Remember in 2000, when McCain declared himself independent of the Religious Right? He chastised the religious extremists that dominate the Republican party:

I am a pro-life, pro-family fiscal conservative, an advocate of a strong defense, and yet Pat Robertson, Jerry Falwell and a few Washington leaders of the pro-life movement call me an unacceptable presidential candidate. They distort my pro- life positions and smear the reputations of my supporters. Why? Because I don’t pander to them, because I don’t ascribe to their failed philosophy that money is our message…They are corrupting influences on religion and politics, and those who practice them in the name of religion or in the name of the Republican Party or in the name of America shame our faith, our party and our country…Neither party should be defined by pandering to the outer reaches of American politics and the agents of intolerance, whether they be Louis Farrakhan or Al Sharpton on the left, or Pat Robertson or Jerry Falwell on the right…We are the party of Ronald Reagan, not Pat Robertson. (emphasis mine -DS)

Well, now it seems Ol’ Two-Face has changed his mind about all that. Yeah, he’s going to deliver the commencement address at Falwell’s Liberty Univery. Over at DailyKos, Georgia, from whom I’ve pretty much lifted this story, has some questions for McCain:

• Senator McCain, do you agree with Jerry Falwell that Muhammed, the prophet is Islam, is a “terrorist”?
• Senator McCain, do you agree with Jerry Falwell’s statement that “If you’re not a born-again Christian, you’re a failure as a human being”?
• Senator McCain, do you agree with Jerry Falwell’s statement tht “Blacks, Hispanics, women, etc. are God-ordained minorities who do indeed deserve minority status”?
• Senator McCain, do you agree with Jerry Falwell’s statement that “Most of the feminists need a man to tell them what time of day it is and to lead them home”?
• Senator McCain, do you agree with Jerry Falwell’s statement that if the Antichrist did exist and were alive today, “of course he’ll be Jewish”?

So it’s official: John McCain, has sold his soul.

Or does he?  His statements surrounding the recent South Dakota abortion ban leave plenty to wiggle room that is pleasing neither his rabid activist base nor the moderate pro-choice general election voters.  Alternet reports:

McCain had a spokesman issue a statement saying he “would have signed the [South Dakota] legislation, but would also take the appropriate steps under state law — in whatever state — to ensure that the exceptions of rape, incest or life of the mother were included.” Of course, there were no exceptions for rape and incest in the South Dakota law, making McCain’s position essentially that he would favor banning nearly all abortions as long as it didn’t involve banning nearly all abortions. That’s the waffling of a man caught between fervently anti-choice Republican primary voters and a pro-choice general election majority.

Nothing like ‘ole straight talk himself running in circles trying to hide behind tortured rhetoric.  What does John McCain truly believe?  Anything that will get him elected.  He is quite willing to sell his soul for a vote.

MyDD picks this up from the new Survey USA numbers. Looks like McCain’s approval rating back in Arizona is in free fall. The funny thing: it’s Democrats and Independents who are souring on Two-Face. Maybe they’re starting to catch on that John McCain is all hat and no cattle.

While Senator John McCain cuddles up close to Bush Campaign operatives, he may just get caught up in their dirty dealings. The Associated Press reports about one of his new hires:

With an eye toward the 2008 presidential campaign, GOP Sen. John McCain of Arizona has hired one of President Bush’s top re-election advisers to help run his political action committee. Terry Nelson, political director of the Bush-Cheney campaign in 2004, will be senior adviser to Straight Talk America, according to several official familiar with the hiring.

What the AP conveniently leaves out is Nelson’s past involvements in the DeLay - TRMPAC money laundering scandal. MyDD puts the pieces together:

The political director for the Bush-Cheney re-election campaign testified Friday before a grand jury investigating charges that corporate money was used illegally in 2002 state legislative races.

A spokeswoman for the Republican National Committee confirmed that political director Terry Nelson testified.

So while John McCain bloviates about campaign finance reform, he’s hiring scandal tainted Bush operatives. Another hallmark of the Straight Talker speaking out of both sides of his mouth.

Senator John McCain’s base of operations in Vietnam is headed for a well deserved retirement:

The former USS Oriskany left the Beaumont Ready Reserve Fleet for Pensacola, Fla., where it will become the world’s largest man-made reef, the Beaumont Enterprise reported in its online edition Thursday.

