Once Again Straight Talk is Shot Down

The worst thing a McCain advisor can do is tell the truth about Barack Obama:

Charlie Black has had his moment of straight talk ... and chances are he's not going to let it happen again.

A recent Washington Post piece on Black aptly described him as "John McCain's man in Washington," a "longtime uber-lobbyist" and "political maestro" who hopes "to guide his friend, the senator from Arizona, to the presidency this November."
Now comes a Fortune magazine article that, even more aptly, notes the "startling candor" with which Black discussed how a spotlight on national security would serve McCain's political purposes.

First, he provided some background.

The assassination of Pakistani political leader Benazir Bhutto in late December was an "unfortunate event," Black told Fortune, but it boosted McCain's stock in the fast-approaching New Hampshire Republican primary that he absolutely, positively had to win. The candidate's "knowledge and ability to talk about it reemphasized that this is the guy who's ready to be commander in chief. And it helped us," Black said.

Then, the longtime political pro got a bit too honest. Asked about the political impact of another terrorist attack on U.S. soil, Black replied: "Certainly it would be a big advantage to him."

As has become McCain habit, he immediately disavowed the comment. Thou shalt not tell the truth about Barack Obama if the statement might make Obama or his press minions uncomfortable. For reasons unknown to me McCain chooses to leave Obama untouched on the issue that should be his biggest weakness.