The Straight Talk Express Takes A Detour

I don't think "Maverick" means what McCain thinks it means. Back in the 2000 election before Bush's campaign destroyed McCain in South Carolina, the Arizona Senator liked to tell the world how all "mavericky" he was and to prove it came up with seveal issues contrary to Bush's. Eight years later we find McCain still clinging to that self definition of "Maverick." The problem with that is the Internet doesn't lie when it comes to trying to hide your "Maverick" bona fides from a video you shot two years ago:

"They're [Hamas] the government; sooner or later we are going to have to deal with them, one way or another, and I understand why this [Bush} administration and previous administrations had such antipathy towards Hamas because of their dedication to violence and the things that they not only espouse but practice, so . . . but it's a new reality in the Middle East. I think the lesson is people want security and a decent life and decent future, that they want democracy. Fatah was not giving them that."

Now, of course, Mr. McCain is telling everyone who will listen the United States does not recognize or negotiate with terrorist organizations. While trying to ignore his own statements from two years ago he is touting the same line as Bush while trying to smear his opponent, Barack Obama, as being an appeaser for Hamas who seems to be saying Obama would be preferable over McCain.

There is a certain comic appeal to McCain's pretzel logic here but I think this is indicative for the coming campaign. McCain's memory will be short and open to a lot of ridiculous statements condradicting himself from several years ago.