I finally found McCain

John McCain disappeared after being torn apart by the Baghdad press corps last Sunday for his ridiculous statements about the current state of Iraq. Since then, he has been in hiding, not making any appearances or doing any interviews.

Well, it sounds like he's ready to "relaunch."

Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) will launch a high-profile effort next week to convince Americans that the Iraq war is winnable, embracing the unpopular conflict with renewed vigor as he attempts to reignite his stalling bid for the presidency.

Look. I would argue that it's not McCain's prowar stance that's gotten him into trouble. Although not broadly popular, when he was running around shouting "whack a mole," endorsing the war while aggressively criticizing the Bush strategy, he was doing okay with the primary voting Republicans.

It was his endorsement of this specific plan that got him into trouble. It was tying himself to President Bush, getting wrapped into becoming the last Bush defender that got him beaten up.

So, I guess the question is, can he navigate back to the previous position?

After all the "surge" endorsements, I don't think so, and that leaves him making the exact same argument George Bush keeps making.

With the Virginia Military Institute as a backdrop, McCain plans to argue in a speech on Wednesday that victory in Iraq is essential to American security and that President Bush's war machine is finally getting on track after four years, aides and advisers said.

John McCain is going to try to run for President on George Bush's platform on the Iraq war.

Mindboggling. I think he should be disqualified just on that decision.