Politics | John McCain Saint John Still Tainted by Senate Murk Ethics crusader is still no stranger to lobbying culture By Kevin Spak Posted Mar 27, 2008 12:12 PM CDT Copied Republican presidential candidate, Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., addresses members and guests of the Los Angeles Worlds Affairs Council, Wednesday, March 26, 2008, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mary Altaffer) With John McCain the presumptive Republican nominee, Democrats are rushing to expose chinks in the Arizona senator's saintly armor, Michael Scherer reports in Time. Though McCain talks tough about special interests, he has often appeared to have done their bidding. He once, for example, wrote a letter on behalf of a donor after a fundraiser on said donor’s yacht. DNC chief Howard Dean calls McCain a “situational ethicist” who “runs on integrity, but doesn’t seem to have any." McCain always counters by saying he has never betrayed the public trust, but even he admits that the Senate holds no saints. “All of us are tainted,” he said in 2002. “And I am one of them.” Read These Next Americans have thoughts on aging. Essayist quit drinking at age 71, writes that it's never too late. Indictment: Pitchers struck deal with bettors on what to throw. Porn studio is US' 'most prolific copyright plaintiff.' Report an error