ANOTHER TOP McCAIN OPERATIVE LEAVES THE CAMPAIGN-- BUT NOT IN DISGRACE LIKE THE REST OF THEM

McCain's campaign is almost losing as many Republicans as the House caucus. After a whole gaggle of crooked lobbyists were exposed by the media and asked to leave the Double Talk Express, one of the few decent operatives McCain has had around him, Mark McKinnon, jumped ship yesterday.

In telling the Cox News Service last June that he would not work against an Obama candidacy, Mr. McKinnon had said that Mr. Obama’s election to the presidency “would send a great message to the country and the world.” In that interview, Mr. McKinnon had said that he had policy differences with Mr. Obama, especially on Iraq, and that he believed Mr. McCain was best suited for the presidency because of his national security positions. But, he added, “I just don’t want to work against an Obama candidacy.”

There has been a great deal of speculation-- confirmed by sources inside the bus-- that McKinnon was sickened by the vicious, racist GOP game plan McCain approved to deploy against Obama and that was the reason he refused to work for his old friend. "Mr. McKinnon had told friends, and some journalists, that he did not want to be part of a hard-fought campaign against such a historic candidacy. In his interview with Cox, he had said of Mr. Obama: 'I think he has a deep character and good judgment. I also think he’s wrong on some fundamental issues. But I believe he is honest and independent.'”