Cindy McCain, heroic peacemaker

By Michael J.W. Stickings

I'm being facetious, of course. But she's apparently on her way to war-torn Georgia, if she isn't there already.

"McCain has been a staunch supporter of Georgia in that country's clash with Russia, and sending his wife there underscores his commitment," noted the AP. "It also could deflect attention from Michelle Obama's convention speech in Denver as the Obama campaign seeks to introduce the family to voters."

Really.

McCain may be a staunch supporter of Georgia, but he's also a stupid one, rooted firmly in Cold War politics, talking tough with nothing to back it up but his own unstable temperament, pushing policies bound to aggravate Russia and drive a wedge into the heart of U.S.-Russian relations.

And now Cindy's off to do what? Broker peace? Smile for the cameras and pretend she has a clue?

This is politics, nothing else, with the clear intention of undermining Michelle Obama: While she's giving a speech, it will be said, Cindy McCain is off risking her manicure life in a dangerous foreign land. McCain may or may not care about Georgia, but he certainly cares about his political fortunes, and, as always, he's willing to do anything, and take advantage of any opportunity, even sending his wife over to Georgia for a photo-op, to score points.

The media will no doubt give him a free pass -- and Cindy, too (see Time, for example, which presents her as a courageous do-gooder unmotivated by political considerations) -- because they always do, but the real McCain is fully in evidence here: dangerously wrong on policy, shamelessly opportunistic on politics.

He's just grasping for attention this week. Try to ignore it.