It Isn't Campaign Season Without Subtle Religious Bigotry

John McCain's 95 year-old mother decided to pre-empt any whisper campaigns against her son this time around by starting one of her own:

John McCain's 95-year-old mother, in a swipe at her son's rival Mitt Romney, said Friday that Mormons were to blame for the scandal that rocked the 2002 Salt Lake City Olympics.

During an appearance on MSNBC, Roberta McCain laid out why her son, John, deserves to win the Republican presidential nomination. But in evaluating McCain's primary rivals, she criticized Romney's Mormon faith and his time in Salt Lake City.

"As far as the Salt Lake City thing, he's a Mormon and the Mormons of Salt Lake City had caused that scandal. And to clean that up, again, it's not a subject," Roberta McCain said.
John McCain quickly stepped in: "The views of my mothers are not necessarily the views of mine."

"Well, that's my view and you asked me," Roberta answered.

Honestly, I had forgotten that the Mitt-led 2002 Olympics were marred by organizers bribing IOC officials with hookers and the like. But apparently Mrs. McCain hasn't, and she's keen to blame "them Mormons and their magic underwear." It was one of those moments that could only come from someone who remembers a time of separate drinking fountains, and maybe not with regret.

Campaigns that are close frequently become nasty. This one's a nailbiter and there are a lot of big egos and reputations on the line. The claws will be permanently deployed for the next few months.