John McCain is a smart fella

Besides being my personal Republican hero, John McCain is a pretty wise guy. Doing some research on campaign finance, I came across an article about McCain from 2002. If every American politican had the integrity of John McCain, the US would be a really fantastic place to live.

Republicans are angry with John McCain, the senator whose campaign for the Republican presidential nomination nearly derailed George W. Bush in the primaries last year.

The Washington Post spread the word earlier this month that at the regular weekly luncheon for the 49 senators, McCain arrived early and was left by his colleagues to dine alone.

McCain laughed off the story. "Where we dine, you can't dine alone. There aren't enough seats," he said in an interview with The Sunday Times.

"But are some of my colleagues mad at me for ranting at them? Yes, they are."

If they don't want to get mad, he added, they should stop giving him cause to criticize them by wasting taxpayers' money and indulging in the worst kind of pork-barrel politics.

McCain, 64, has emerged as the discomfiting conscience of the Republican party in an era of spectacular party fundraising. Washington under Bush is swilling with cash.

"There's far too much money washing around this town," said McCain. "History shows that if there's too much money, you get corruption and that leads to scandals."

The Republicans have enjoyed a fundraising bonanza since Bush took office, breaking all records in a non-election year. The Republican national committee has raised almost $50 million, the congressional committee almost $39 million and the senate fundraising committee almost $25 million.

The Democrats, spurred on by gaining control of the Senate in May after the defection of James Jeffords from the Republicans, are also living high on the hog.

McCain insists that the explosion of funds is no cause for rejoicing: "I have no doubt it corrupts the system. When someone buys a ticket to a fundraiser for $500,000, as happened last October, that person then deserves and gets access, which leads to influence."

John McCain: 2
Tom Delay & Bill Frist: 0

-Chris-face