McCain Is McToast

I'm prepared to say it: Sen. John McCain is done as a presidential candidate. There are half a dozen reasons, each of them strong enough to end a typical presidential bid: Age, antagonizing the Republican base, an inability to connect with the moment, etc. But here's a simple and visceral one: Does anyone really want THIS guy to be president?

Things got really heated when [TX Sen. John] Cornyn accused McCain of being too busy campaigning for president to take part in the negotiations, which have gone on for months behind closed doors. "Wait a second here," Cornyn said to McCain. I've been sitting in here for all of these negotiations and you just parachute in here on the last day. You're out of line."

McCain, a former Navy pilot, then used language more accustomed to sailors (not to mention the current vice president, who made news a few years back after a verbal encounter with Sen. Patrick Leahy of Vermont).

"[Expletive] you! I know more about this than anyone else in the room," shouted McCain at Cornyn. McCain helped craft a bill in 2006 that passed the Senate but couldn't be compromised with a House bill that was much tougher on illegal immigrants.

It's what I've been talking about since 2000, John McCain's "loose vent flap" problem. He's not stable. He's not disciplined. And he makes Rudy Giuliani look like an affable fellow.

The McCain Moment was 2000. He missed it--perhaps to America's detriment. But it's over. Nothing to see here, time to move on.