John McCain, Phil Gramm

Phil Gramm has a Phd in Economics, is a former senator, and is John McCain's top Economic Advisor.

In an interview with the Washington Times (a conservative paper), Phil Gramm said the United States is not in an actual recession, we're in a 'mental' recession, and we've become a nation of whiners.

He later clarified his statement about whiners and said he was talking about the leaders of our government.

John McCain immediately denounced what Phil Gramm said. He said "Phil Gramm does not speak for me. I speak for me."

During his denouncement press conference, someone John McCain whether this would affect Phil Gramm's future as Treasury Secretary in a McCain administration.

John McCain's response was "I think Sen. Gramm would be in serious consideration for ambassador to Belarus, although I’m not sure the citizens of Minsk would welcome that.”

Just 24 hours ago, McCain considered Phil Gramm his friend and top economic advisor. When they appeared together at 'town hall' meetings, McCain didn't hesitate to share the microphone with Gramm when asked an economic question that required further details.

Turning on a dime, McCain is not only distancing himself from his friend, but mocking and ridiculing him as well. It wasn't enough to just say that Phil Gramm is no longer under consideration for Treasury Secretary. McCain had to make a joke about how even people in a far away country that used to be part of our cold war enemy the Soviet Union, even those people wouldn't like him.

That was unnecessary and unkind, and is a window into the type of person McCain is.

I have to believe that even the politicians I dislike have friends and family they care about; people who mean more to them than politics. I try to remember it when I consider how creepy they are as government leaders (Dick Cheney and George W Bush for example).

Again, I don't have a problem with John McCain distancing himself from the remarks. That IS politics. I have a problem with him treating his friend unkindly and with such disregard. That tells me a lot about John McCain inside his heart.

Don't get me wrong - I was never going to vote for John McCain. I'm not a fence-sitter.
I decided against John McCain long before he officially started his campaign. I was willing to respectfully disagree with him in 2000. But, when I saw how he pandered to George Bush and the Republican party in later years - even after the George Bush campaign belittled his military service in 2000 - I lost all respect for the man. It was clear to me he wanted to be president at any cost. And now I know he's willing to give up on his long term friendships as well.

The twist in the road here is that John McCain said an unkind thing that I don't like, but he probably didn't even mean it and behind closed doors he and Phil Gramm are still friends and its no problem. Phil Gramm's a politician too.

Either way its kinda creepy - John McCain's either a bad friend, or a liar.