Integrity deficit

I don't for a nanosecond feel sorry for John McCain. He brought it on himself by jettisoning his brand "Maverick" and the patina of integrity that he had so carefully constructed for decades.

It began during the 2008 presidential campaign (or sooner, for those watching closely and knowing about his post-Viet Nam opportunism). At one time, some of us saw him as the Republican we would least object to having as president. That was before I knew much about him or paid attention during the campaign as he lurched from one position to another with dizzying, denying aplomb.

But his campaign for re-election in Arizona puts him in a whole new league of absurd chameleonism. Start with his denial a couple of weeks ago that he had ever thought of himself as a maverick -- despite the unofficial slogan of the 2008 pairing with Palin as "a team of mavericks." And I saw him with my own eyes in a tv interview, in response to a question about rumors that there he and Palin didn't always agree -- he said, "Look, when you have two mavericks running together . . . "

Now his campaign manager and a deputy manager have quit in the wake of his recent ad campaign. Arch-conservative commentator Michelle Malkin wrote in the National Review," I need a Dramamine to cover Sen. John McCain's reelection bid. With his desperate lurch to the right, he's inducing more motion sickness than a Disneyland teacup.” She's supporting his more conservative Republican opponent.

Still, he enjoys a comfortable lead over his Republican primary opponent and the Democratic challenger Rodney Glassman. Stay tuned.

Ralph