Oh give me a break. Republicans are falling all over themselves right now to feign righteous indignation at how outrageous it is that McCain's extramarital activities should even be mentioned, let alone considered as a political issue. Oh, woe is us! This is DIRTY POLITICS! To publicly discuss private matters between man and wife, which have no bearing on his candidacy or his ability to do his job... why, it's DISGUSTING!!

For once, we're in agreement. Too bad you didn't feel the same way when you were dragging Bill Clinton through the mud for years on end (well, it hasn't really ended) for something that was between him and his wife, and no one else. Funny how you guys only think it's wrong when it's your own at the wrong end of the slop bucket.

Everyone needs to just stay out of other people's bedrooms... and if you can't manage that, don't act all indignant when it's done right back to you.

and it bothers me that this story only has 'legs' because it involves a sex scandal. Thank you, Joe Conason, for clarifying so much better than the weirdly convoluted Times piece did that this is about money and political favors - not sex.

That said, I am guessing that right-leaning Christian voters will be disappointed, and many would rather stay home on election night than vote for an unapologetic adulterer. I am also guessing that centrist cross-over voters will prefer the relatively clean (as far as we know) Obama to a lobbyist-cozy hypocrite. I don't think McCain had much chance with either constituency to begin with, but this scandal, if it actually turns into more, could exaggerate the effects.

And I think the media should be digging into each candidate's history in the same way. That is (supposed to be) its job.