Today’s required reading

Over the years, the Inside-the-Beltway journalist class has been head over heels in love with John McCain. Seriously, that crowd happily contributed to the mythification of McCain such that he was transformed, in their eyes at least, from mortal politician to their own straight talkin’ personal Jesus. After the “shocking” revelation that McCain is running a nasty and dishonorable race, Richard Cohen, a fixture on the WaPo editorial page and Beltway journo in good standing, may have seen the light.

Following his loss to George W. Bush in the 2000 South Carolina primary, John McCain did something extraordinary: He confessed to lying about how he felt about the Confederate battle flag, which he actually abhorred. "I broke my promise to always tell the truth," McCain said. Now he has broken that promise so completely that the John McCain of old is unrecognizable. He has become the sort of politician he once despised.

Ka-pow. Really, you ought to read the whole thing.