The first half of today's show was about patriotism, and it was juicy. The second was about Barack Obama's shift to the center and John McCain's Campaign Shake up.

A substantive discussion amongst the panelists about what patriotism means. Bob Scheer expounds on George Washington's farewell speech; Tony Blankley talks about how the theme plays out politically; Matt Miller shares thoughts by Peter Beinart of Time Magazine that the right says "America's great," the left says, "Here's what would make America great;" and Arianna Huffington mentions the USA Today poll that says 2/3 of Americans think that protesting is patriotic. Are Obama's moves toward swing voters going to win him votes or just the animosity of his base? And will John McCain's campaign recover its footing with new guy, Steve Schmidt, at the helm.

You had always known, more or less, that John McCain's natural constituency was the Beltway media. With press darling Joe Lieberman, it's been the buddy movie that never ended.

Did you know how extensive it was, though, or did you sort of wonder if it was just you and your liberal friends imagining things?

Wonder no longer. Media Matters' David Brock and Paul Waldman decided to investigate McCain's relationship with the press, cataloging just how much slack our Gotcha! journalistas have cut the Smooth Talk Expressionist. They have the goods. They've documented the atrocities.

It would always have been easy to prove McCain's hypocrisy, to sound out McCain's love affair with the lobbying community and his passion for the telecoms. But the talking heads always seem to have such delicate sensibilities about their maverick political rock star, and that's always been one of the more interesting aspects of fame ... some people are stars just because the media pays attention to them, not because they really stand out from their peers. I mean, isn't Less Jobs, More Wars basically the Republican Party platform now? What's so very original about that?

Anyway, if you're inclined, check out Free Ride: John McCain and the Media, and find out just how poor a job the media has done of vetting the Republican nominee after all his years under their adoring spotlight. I expect it'll be an infuriating read, ripe with outrage overload, so practically candy for your typical political blogosphere denizen ;D

"The press loves McCain. We're his base." - Chris Matthews, MSNBC, Sept. 10, 2006

Every now and then I am amazed to see reporting like the following. We all know how the press adores John McCain, and always gives him a pass on the issues, while intensely grilling the Democratic candidates. With more honest examinations like this one, and the maverick may actually have a few difficult questions to answer. Please note, the author of this piece is normally not what you would call an ...er, left-winger. In fact, he normally gushes with praise for all things Republican. Not this time, strangely enough. Enjoy this breath of fresh air!

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/colum nists/chi-oped0306chapmanmar06,0,4554495 .column

The blogosphere's concerted deconstruction of Rudy Giuliani's "America's Mayor"/911 hero myth over this past year was quite something to behold and, I know for a fact, contributed to the increasingly critical media coverage Giuliani drew and, no doubt, to the ultimate flameout of his candidacy (of course, it didn't hurt that he's just a horrible campaigner...)

As it's looking now, our next task will be to take apart the man, the myth, the legend John McCain: Principled Maverick! It's truly amazing to me that people, even Democrats and Independents who would normally be inclined to vote for the Democratic candidate, still see McCain as more moderate and more principled than he actually is. NPR aired an interesting piece today about the persistent misconception that McCain is pro-choice. That will be one aspect of the mass effort to educate moderates and independents of the real John McCain. Another is to eat away at the idea that he is at his core in any way deeply principled. Lucky for us, John McCain has already given us some great ammunition. Remember this exchange from the GOP debate the other night:

HOOK: I know [it won't come to the floor], but what if it did?

MCCAIN: No, I would not, because we know what the situation is today. The people want the border secured first. And so to say that that would come to the floor of the Senate, it won't. [...]

COOPER: So I just want to confirm. You would not vote for your bill as it originally was -

MCCAIN: My bill will not be voted on. It will not be voted on.

That's right, he would now vote against the bill he was initially a principle advocate for, for political expediency. Ahh, sweet principle. But guess what. The immigration bill isn't the only bill McCain's championed that he would now oppose.

Steve Benen does some digging:

* McCain used to champion the Law of the Sea convention, even volunteering to testify on the treaty's behalf before a Senate committee. Now, if the treaty comes to the Senate floor, he's vowed to vote against it.

* McCain was a co-sponsor of the DREAM Act, which would grant legal status to illegal immigrants' kids who graduate from high school. In 2007, to make the far-right base happy, he voted against the bill he had taken the lead on.

* In 2006, McCain sponsored legislation to require grassroots lobbying coalitions to reveal their financial donors. In 2007, after receiving "feedback" on the proposal, McCain told far-right activist groups that he now opposes the measure he'd backed.

* McCain used to support major campaign-finance reform measures that bore his name. In June 2007, McCain announced his opposition to a major McCain-Feingold provision.

Let the deconstruction begin. This is going to be fun.

Note: This diary is cross posted at the University of Pennsylvania Democrats' "The Fighting Quaker" blog, http://www.penndems.org/blog.php.

Allow me first to say that, throughout this tirade, I refer specifically to John Danforth, but also in general to all such disgruntled or so-called "maverick" Republicans who have no trouble taking money from the RNC, even as they call from the rooftops their professed Jim Lehrer-esque political impartiality.

Back into the news of late is former senator John Danforth (R-MO). Mr. Danforth, an ordained Episcopal minister noted for his gravitas as well as heir to the Ralston-Purina fortune (the company having been founded by his grandfather), is in the limelight once again to promote the release of his new book, Faith and Politics. In this book, Mr. Danforth expresses his disenchantment with the current state of the Republican Party. He feels that it is entirely too beholden to right wing theological ideologues, writing in a recent New York Times piece, "By a series of recent initiatives, Republicans have transformed our party into the political arm of conservative Christians...". He speaks out against the current Republican-controlled government's rampant corruption and its discrimination against, well, everybody. It is also worth noting that Mr. Danforth served for seven months during the administration of George W. Bush as the United States Ambassador to the United Nations, a post that he relinquished in order to spend time with his wife, Sally. However, methinks him a trifle disingenuous, given that book tours (not to mention writing the book to begin with) take up a tremendous amount of potential spousal cuddling time...but I digress....there's more after the break.