, without doubt. He began as the frontrunner, then slipped to a statistical tie with Giuliani, and now has fallen double-digits behind the Mayor. While he has continued to pile up impressive endorsements from elected Republicans, the media - Old and New - has passed the frontrunner baton to Rudy.

McCain was out of character in the role, anyway. He has also presented himself as the maverick who doesn't follow the establishment in any predictable way. Being in front means playing it safe. A case in point was his refusal to speak to CPAC - the only Republican candidate who didn't go. It was widely thought he wanted to distance himself from the "conservative" leaders there. Then he attempted to organize a reception for the attendees outside of the auspices of CPAC, a "meet 'n' greet" that never materialized.

Granted, he did avoid being tainted by the Ann Coulter slur against gays, but was any candidate really directly hurt by her flaming, even Romney who spoke just before her? The Old McCain would have charged in and addressed the group, and let the chips fall where they may.

The next couple of FEC filings will shed some light on the state of his campaign. If the money flow slows, he is in big trouble.

A McCain collapse could pave the way for Gingrich to enter the race.

Thanks to Kausfiles at Slate for pointing to this story.