Like the occupations of "Iraq" and "Afghanistan," the attempted takeover of "Vietnam" was an obviously wrong thing to do. I was young when the "advisement" progressed to an undeclared war, and believed the propaganda until early 1967. Then, in 1968, I was drafted, and took an extra year by enlisting for a school in my newfound career dream, projector repair.

If I could see the "war" in "Vietnam" was wrong and evil, then John McCain could too, except he couldn't, and can't. That makes him unqualified to be president. He could have learned first hand what I learned on my own, but he was incapable of learning.

It matters little. John McCain will not be president of the "United States." I don't think he will finish the race. He doesn't look healthy. He's 71, and the strain of running a campaign is likely wearing him out. He's carrying a boatload of PTSD, and it is likely that it is spilling out as he is forced by the nature of representative democracy to brag about himself in a most fundamental, really Freudian/Jungian manner.

Another reason McCain is breaking under the strain is that, unlike Bush, I don't think McCain is a sociopath. Bush can yuk it up in the midst of any of the carnage he has wrought without a second thought, but McCain has to work at justifying evil to himself and others.

This is an important distinction. McCain can sing "Bomb, bomb Iran," but he knows it is wrong. Bush would botch the words, but would have fun trying. He should have been in jail long ago, but instead he has been the head of state of "the world's only superpower" for almost eight years.

What will be interesting to see is how the "Republicans" find another candidate. Most likely it will be that McCain will drop out of the race for health reasons. The second likeliest scenario is that he will have a health emergency - a heart attack, recurrence of melanoma, emotional breakdown, heat prostration, or some unknown illness.

One thing I have noticed is how McCain blinks so much when he speaks. I can't remember where I read or heard it, but a psychologist or researcher on body English and mannerisms did an analysis of blinking, and found that people blink more when they are lying. McCain blinks all the time. Ergo, he's lying all the time. The only truth for him is becoming president.

This could be a boon for Salon. Speculation about McCain's replacemnt will be a big draw for writers with no other ideas. My prediction: John Coryn, senator from "Texas." He would be acceptable to the three major elements of the ruling pseudo-elite: the corporations, the fanatical "Christians," and the Penatagon. He could win, too. All the "Republicans" need is some propaganda thunder, and he could give it to them. I can expand on this idea if some money is involved.

This column has become a must read, the one I make sure to look at every day if I can. Nothing else on the Web rises to this level.

As far as calling Mara Liasson a liar, I don't have any problem with it. She has followed an interesting career trajectory, supposedly starting with the "leftist" Pacifica Network, then on to National Public Radio, and now to a side job with the Fox propaganda network. She joins other current and former NPR colleagues Juan Williams and Jim Angle . To work for Fox is to accept as legitimate the illegitimate. For a few pieces of silver one has to discard one's ethics and sense of responsibility. Once that jump is made, lying is not only easier, but reflexive.

Though Barack Obama seems to be taking a turn towards the Borg (Star Trek: The Next Generation, for the uninitiated. Google it.), I believe his presidency will upset the applecart in Washington, District of Columbia. Exogenous (outside the circle of jerks in D.C.) phenomena, like global climate change and the end of oil, will continue to press in on the culture. Obama will have to deal with these phenomena, and he is not a sociopath like Bush. His own internal sense of who he is will force him to face these issues with a certain level of integrity and imagination.

The D.C. circle of jerks will try to box Obama in, to make him one of them, and will likely have some success. It won't matter much. The momentum has already shifted. It's not clear what it has shifted to, but it's not towards corporations and their media hacks.

Meanwhile, it's enjoyable to read Glenn Greenwald doing his daily skewer.

I had been alternating Obama and Nader stickers on the back window of my car, having a bit of fun with my own flip-flopping. I won't be alternating any more.

It really grates that both Hillary Clinton and McCain were right about Obama - that he's a great speaker, but his words are empty. Like millions of others, I wanted him to be the real deal. Engaging in willing suspension of disbelief, I kept rationalizing to myself that the tone he will set will be change enough, that he will be a catalyst for all the changes we need. In Obama's defense, he has very likely become fearful of ending up like JFK.

In a strange way, I'm relieved. Change is inevitable, and no president emanating from our two-party mafia is going to either stand up to the pending corporate police state or solve the problems of global climate change. Events will overtake.

There was a time before the two-party mafia, and there will be a time after. There was a time before the dominance of large corporations, and there will be a time after. There was a time before global climate change, and there will be a time after. If it wasn't clear before that we are on our own, it sure is now. As a species, we can solve the problems we face. Yes we can.