John McCain (R-AZ) has often managed to irk members of the media. As chairman of the Senate Commerce Committee, he practically declared open warfare with the National Association of Broadcasters on numerous issues ranging from LPFM to campaign advertising to media consolidation. For that reason, some may applaud the call for his resignation from the Senate from a member of his own state delegation, US Rep. Russell Pearce (R-AZ). Pearce says McCain is spending too much time on his bid for the White House and is leaving the job of Senator from the state of Arizona undone. According to reports, McCain has missed about half of the votes in the Senate this year, but his staff says he makes a great effort to get into Washington if a given vote is going to be close.
Meanwhile, as if McCain does not have enough company seeking the Republican nomination, there is Newt Gingrich hanging in the shadows. Gingrich says he'll make a decision to run or not in November. Lately, he's been signing copies of his most recent book, "Pearl Harbor" – in New Hampshire and Iowa. Hmmmm.
Finally, pity Sen. John Sununu (R-NH). That's Republican in New Hampshire, where a platoon of Democratic presidential hopefuls are barging around looking for something to talk about. Sometimes they get around to talking about John Sununu. Barack Obama (D-IL) went after Sununu and colleague Judd Gregg (R-NH) recently, prodding both to help get the US out of Iraq. Of course Judd is not up for re-election. Democrats see Sununu as vulnerable.
RBR observation: It is no doubt a great comfort to Sununu to remember that the New Hampshire primary comes well in advance of the November general election. Not that it will make him any less of a target for the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee in 2008, but at least he'll have all these other out-of-staters running around bad-mouthing him just before the election that counts.
