It seems like McCain can't win for losing. Even though he supported all of Bush's economic policies and Cheney's neocon foreign policies, for the last few months he has been running from both men like they had the plague. He knows that administration is the most unpopular in the history of polling. But the harder he runs away, the more he gets tied to them.
Yesterday, Dick Cheney publically endorsed McCain. At an event in Laramie (Wyoming) Cheney endorsed McCain and said, "This year, of course, I'm not on the ballot, so I am here ... not to vote for me, but I want to join daughter Liz, who is with me today, join us in casting ... our ballots for John McCain and Sarah Palin." That had to make McCain wince. I'll bet he doesn't do any bragging about that before election day!
Meanwhile, Obama pounced on that endorsement like a hungry lion on a wounded gazelle. He said, "I'd like to congratulate Sen. McCain on this endorsement, because he really earned it. That endorsement didn't come easy. George Bush may be in an undisclosed location now, but Dick Cheney's out there on the campaign trail because he'd be delighted to pass the baton to John McCain. He knows that with John McCain, you get a twofer: George Bush's economic policy and Dick Cheney's foreign policy. And that is a risk we cannot afford to take."
In the last few days, McCain has been very critical of the Bush White House in an effort to separate himself from it. But that "maverick" label just doesn't ring true anymore. You can't vote with Bush 90-95% of the time, and then try to act like you didn't to try and win the presidency.
The people know McCain has been a lot closer to "lap dog" than to "maverick".
Ah sweet, the kiss of death!
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