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McCain Sheds Honor in Heat of Campaign

Columnist, a longtime fan of the straight-shooting senator, sorely disappointed

By Sarah Quinn, Newser Staff

Posted Sep 16, 2008 2:45 PM CDT

(Newser) – John McCain's dishonesty in this race has turned him into the kind of politician the candidate once professed to hate, writes Richard Cohen—a one-time fan of the Arizona senator—in the Washington Post. McCain’s lies—most blatantly expressed on The View in response to a question about misleading ads—"would be unacceptable in any politician, but McCain has always set his own bar higher than most."

Most disappointing is McCain's loss of integrity, made clear in his VP pick. Sarah Palin, "no matter what her other attributes, is shockingly unprepared to become president," Cohen writes. "He means to win, which is all right; he means to win at all costs, which is not." If McCain thinks he can fool voters, then gain back their trust, know this: "It won't work."

[Images (3)]

[Quotes (3)]

"I am one of the journalists accused over the years of being in the tank for McCain," Richard Cohen admits in blasting the Republican candidate for throwing honesty overboard. (AP Photo)

Joy Behar, co-host of ABC's "The View," questioned John McCain about his misleading campaign ads when he appeared on the show. (AP Photo/ Louis Lanzano)

John McCain's "opportunistic and irresponsible choice of Sarah Palin as his political heir ... is a form of personal treason, a betrayal of all he once stood for," Cohen writes. (AP Photo)

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Karl Marx got one thing right -- what he said about history repeating itself. Once is tragedy, a second time is farce. John McCain is both.

McCain was going to fix all that. He was going to look the American people in the eyes and say, not me. I will not lie to you. I am John McCain, son and grandson of admirals. I tell the truth.

His opportunistic and irresponsible choice of Sarah Palin as his political heir—the person in whose hands he would leave the country—
is a form of personal treason, a betrayal of all he once
stood for. -

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McCain Sheds Honor in Heat of Campaign