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The media that makes up the round table panel on This Week with George Stephanopoulos--George Will, Cokie Roberts, E.J. Dionne and Ron Brownstein--are eager to defend their ever available for an appearance or quote buddy, John McCain, from charges of corruption by the mean old New York Times. Don't let the fact that other press have come out and independently confirmed much of the report dissuade you that it's just the NY Times exercising their liberal bias. It's amusing to see them dance around to land on an alibi that will stick, from Cokie Roberts' all but Alzheimer's defense ("it's entirely possible that legitimately he doesn't remember, and uh, it was a while ago") to Brownstein's "Americans don't care about infidelity" (because that ridiculously expensive witchhunt that impeached Clinton didn't matter either). Cokie posits a rather astounding rationalization that St. McCain flew all around the country in corporate jets, but didn't really "like it." Oy.

The discussion moves on to public financing, and the panel manages to acknowledge yet minimize the trouble McCain is having with the FEC, especially Cokie Roberts, who feels this is much worse for Barack Obama. It's beyond ridiculous. You have to wonder what it will take for them to not forgive McCain or try to turn it around as a negative for Obama.