On McCain: Oh media, how I despise thee

via TPM. This is the new bit of wisdom going around from our media betters. John McCain isn't responsible for his own campaign. Because media members think that John would be kinda embarrassed by all the lies, attacks and misleading statements his own campaign puts out, it's OK that his campaign does it. Even the lies and attacks McCain repeats in stump speeches aren't his fault because they're being pushed on him by nefarious staffers.

See, John McCain accidentally hired all of Karl Rove's hatchet men. He told them to run an honest campaign, but they revolted kidnapping John's family. Now McCain has to deliver fraudulent attacks, and run dishonest ads he knows are damaging to his image.......TO SAVE HIS FAMILY! *sobbing* It's the only way! Don't hold him responsible for his own campaign. THEY'VE GOT HIS FAMILY!! *uncontrollable weeping* HE'S AN HONEST MAN!!

Thank God we have Andrea Mitchell to sort out things like this for us. Otherwise we'd be left to believe that the shoddy, gutter campaigning that McCain engages in is actually the campaign he wants to run. We know that can't be true because...uh..maverick....something something.