The old saying that all politics are local certainly seems true in the case of John McCain, a notorious RINO incumbent who has again obfuscated his true colors and seduced the voters of Arizona with his recent primary victory over J.D. Hayworth.

John McCain, backed by a 21 million dollar war chest (possibly with RNC funds? to keep conservative elements at bay?) viciously attacked J.D. Hayworth as a “late-night infomercial huckster” in a series of devastating ads. Senator McCain apparently had no problem conveniently forgetting McCain-Feingold campaign finance reform when it comes to his own political survival. Sadly, Senator McCain muted his aggressiveness to the then Senator from the State of Illinois in the 2008 Presidential Election while reserving it for challengers from his own party.

Unfortunately, Mr. Hayworth, a talk-radio host and former six-term congressman from Scottsdale could not tap into the organic conservative voter angst in Arizona that recently toppled Republican Bob Bennett of Utah. J.D. could only raise 2.1 million for his campaign. Too bad. Mr. Hayworth is a true conservative that deserved better from the voters of Arizona and would have been an effective conservative stalwart in the Senate had he prevailed in the general election.

While I respect Senator McCains military service, even that no longer gains traction with me. My father served this nation honorably for 30 years in the United State Navy, serving during World War II, Korea and Vietnam he witnessed firsthand the horrors of war. My older brother joined the United States Army in 1967, went Special Forces and by age 18, was serving in the 101st. Airborne. Wounded by 19 years of age, decorated with the Bronze and Silver Stars for heroism and the Purple Heart for his wounds, returning to a country deeply divided by the war, he (among thousands of other returning young men and women) were, at times treated shabbily by the American public. The saying “ we support our troops, but not the war” had yet to become part of the daily political lexicon. Neither my father or brother ever used their military service to gain advantage in their civilian lives. Indeed, they seldom spoke of their war time experiences and only in the briefest of passages and in private settings. So Senator McCain, in the interest of the millions of others that have served this country faithfully, please refrain from capitalizing on your military service as you campaign in the upcoming general election.

Senator McCain revels in his self branded moniker as “a maverick.” Websters Dictionary defines a maverick as “ an independent individual who does not go along with a group or party.” That would be fine in a situation of life or death, where groupthink or situational panic eclipses rational thought. Think Donner Party.

However, Senator McCain has demonstrated a history of not merely being a “maverick”, but rather of an individual that has devolved into self-serving, political schizophrenia. The darling of the Republican moderate establishment, he is antagonistic to conservative elements within the Republican party and sneers at conservative and independent voices outside of well defined party lines. Often joining hands with the most liberal of Democrats (Kennedy-McCain immigration reform) in the interest of “ compromise” Senator McCain acts in manner consistent with one who hears distant, internal voices of his own making while lashing out at those who question his motives having elected him to office.

Senator McCains win is particularly puzzling given the recent events regarding illegal immigration in his home state. Arizona Governor Jan Brewer, showing more political testosterone than many of her male Republican colleagues in Congress, bravely tackled the incendiary issue of illegal immigration. Her approval ratings and overwhelming support for SB1070 reflects the anxiety the average Arizonan feels regarding this issue and a necessary state level cure to a problem the federal government has chosen to ignore. Senator McCains’ record on illegal immigration is well known: willful ignorance, reluctant acknowledgment, then finally, when forced to confront the issue attempts to foist a “comprehensive” bill onto the country in the dark of night, without public debate and when illuminated by public concern, angrily denounces any that opposes him as racist, bigoted and small minded.

We saw much of the same tactics and language by Nancy Pelosi, Harry Reid and other Democrat leaders during the national healthcare debate. Not surprising.

During the primary, Senator McCain ran to the center on illegal immigration. Much of his narrative reflect common sense, conservative approach mainly that border security must come before any legislative fix to the complex issue of immigration in toto.

Hopefully the threat that Mr. Hayworth posed will resonate with Senator McCain for some time, that he will remember his stance on illegal immigration that brought him victory in the primary and he can shed the label of “maverick.” for the sake of the nation.