Why John McCain's Team Has No Honor

Why didn't John McCain do better in the presidential race?

It could be because he wasn't really a conservative, and wore his "maverick" image down to a bloody stump.

It could be because the 40 percent of Americans who consider themselves conservative didn't trust him.

It could be that the 27 percent of Americans who consider themselves moderate were in thrall to Barack Obama's seemingly centrist campaign rhetoric -- so why vote for an old fart moderate when you can have a young energetic one.

It damn sure wasn't because Sarah Palin let him down. She was the reason McCain kept it close.

But McCain staffers, probably hoping that the boss will trot out one more presidential bid in 2012, are busy trashing Gov. Palin every chance they get.

The latest is a Vanity Fair interview in which a few McCain people describe her as "little shop of horrors," "nowhere near ready for the job ... and might never be," and "a whack job."

My first thought is: "And Joe Biden was a better choice?"

My second thought: This is why I will never trust John McCain, or anyone associated with him. He surrounds himself with progressives who flatter him for going against conservative principles, and then blame his failures (and theirs) on others.

John McCain should be embarrassed, but I doubt if he will be.