Bad week on the Straight Talk Express

John McCain started the week out so well, getting to do the coin toss for the BCS Championship Game being held in his home state -- and conveniently pitting the two most important general-election swing states against each other.

It's been all downhill from there. President Bush is actually going to follow McCain's advice to send in more troops, forcing McCain to pen an op-ed today predicting that the troop increase will bring security and order to Iraq. Polls show a pronounced scorn for this opinion among all but a teeny-tiny percentage of independents -- the crucial voters for McCain in the 2000 primaries.

Today, the Arizona Republic reports that former Senator Dennis DeConcini's forthcoming memoirs, due out February 1, paints a rather unflattering portrait of John McCain during the ol' Keating Five scandal.

Meanwhile, Roll Call reports (sub. req.) that a survey of county COP chairmen in Iowa reveals a staggering lack of enthusiasm for McCain among likely caucus-goers -- and a high level of interest in Mitt Romney.

Now, the Krusty Konservative -- Iowa's most influential Republican blogger -- is promising a post about the lack of grassroots support for McCain in the state.

All good for the Mittster....