The lesser of two McCains.

John McCain isn't getting away with his switch on the tax cuts. Both the conservative Donald Lambro and the liberal Paul Krugman have criticized his 180 degree change of course from opposing Bush's tax cuts for the rich in 2001 and 2003 to supporting them today. Not to mention his discovering this year that "I've never agreed with Roe v. Wade," even though he had opposed overturning it in his 2000 campaign. The senator's desperate attempt to get right with the GOP base is sad to watch for those who found him personally engaging and admired his heroism in Vietnam and his occasional declarations of independence from the Republican Party line. Ambition now seems to be suppressing his best qualities. This has happened briefly before, most notably when he was attempting to woo South Carolina voters by supporting to have the Confederate battle flag fly over the state Capitol. Unfortunately the senator's current surrender to his lesser side has already lasted for several months and threatens to continue through 2008.