Did McCain forget smear campaign?

John McCain is widely regarded as a man of honor and integrity. But does the reality match the reputation?

In 2000 McCain had beaten George W. Bush in early primaries for the Republican presidential nomination. He had momentum going into South Carolina's primary, and Bush's campaign was considered to be in trouble.

It was then that Bush's henchman, Karl Rove, hired political

operatives to run a smear campaign against McCain in South Carolina.

Rumors were spread that McCain's wife Cindy was a drug addict, and that their adopted Bangladeshi child was, in fact, John McCain's "illegitimate black daughter." Bush won the primary and McCain's campaign was finished. McCain was rightfully livid and famously confronted George W. Bush about it. Bush's response was that it was "only politics."

In this year's presidential campaign McCain has flip-flopped on numerous issues, from campaign finance reform to the Bush tax cuts to offshore drilling. But perhaps nothing he's done to further his political ambitions is more jaw-dropping than the fact that he has now hired the very same political dirty tricksters who smeared his wife and child back in 2000.

Is there any greater proof of McCain's lack of honor and integrity than his willingness to employ the very same people who so despicably attacked his own wife and child?

Daniel Welch

Lombard