McNasty

Now we're seeing why he was given that nickname in high school.

This last few week, he's getting increasingly desperate - from thinly-veiled attacks on Obama's patriotism to nonsensical accusations of neglecting the troops (nevermind the fact that McMaverick was the one who opposed the recent GI Bill).

Senator Chuck Hagel, R-Nebraska has had enough.

"John is treading on some very thin ground here when he impugns motives and when we start to get into, 'You're less patriotic than me. I'm more patriotic ... "it's just not responsible to be saying things like that."

Hagel used to be considered one of McCain's strongest allies. He backed McCain in his 2000 run and was, at one point, someone many thought would be on a McCain short list for V-P.

But in the last year, he's spoken out more and more against the war in Iraq and McCain and Bush's positions. Hagel's wife's has donated to Obama and he's even said he'd consider a V-P position on an Obama ticket, if offered. Probably won't happen - but he's made it known to the Obama campaign.

By the way, isn't it a strange coincidence that this sudden, ugly turn in McCain seems to happen around the same time Karl Rove took a more active role in his campaign?

Expect lots more of this kind of MaverickyStraightTalkTM as we enter the final 100 days of the race.

Photo AP