John McCain to America: I'm In, And I'm In to Lose to a Mayor

John McCain continued his quest to plunge his campaign into the abyss today as he released a statement in Iowa pledging his all out, unwavering support for the war in Iraq.

From the New York Times: "Almost from the moment he took the stage at his first campaign event in Iowa since forming his presidential exploratory committee, Mr. McCain made clear that he was not backing away from his support of the war. From Des Moines to Cedar Rapids to this eastern Iowa community, Mr. McCain aggressively identified his candidacy with the war. In the process, he signaled the political advantage his campaign sees in presenting Mr. McCain as an unapologetic Iraq war advocate to the conservative Republican activists who dominate the Iowa caucuses."

The man who used to be known as a Maverick for the way his steadfast moderate beliefs contrasted against the rest of his party, has now become a Maverick because he makes stupid decisions against the advice of his aides and supporters. Although it can help him win the pro-war Republican nomination, his advisers think ("Anxiously" according to the New York Times) that there is no way he can win the Presidency against an anti-war Democrat with such a blatantly pro-war stance. "Mr. McCain’s aides could barely contain their frustration, as he sailed off on this maiden voyage of his campaign, at the extent to which perhaps the most important factor in determining the 2008 race was beyond their control."

We will always wonder what happened in these last 4ish years to the "Moderate Maverick" that would have him change (one might say "flip-flop" - though I hate that term) his stance on such issues like abortion, same-sex marriage, stem cell research, torture, tax cuts for the wealthy, NSA eavesdropping - and what made him begin prostituting himself to the right wing neocons.

I remember after the 2004 catastropuck of an election, my fellow liberals and I - through our tears - hoped that at least if McCain ran and won in 2008 we'd have the lesser of the vast number of Republican evils. Now, although he has voted more conservative than Sam Brownback over the last few years, we still want him to run because there is no way this sleepy old man can win. The Moderate Maverick is no more.

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If you are a John McCain fan, I've posted a photograph below of Britney Spears bald to help cheer you up: