Everyone continues to be terribly impressed by John McCain's awesome ability to bullshit. The man is beloved by the press corps (or, at least, he used to be) because he will say any damn thing that comes to his mind, and what usually comes to his mind is whatever you want to hear. So Slate's Jacob Weisberg sat down with McCain in August of '07, when McCain's campaign was a mess and he was losing. Weisberg asked him how things were going, and McCain answered frankly that everything sucked. How Maverick-y of him not to lie! Then he said Weisberg didn't even have to read McCain's book if he didn't want to. Then McCain criticized the President and his handling of Iraq!

He made direct, pointed criticisms of Bush's handling of the war that closely mirrored criticisms lobbed by liberals like Weisberg! What a maverick! Of course whether or not McCain genuinely believes this is immaterial because conveniently he only comes off so rebellious and principled and independent when he's sitting down for private chats with liberal journalists.

Remember how he told Arianna Huffington that he didn't vote for George W. Bush when he was hanging out with her at a fancy elitist Hollywood dinner party? And then, later, he wouldn't admit that anymore? Funny, that. Back to cozying up with the Christian Right and announcing that we'll win in Iraq no matter what the cost!

McCain at Rock Bottom [Slate]