Republicans are now evidently in their second month of moping, gnashing, and wringing about what went wrong with their Presidential ticket in November. Why – tell me! – WHY did McCain-Palin lose that race to Obama-Biden? McCain pollster Bill McInturff tells us. Well, he tells USA Today’s Paul Bedard, who, in turns, tells us:

Topping McInturff’s list: Obama was the first black presidential nominee and gave his acceptance speech on the 45th anniversary of Martin Luther King Jr.’s “I Have a Dream” speech. The GOP convention was almost rained out by a hurricane over New Orleans on Hurricane Katrina’s anniversary. And as the economy collapsed, McCain had to endorse a bailout he never would have backed had he not been running for president. Reason: Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson begged him to. While he thinks playing up Barack Obama’s ties to the Rev. Jeremiah Wright would have worked to hurt the Democrat.

So it was the magical aura/gloss associated with the Obama campaign and it’s National Coming-of-Age back story, and it was Hank Paulson. Did Steve Schmidt or anyone tell John McCain to be John McCain instead of the fellow-who-buys-the-bill-of-goods-from-Hank Paulson? (It was a bill of good when sold to a Republican Presidential candidate, but I don’t know otherwise) .And we find out that McInturff liked McCain’s decision not to exploit the Rev. Wright connection, as that would have been race-baiting and would have “delegitimized his presidency.” (I’d like to have asked him how so, but I’ve moved on.)

No we’re not going to dig this one up and perform another autopsy. I’m more driven to mirthful tears by the demands of those surveyed for ABC News/WashPost.

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John McCain and Joe Lieberman have written a very good editorial on Iraq policy, in which they point out that thanks to the implementation of the surge and the counterinsurgency strategy–again, let us note that the President-elect and Vice President-elect opposed both of these policies and have not yet admitted error–there is an opportunity for bipartisan consensus to be created at long last when it comes to Iraq. Both invite the incoming Obama Administration to do what it can to foster this consensus.

To my mind, it would be tremendously helpful to follow the McCain-Lieberman recommendations and continue to have Ryan Crocker serve as Ambassador in Iraq, to rely on the judgments of Generals Petraeus and Odierno when it comes to formulating troop withdrawal plans and to stop pushing for artificial withdrawal dates and funding cutoffs through Congress.

We shall see whether the incoming Administration takes up the McCain-Lieberman offer. If it does, it shall have sufficient cover to pursue an effective Iraq policy–something the Bush Administration has not had and something that will help further American interests in the Middle East as well as setting Iraq firmly on the path towards normalcy. Of course, it is entirely possible that the incoming Administration will opt instead to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory. In which case, I hope that the President-elect is prepared to see his poll numbers drop.

Precipitously.

Look for that headline, or a close cousin in February or March.

Now why in the world would I say that? Maybe because, as I’ve been accused lately, I suffer from BDS and simply refuse to give George W. Bush credit for anything.

Well, while I suppose I could be accused of that (and probably will be, but I really don’t care), that’s just not the case.

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As John McCain’s running mate in the election of 2008, Alaska Governor Sarah Palin was the GOP sacrificial lamb. McCain never really had a chance of winning the White House. Bamboozeled by Barack Obama into accepting public money for his campaign, the Arizona senator was outspent seven to one by the Democrat, who had agreed to also take public funding, but in the first of what would become a series of broken promises, opted to raise money for his campaign the unfettered way. McCain was also distrusted by the conservatives of his party, a group which makes up the lion’s share of its base. The third strike against McCain came from the media which once loved him, but jilted the Republican for a younger, more dynamic and more attractive suitor - Barack Obama.

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Did the headline put your stomach in knots? I thought so.

But after McCain-Feingold (I), McCain-Lieberman, and McCain-Kennedy, it was inevitable that eventually Senator McCain would engage in a bipartisan reform effort that would make conservatives happy, right?

Sens. John McCain (R-Ariz.) and Russ Feingold (D-Wis.) are putting their band of reformers back together and hitting the halls of Capitol Hill in pursuit of their latest mission — curtailing the practice of earmarking federal dollars in legislation, sources said late last week…

“Our offices have been in touch about continuing to work together on earmark reform. … Sen. Feingold and Sen. McCain have a long history on reform issues including earmark reform. Back in 2006, Sen. Feingold joined Sen. McCain in introducing the Pork-Barrel Reduction Act,” a Feingold aide said.

It might even be an effort that gives Harry Reid agita.

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Go ahead and say it…Maverick.

Will there be any primary opposition for his Senate reelection bid? If so, please inform me. I plan on donating my life’s savings towards his or her campaign.

In a surprising rebuke to the warriors who fought for him through tough times, Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) on Sunday sided with President-elect Barack Obama and scolded the Republican National Committee for fanning the Illinois corruption scandal.

On ABC’s “This Week,” host George Stephanopoulos asked: “The chairman of the Republican National Committee, Mike Duncan, has been highly critical of the way President- elect Obama has dealt with this.

“He’s had a statement every single day, saying that the Obama team should reveal all contacts they’ve had with Governor [Rod] Blagojevich. He says that Obama’s promise of transparency to the American people is now being tested. Do you agree with that?”

McCain replied: “I think that the Obama campaign should and will give all information necessary. You know, in all due respect to the Republican National Committee and anybody — right now, I think we should try to be working constructively together, not only on an issue such as this, but on the economy stimulus package, reforms that are necessary. And so, I don’t know all the details of the relationship between President-elect Obama’s campaign or his people and the governor of Illinois, but I have some confidence that all the information will come out. It always does, it seems to me.”

Most will read entirely too deep into this but it can not help but to raise questions about the whole McCain-Palin affair. At any rate, he is entitled to his choice just as much as the rest of us, I suppose.

I guess the most appropriate question would be: Where’s the love Mac?

Speaking on ABC’s “This Week,” McCain was asked whether Palin could count on his support.

“I can’t say something like that,” McCain said. “We’ve got some great other young governors. I think you’re going to see the governors assume a greater leadership role in our Republican Party,” he said.

Today on ABC’s This Week, when asked by host George Stephanopoulos whether he would support Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin if she runs for president, Sen. John McCain punted:

“Oh no. Listen I have the greatest appreciation for Gov. Palin and her family and it was a great joy to know them,” McCain said. “She invigorated our campaign and she was just down in Georgia and she invigorated their campaign.”

“But I can’t say something like that,” McCain said, “We’ve got some great other young governors… Pawlenty, Huntsman.”

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The Senate Armed Services Committee released a “bipartisan” report accusing former Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld and his deputies of being the responsible for the plan to use harsh interrogation techniques on captured fighters and terrorism suspects,

According the Washington Post, the Committee report, released by Senators Carl Levin and John McCain, rejects the Bush administration’s contention that the policies originated lower down the command chain:

Apparently the report is considered “bipartisan” because it was released by Senators Carl Levin and John McCain:

The report cites a memo signed by President Bush on Feb. 7, 2002, declaring that the Geneva Convention’s standards for humane treatment did not apply to captured al-Qaeda and Taliban fighters as the “true genesis of the decision to use coercive techniques.”

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Who cares, Joe. Enjoy your 15 minutes of fame and move on.

I’m not criticizing Joe because he is speaking ill of McCain. I’m sure he is telling the truth.

My only point is,who cares what he thinks. I mean to listen to him about his “education on politics” as he says in his interview is like taking business advice from someone who one a $million on a scratch off.

Like I said, enjoy your fame, save the newspaper clippings and move on.