As many folks know, I have seriously mixed emotions about John McCain.

I do wish someone would ask him about this quote from sometime back.

"He [Michael Graham] also mentioned my abridgement of First Amendment rights, i.e. talking about campaign finance reform....I know that money corrupts....I would rather have a clean government than one where quote First Amendment rights are being respected, that has become corrupt. If I had my choice, I'd rather have the clean government."

I mean, it is important to illustrate the fundamental hostility of a major presidential candidate to a part of the Constitution. After all, if elected, McCain would be swearing to "preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States." Does his record indicate an inability to do so? I certainly think his own words make that a legitimate issue.

Mark Levin also offers some other areas where McCain should be seriously questioned by the media and his opponents.

The McCain domestic record is a disaster. To say he fought spending, most particularly earmarks, is to nibble around the edges and miss the heart of the matter. For starters, consider:

* McCain-Feingold — the most brazen frontal assault on political speech since Buckley v. Valeo.

* McCain-Kennedy — the most far-reaching amnesty program in American history.

* McCain-Lieberman — the most onerous and intrusive attack on American industry — through reporting, regulating, and taxing authority of greenhouse gases — in American history.

* McCain-Kennedy-Edwards — the biggest boon to the trial bar since the tobacco settlement, under the rubric of a patients’ bill of rights.

* McCain-Reimportantion of Drugs — a significant blow to pharmaceutical research and development, not to mention consumer safety (hey Rudy, pay attention, see link).

And given some of his defense miscues and his key role in undermining Bush's judicial nominees as a part of the Gang of 14, and you can see there is a lot to ask about besides his compelling story of personal heroism and sacrifice.

Maybe John McCain is not the greatest threat ever faced by the American Republic -- but is he the best that the Republicans have to offer America?

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