Conservatives who insist that electing McCain is crucial usually start, and increasingly end, by saying he would make excellent judicial selections. But the more one sees of his impulsive, intensely personal reactions to people and events, the less confidence one has that he would select judges by calm reflection and clear principles, having neither patience nor aptitude for either.
It is arguable that, because of his inexperience, Obama is not ready for the presidency. It is arguable that McCain, because of his boiling moralism and bottomless reservoir of certitudes, is not suited to the presidency. Unreadiness can be corrected, although perhaps at great cost, by experience. Can a dismaying temperament be fixed?
Will, just like the entire New York Times and Politico's Ben Smith, will now be banished to the list of people whose fair questions or criticisms of a reckless, dishonest and out of touch McCain campaign are now invalidated because they are "in the tank."
Using the new McCain standard, I would formally like to declare that from now on, I will be doing and saying whatever I please, without regard to truth, decency or logic. Furthermore, it should be known that should you point out my awful conduct, I will make no effort to address the validity of your complaint, instead I will simply render your past, present and future critiques invalid by declaring you "in the tank. " God forbid I should actually be held accountable for my words and deeds.
Ambinder on "in the tank."
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