Republican John McCain's abrupt, ill-advised Michigan fade could be good news for Democrats down the ticket, maybe even for Supreme Court candidate Diane Marie Hathaway, partisan-nominated contender on the ill-named "bipartisan" ballot.

This theory, disputed by state GOP leaders, is that headlines such as "McCain campaign pulls out of Michigan" (a rare, same-day duplication in both Detroit dailies) will suppress grassroots enthusiasm and get-out-the-vote efforts by Republicans.

Wayne County Circuit Judge Hathaway, who campaigned here Friday and plans an October 10 to October 11 visit to Escanaba and Houghton, said McCain's decision to concentrate efforts elsewhere could help state Democratic candidates, possibly including more use of resources and volunteer time that have been devoted to the Barack Obama campaign.

Two area Democratic candidates for open state House districts embrace that thought: Dan Scripps of Leland for the 101st, and Roman Grucz of Traverse City for the 104th.

Scripps said the McCain pullout "probably helps on the margin," noting that while some Democratic resources might be diverted to state candidates, so, too, could Republican resources be re-targeted to legislative and other candidates.

Scripps and Grucz were among the Hathaway supporters, including leaders of environmental groups, who far outnumbered the two reporters at a press conference called here by Hathaway at the outset of northern campaigning in her uphill challenge of Chief Justice Cliff Taylor.

Hathaway, a former assistant prosecutor in Macomb County, branded Taylor an advocate of "blatant activism - a walking conflict of interest."

She had a slight 16 to 14 percentage lead over Taylor in a September 15 to September 20 Inside Michigan Politics (IMP) poll of 600 likely voters, but still faces an uphill battle among the vast majority of voters because Taylor will have the advantage of the "incumbent" ballot designation and a likely substantial spending edge.

Taylor "may be in a little trouble," IMP publisher Bill Ballenger said Friday. "He'd better start spending 'like a drunken sailor,'" as he earlier told Michigan Information and Research Service.

I will examine the Taylor- Hathaway race in a later column, but the more immediate matter is McCain's Michigan fade, which created quite a national media buzz.

"I'm disappointed," former Republican National Committeeman Chuck Yob, longtime Michigan point man for McCain and co-chair of this year's state campaign, said of the decision, which makes inoperative my earlier column quoting Yob about McCain planning a northern Michigan swing.

"I fought, and fought, and fought against it. But I do understand they have to pool resources in states where they think they can win."

While IMP's Ballenger expressed doubt that the decision would have a serious adverse ripple effect on the Michigan ticket, especially on nonpartisan ballot, he said: "I think it was a terrible thing for McCain to do."

He criticized the way the McCain campaign revealed its decision, saying it at least should have "put on a happy face."

He's right. Surrender is demoralizing for the troops.

"When the general leaves the battlefield when the fight's still going on, it creates a lot of chaos," said Oakland County Executive L. Brooks Patterson.

Yob and GOP State Chairman Saul Anuzis say McCain could yet return to Michigan. In his Saturday blog, Anuzis said that in a conference call with McCain Campaign Manager Rick Davis, "he just flat out said that polling numbers provide better opportunities elsewhere at this time and they are pulling out of Michigan. He did say they would continue to monitor our progress and if the situation changed, they would consider reengaging."

Anuzis told his troops: "Our initial Victory Centers are all remaining open at this time and we are looking for volunteer efforts to continue each and every day. Many of you have been asking for more specifics, but hang in there, we are getting new information daily...even by the hour. We are specifically working with our congressional, state house, and court candidates to limit the negative effects this move will have on our ticket.

"In spite of the adversity thrown at us yesterday, I want to say thanks to all of you for your continued support and never ending commitment to help turn Michigan around. Together, we can make a difference!"

Good for GOP Veep nominee Sarah Palin, who, according to Fox News, opposed conceding Michigan to Obama and said, "I wanna go back to Michigan." TV talking heads elsewhere made much of Palin being a maverick within the campaign on Michigan.

McCain Michigan co-chair Yob, according to The Detroit News, said in a Friday e-mail to Palin: "I hereby invite you to come to Michigan immediately. The good people of Macomb County, Northern Michigan, the Upper Peninsula, and Grand Rapids await your response."

Obama stiffed Michigan in the primary, boycotting in response to national party rules that Michigan violated by voting earlier than allowed.

Last week, after a spirited effort on the ground and the airwaves, McCain quit Michigan a little more than four weeks before the general election.

But "Victory Centers" remain open.

George Weeks retired in 2006 after 22 years as political columnist for The Detroit News. His weekly Michigan Politics column is syndicated by Superior Features.