Given Senator Biden's numerous transgressions in truthful oratory, the next several months will be an interesting time. If I were Sen. Obama's confidante I'd be asking, "What made you do it?" Biden has to be the worst possible choice available. His tendency to misspeak and to exaggerate, to inject himself and his specious credentials, into every conversation; questions that ramble so widely that no one knows or recalls the question, cannot possibly help Sen. Obama. Bad choice. McCain should be deliriously happy.

Suckers will buy anything.

Enlist. Serve that which you vote for.

War.

with McCain and leave Obama above the fray. Obama and his people showed in the primary that they like playing dirty, but this isn't the time for it. And picking Hillary would have been a mistake. Obama's dingbat supporters fell for the media's childish smear campaign, and they would have gone ballistic over a Clinton on the ticket.

I'm just happy Obama is still running with the Clinton policy agenda: middle class tax cuts, fiscal responsibility, health care, bipartisanship, strategic investment, green energy, far reaching diplomacy. It makes me sad that he'll get the credit for what Bill devised at the DLC, and what Bill and Hillary refined in office. But Americans don't care two straws about fairness. And the policies are what matter anyway.

Four decades ago, John McCain served his country with honor in Vietnam. He has served in Congress since 1983 – a life of considerable public service. He has faced the wrath of many in his own party, including the Religious Right. He now stands before us, the presumptive candidate from the Republican Party for President of the United States. And any candidate for such high office should aspire to be no less than honorable.

Senator McCain calls himself the original maverick – the true agent for change. He claims to be no friend to the Bush Administration. As it is said, however, politics makes for strange bedfellows. Since declaring his candidacy, he has consistently embraced not only George Bush – literally – but his agenda: 95% of the time in 2007; 100% of the time in 2008. He even voted to privatize Social Security and to “legalize” water-boarding (though prior to his candidacy, he had steadfastly condemned torture). Some might call that ambition. But it is said that Senator McCain is an honorable man.

Senator McCain has jettisoned his demons of the past, embracing virtually any position put forward by the Religious Right. Politics, it is said, makes for strange bedfellows. He has unabashedly sought out endorsements of leaders of the Religious Right, has consistently opposed a woman’s right to choose, and said that he would appoint justices to the Supreme Court in the tradition of Justices Scalia, Alito and Roberts. Senator McCain says he is a maverick; it is said that Senator McCain is an honorable man.

Senator McCain has stated that he exhibited political courage in voting for deployment of additional troops when the public was disenchanted with the war, that such was a mark of his superior military knowledge. “My choice was not smart politics,” Senator McCain said. “It didn't test well in focus groups. It ignored all the polls.” Indeed, he has demonstrated nothing if not consistency with regard to the Iraq War. But now he accuses Senator Obama of changing positions with regard to the Iraq War, of politicizing his position. In so doing, however, Senator McCain distorts fact that Senator Obama – against a raging political tide – stated his original opposition to the war in 2003 and has consistently continued his opposition to the war. Senator Obama did so, in the face of an Administration that claimed that such opposition was tantamount to “cut and run”. And now Senator McCain has said that said that Senator Obama is for a path of “retreat and failure.” Which candidate rightfully wears the mantle of true political courage? Hardly Senator McCain – though it is said that he is an honorable man.

When asked in 2004, “What would or should we do if… a so-called sovereign Iraqi government asks us to leave, even if we are unhappy about the security situation there?” Senator McCain answered,

“Well, if that scenario evolves than I think it's obvious that we would have to leave… If it were an extremist government then I think we would have other challenges, but I don't see how we could stay when our whole emphasis and policy has been based on turning the Iraqi government over to the Iraqi people.”

Yet when Senator Obama’s proposal for a sixteen-month withdrawal timetable – derided by Senator McCain as naïve – was embraced by none other than Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki, Senator McCain continued to reject such a withdrawal timeline. But it is said that Senator McCain is an honorable man.

Senator McCain stated that he would run a principled, respectful campaign, that his campaign would take the high road, which would attack issues – not his opponents. We trusted that, as it is said that Senator McCain is an honorable man. Since that time, however, he hired protégés of Karl Rove to run his campaign – the same ilk that savaged him in the campaign of 2000. Politics makes for strange bedfellows, it is said. With the approval of Senator McCain, his campaign has undertaken a multitude of attacks that exhibit the cynicism that he so decried himself years before. He has yet to distance himself from numerous attack pieces, bloggers, and pundits who have saturated our everyday existence with distortions and outright lies. Instead, when asked about his reaction to the new attack book, “Obama Nation”, he responded, “Gotta keep your sense of humor.” Funny guy, that Senator McCain – yet is said that he is an honorable man.

Senator McCain attacked Senator Obama’s progressive politics, going so far as to declare, “All I said was his voting record… is more to the left than the announced Socialist in the United States Senate, Bernie Sanders of Vermont.” When asked if he felt that Senator Obama was himself a socialist, he simply shrugged and responded, “I don’t know.” His minions have since gone into frenzy, likening Senator Obama to Paris, Britney, and Moses. They accused Senator Obama of ignoring troops during Obama’s overseas visit. His underlings declare Obama to be “The One”, inciting themes of the Anti-Christ and The Rapture. Senator McCain approved those messages, and yet it is said that he is an honorable man.

Senator McCain expressed regret over the personal bitterness and negativism seen in the two months since he learned that he would be running against Senator Obama. “I think we could have avoided at least some of this if we had agreed to do the town hall meetings.” While his response lacks all accountability of his bankrupt ethics, it might be hoped that the town hall forum of August 16 would bring a return to decency for the McCain campaign. After all, he himself implied that the malice thus far could have been avoided had Senator Obama merely agreed to do the town hall meetings. It might be hoped, for that would be the re-emergent quality of an honorable man. And it is said that Senator McCain is an honorable man.

Doubtful. Honor ignores ambition. It is said that Senator McCain is an honorable man. Honor should be made of sterner stuff.