I might as well say it. I like John McCain. Specifically, more than any politician I can think of, I believe he means it when he says he wouldn’t stand for lobbyists writing legislation if he were president.

I love the way he hunches his shoulders like a English bulldog when he talks about corporate lobbyists — the oil folks, prescription drug manufacturers, tobacco and such. His body language convinces me that he really does think these folks are heinous jackals who take pleasure in ripping off the American people.

I used to think he was a very honorable guy, as well, who did, at one time, take great pride in exercising “straight talk” on the campaign trail.

Unfortunately, the attacks his party are launching against Obama have blown that sentiment out of the water. And now, after watching him walk around the stage at the last debate like Grandpa trying to find his room at a nursing home, and after his apppallingly poor choice of a vice presidential candidate, I have to wonder if the old fella isn’t a few bales shy in the brain barn these days.

Then comes this. He meant to say “My fellow Americans,” and look what came out. To borrow a phrase from my friend Devin O.: “That’s getting into ‘wow’ territory!”