Klein vs. McCain, part 105

It's hard to remember that Joe Klein was recently an adoring admirer of John McCain.

In today's installment, Joe offers Patriotism 101,

Anyone who talks about the "pro-American" parts of the country is making an anti-American statement.

Anyone who talks about the "real" parts of Virginia doesn't understand that all of Virginia is real--just not the reality as fantasized by the sort of people who see some parts of the country as more "pro-American" than others.

Anyone who describes one part of the country as "most patriotic" has lost all sense of what patriotism means.

Joe then takes a deserving dig at John Murtha before concluding rather bluntly,

But, seriously, you have to wonder why John McCain has spent so much time questioning the patriotism of others, especially his opponent, in this campaign. Is it because he once signed a prison "confession" that he considered treasonous? If so, please know that we don't blame you. You're a patriot, Senator, and a hero...at least, you were until you started questioning the patriotism of others--by saying things like they'd rather win an election than a war, and by implying that they're soft on terrorists. Then you became something else entirely. And it hasn't worked very well, has it?