I don't quite understand. . .

. . .the "I-told-you-so's" being directed toward McCain and his supporters in the wake of the New York Times ambuscade, but I suspect it comes from the desire to self-validate on behalf of his most vocal critics. Well, actually, I guess I do understand it.

But, it strikes me as a bit wrong-headed to take a triumphalist posture on the matter, given the fact that I can't think of a single person who has supported McCain over the last few months who has ever pointed to media friendliness as a rationale for supporting his candidacy. In fact, from my own perspective, media coverage was going to be a liability to dealt with all along -- knowing full-well that the establishment liberal media would eventually turn on him just as they would any Republican, and fully expecting strong resistance from the establishment conservative media.

Truth is, the liberal media hasn't surprised this supporter in the least, while the conservative media has proven to be a bit more intractable and vehement in its opposition to his nomination than I had initially expected. However, I had the sense all along that it would be a hit piece by one of the Democrats' house organs that would eventually serve to unite Republicans.

Whatever the rationale for the end zone dance, it's largely offered in good faith, I suspect, and shouldn't be an obstacle to the goal of unity. Time spent on quibbling over who said what all along is time wasted during a period of great opportunity -- one where the Democrats are busily working out scenarios that could potentially hamstring whichever candidate comes out on top in the nomination process.

Of course, it's silly to think that this will bring all Republicans into the fold. The fact is, there are some who are absolutely wedded to their opposition of McCain as the GOP candidate, and those who have said things that simply will not allow them to cast aside their differences unless something as momentous as a nuclear attack on the Homeland should occur. This is the Hiroo Onoda wing of the GOP I mentioned in an earlier post, and will prove to be largely inconsequential in the long run.

Their minds won't be changed, and any attempt to placate them will surely prove to be an obstacle on the course to ultimate victory. And, there's no point in stopping an entire wagon train and circling to fend off a few ragtag holdouts from the breakaway peashooter infantry.