secrets past and present

Check it out: the Obama campaign has produced a wonderful primer on John McCain’s economic record and his deep involvement in the infamous Keating Five scandal of the late-eighties, a subset of/synecdoche for the massive savings and loan crisis of the period.  And if this at first looks like some sort of campaign torpedo piece, stay tuned – it’s relevance turns quickly apparent.  

The film illustrates his ideaological affinity for economic deregulation, a career-long favoritism for corporate gold-heelers, and a fondness for that oldest of age-old traditions: the unspoken bribe, the big-money quid pro quo that transpires daily between corrupt pols like McCain and the richest of rich.  As you’ll notice, Mac wasn’t always a self-styled enemy of corporate greed; in fact, watching this mini-doc, you’ll come to understand why he recently tried to take on that mantle, if only in name, and to phony effect.  This, in essence, is the genesis of McCain as so-called maverick; it’s the origin of his now-familiar political two-face.  Can’t say it’s hard to spy the lesson he took away from this messy affair: when siding with crooks to cheat folks for profit, don’t forget to cover your ass.

Also, as addendum, here’s the Obama campaign’s fun factoid of the day: if elected, McCain would be the only politician in history to be sent to the White House after formal admonishment and censure at the hands of congressional colleagues, a result of Keating Five.