The pitfalls of being a maverick

I don’t think anyone in the blogosphere lampoons the “Straight Talk Express” better than Matt Yglesias. Today, he merely warns that McCain will end up having to always talk like a “douchebag” – a.k.a. a sober, non-maverick pol running a national campaign – if he keeps up with the cocky defiance and the bluster. He’ll almost certainly have to re-name the bus if that comes about. “Focus-Group-Tested, Carefully Scripted Flim-Flam Express,” anyone? Do they build buses that long?

About Mac’s alleged “lobbyistress” - I’d use undue influence on a federal agency to help secure business for her telecom clients any day*. Note that this doesn’t reflect sexism on my part, but rather a lack of integrity with regard to ethics in government. (Even though that’s not quite how the New York Times would report it if I were a public figure.)

* I should note that in the other two photos I've seen of her, she's not nearly as hot. Not that it's a prerequisite to becoming BP's sugar momma.