Earlier this spring when the inevitability of a McCain campaign became apparent, one of my former colleagues in Washington asked me to sum up my feelings about Big John.

I sent him the following short note: “John McCain is a great American, a lousy senator and a rotten republican.”

Nothing has changed.

I'm one of those annoying people who said they were voting for McCain bec. they weren't voting for Obama. And I did vote for McCain.

I don't really think he's a lousy Senator or a rotten Republican, but I am disappointed the way the campaign was run -- very flat is the best word I can think of -- and I'm disappointed now with the way he seems to be acting, as in hiding his head in the sand and letting Gov. Palin take the abuse. Just doesn't seem very nice of him. He was the candidate, it should mostly fall on him to represent the party.

And, Slublog, I am very impressed that you had that in your archives that far back. Good for you.

"...we'll no longer have 'the Maverick' sticking a shiv in our backs when he wants to curry media favor."

Exactly when does this Maverick-free era begin? Because I don't see him changing, and I don't see the media ceasing to treat him as their favorite Republican.

As I look at the many pieces on "what ails the the Republican Party", especially in the MSM, I am struck by the simple fact that Republicans don't seem to be in control of their own party's image. The MSM seems to be able to get away with a charicature view of them as simultaneously rednecks and bible-thumpers, and fatcat tycoons - sort of whatever works to denigrate at the moment.

I think we have to wake up and realize who the opposition is. It is not the Dems... they are on cruise control. It is the media, which has as Job #1 the destruction of any charismatic Republican leader.