Their Lieberman

I'm sure the fangs are out on the right over this:

John McCain sideswiped the Republican National Committee on Sunday for the intense focus it has placed on Barack Obama's relationship (however thin) to Gov. Rod Blagojevich.

Saying he was confident that information would be made public regarding the president-elect's contacts with the embattled Illinois governor -- who is accused of putting up Obama's vacant Senate seat to the highest bidder -- McCain urged his Republican colleagues to keep their political priorities in order.

"I think that the Obama campaign should and will give all information necessary," said the Arizona Republican. "You know, in all due respect to the Republican National Committee and anybody -- right now, I think we should try to be working constructively together, not only on an issue such as this, but on the economy stimulus package, reforms that are necessary. And so, I don't know all the details of the relationship between President-elect Obama's campaign or his people and the governor of Illinois, but I have some confidence that all the information will come out. It always does, it seems to me."

On the issues McCain is a pretty doctrinaire Republican, as he showed in the campaign. But the reason he infuriates the right the way Lieberman infuriates liberals is because he's willing to go on large stages and undercut the official party line, and bash Republicans. He didn't dare do this for two years when he was trying to get elected President, but now that's over and McCain is back, largely for the same reasons as Lieberman - it keeps his face on TV and he gets some glory from the Beltway chattering class. In this sense he can be a real asset to Obama, though it's purely for selfish reasons on McCain's part.