Times nails McCain campaign in front page news article:

[Party in Power, Running as if It Weren’t](http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/05/us/politics/05assess.html?_r=1&hp&oref=slogin)

Now, it’s undeniable that there are relatively significant political differences between McCain and Bush, regardless of McCain’s positioning during this campaign. McCain has rhetorically shifted to the right in a calculated move to energize the right, although last night’s speech was a refreshing dose of moderation (it made Palin’s speech seem quite shallow and juvenile, but perhaps that is fitting).

Nevertheless the mantra about changing Washington from a whole lineup of Republican power brokers — Mitt Romney (he hates East Coast elites), Giuliani (he’s suspicious of big city machine politics), and Fred Thompson (no more lobbyists!), was Orwelian in hypocrisy. It reminds me of the scene in 1984 when the narrator describes the “hate sessions,” in which the citizens go to movie theatres and rally against whoever they’re told the enemy of the day is. Often the enemy of today is yesterday’s ally.