McCain's transition is really saddening

I have been aware of John McCain since his days as a POW and through his tenure as a senator.

Although I was very disappointed in his behavior regarding the savings and loan scandal, I admired his stances on quite a few issues over the years.

As a matter of fact, had he not become a victim of the Bush, Cheney, Rove lie machine in 2000 and won the primary, I probably would have voted for him.

In those days, he truly was a moderate on many issues - issues that I, as an independent, could identify with.

Unfortunately, those days are gone. We no longer have a maverick.

What we now have is a seemingly confused old man who has sometimes shifted his opinions of issues several times in one day. A man who has compromised nearly everything he stood for just eight short years ago in order to win the favor of the very people he stood against during his first 20 years in the Senate. A man who put politics ahead of country by selecting an unqualified running mate in order to placate the evangelicals. A man, who promised to run a clean, ethical, professional campaign, then fired his campaign manager and hired a student of the Rove school of character assassination.

It saddens me to see such a vibrant and relevant man who could have become a giant in politics during the first part of the 21st century, be reduced to what we are seeing every day on TV.

He appears to be an occasionally confused old man who needs someone else's words to express himself.

I know there's a very good and competent man in there somewhere, but I don't think we'll ever see him again. I use, "old man", in this letter with respect, since I am one, being more than two years older than the senator.

Len Brauer

Palatine