The derangement has taken hold. It has spread from McCain to his running mate and to senior staff. McCain is actually campaigning in Iowa. Yes, Iowa! Where he only lags by 15 points, and it is 8 days to the election!. The other state of delusion is PA, where McCain is behind by 13 points. PA has the added benefit of being an expensive media market, draining what is left of the GOP money.

Why not accept reality and do what he can to salvage some Republican Senate seats? That is what Dole did in 1996. Why piss off the base by attacking Bush on the GOP party organ, the Washington Times? There is losing and there is taking down all your allies down with you. Is this McCain's final act of maverickyness? Is he getting even for all the insults, all the profanity, directed at him by the GOP stalwarts over the years? McCain is a proud man, never to forget a slight. He bears the scars of fighting his own party, as he says himself. This is McCain's revenge. If he can't win this one, he is taking them all down with him.