The 888-foot-long ship was home to U.S. Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., when he served in Vietnam.

Perhaps the Senator should take a hint and retire with grace and honor. Don’t forget that he is 69 years old and will be 72 when the 2008 presidential election rolls around.

That John McCain, always looking to get the little people involved in politics. So much so that he is helping a republican longshot for Senate in Washington State. How much does it cost to get access to access Senator McCain?

5:30PM - Private Photo Reception - $4,200 per person
6:00PM - VIP Reception - $1,000 per person
6:30PM - Dinner - $250 per person

What a guy.

According to Newsweek, Senator John McCain is pursuing the services of President Bush’s campaign operatives and advisers:

Known as an outsider and maverick, McCain in 2008 has chosen a different route—and probably had no choice, given his prominence and experience. He and his aides are making the best they can of it, and one aspect of doing so involves trying to reel in Bush’s top operatives and supporters.Here in Memphis, McCainanites worked closely on straw poll strategy with Gov. Haley Barbour of Mississippi, a Bush loyalist widely regarded as one of the sharpest strategic and organizational minds in the party. They are wooing him to come aboard officially, which would be a major coup for McCain.

This act of political expediency speaks volumes about McCain’s character and what he is willing to sacrifice to win in 2008. How many of these Bush advisers were involved in the South Carolina push poll in 2000 which questioned the ethnicity of his daughter? How many?

If Senator John McCain can’t defend his own daughter, how can we expect him to defend America?

Dick Morris doesn’t think Senator John McCain has a chance at the republican nomination for president in 2008:

Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) is destined to find that his love of the Republican Party will be unrequited.

His dismal showing in the recent Nashville straw poll underscores the fact that while he is the Democrats’ and independents’ favorite Republican, he’s not the Republicans’ top choice by a long shot….

You can’t be a front-runner for your party’s nomination and win 5 percent of the vote in a regional straw poll, finishing fourth…

I believe Emeril Lagasse would chime in with a “BAM!” right about now.

Of course McCain’s plan to have his supporters write in the President instead of voting for him in the Southern Republican Leadership Conference was supposed to avoid commentary such as this. Obviously, every pundit, wannabe pundit, and fox news viewer could see through the ruse. More craven political maneuvering by a man who has made his name saying one thing and doing another.

Paul Krugman isn’t buying the maverick myth of John McCain:

So here’s what you need to know about John McCain.

He isn’t a straight talker. His flip-flopping on tax cuts, his call to send troops we don’t have to Iraq and his endorsement of the South Dakota anti-abortion legislation even while claiming that he would find a way around that legislation’s central provision show that he’s a politician as slippery and evasive as, well, George W. Bush.

He isn’t a moderate. Mr. McCain’s policy positions and Senate votes don’t just place him at the right end of America’s political spectrum; they place him in the right wing of the Republican Party.

And he isn’t a maverick, at least not when it counts. When the cameras are rolling, Mr. McCain can sometimes be seen striking a brave pose of opposition to the White House. But when it matters, when the Bush administration’s ability to do whatever it wants is at stake, Mr. McCain always toes the party line.

It’s worth recalling that during the 2000 election campaign George W. Bush was widely portrayed by the news media both as a moderate and as a straight-shooter. As Mr. Bush has said, “Fool me once, shame on — shame on you. Fool me — you can’t get fooled again.”

Ouch. Thanks to MyDD for the tip.

Cornered GOP lobbyist Jack Abramoff is facing some jail time, and it looks like he’s determined to bring some of his cronies down with him:

“Any important Republican who comes out and says they didn’t know me is almost certainly lying.”

Apparently this includes Mr. Maverick Reformer John McCain. McCain denies it, though:

“Mr. Abramoff flatters himself,” Mark Salter, McCain’s administrative assistant, tells Margolick. “Senator McCain was unaware of his existence until he read initial press accounts of Abramoff’s abuses, and had never laid eyes on him until he appeared before the committee.”

Abramoff’s response?

Abramoff says, “As best I can remember, when I met with him, he didn’t have his eyes shut. I’m surprised that Senator McCain has joined the chorus of amnesiacs.”

I’m not. McCain has a media halo as a champion of government reform. When it comes out that he met with the super-corrupt Abramoff, just like the rest of his GOP cronies, it will destroy his image. Not only is McCain corrupt, but he has lied.