Did You Know John McCain was One of the Keating Five?

Photo from New York Times

I pose the question in the headline, because for some reason, this fact is rarely even alluded to in the press, or from the Barack Obama campaign. Why is that? We're supposed to revere John McCain for his service in the military 40 years ago, and deduce that his experience as a POW shapes his character.

But we're supposed to ignore his philandering 30 years ago, and pay no attention to his involvement in a financial scandal 20 years ago. I think this is bad strategy. And I think we liberal bloggers ought to do all we can to give our readers a more complete accounting of McCain's character over the years.

So, if you'd forgotten--or never knew--about McCain's involvement in the savings and loan scandal, here's a helpful primer, with lots of useful links. Sorry, time for some homework. . .

[Excerpt]

McCain Keating Five Flashback: "You're a Liar"

The implosion of Wall Street this week comes as a triple-dose of bad news for John McCain. No doubt, his daily-changing response to the crisis confirmed McCain's self-proclaimed ignorance of economics. Perhaps even more damaging, America's financial nightmare conjured images of the savings and loan scandal 20 years ago, one in which McCain's close ties to political sugar daddy Charles Keating almost ended his career. And to be sure, flashing back to McCain's 1989 temper tantrum in response to his Keating Five charges can only remind American voters that John McCain is dangerously unfit for the nation's highest office. . .

Read more at: Perspectives

Thanks to Stupid Monkey Planet for the link.