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From Saturday Night Live, Nov. 15, 2008.

As McCain's henchman Rick Davis was trying to label as "Secret Donations" amounts that are under the disclosure limits of the bill McCain himself wrote on campaign finance, and suggesting that Obama is taking in illegal foreign donations...

... the worst-run presidential campaign in history was rolling into another blunder.

John McCain's presidential election campaign has solicited a financial contribution from an unlikely source -- Russia's U.N. envoy -- but a McCain spokesman said on Monday it was a mistake.

In the letter, McCain urged Russia's U.N. Ambassador, Vitaly Churkin, to contribute anywhere from $35 (20 pounds) to $5,000 (2,912 pounds) to help ensure McCain's victory over Democratic rival Sen. Barack Obama, currently ahead in voter preference polls. "If I have the honour of continuing to serve you, I make you this promise: We will always put America -- her strength, her ideals, her future -- before every other consideration," McCain assured Churkin.

Moscow's mission to the United Nations issued a terse statement on the Republican presidential candidate's letter, saying that the Russian government and its officials "do not finance political activity in foreign countries."

Yes, it was almost certainly a database error, and more than a few people as finding it amusing as hell. But it also undermines the McCain campaign's narrative in the most embarassing way.

It also leaves some questions open. The FEC's notes on public financing say:

A major party nominee who has accepted public funding for the general election may not accept any contributions to further his election. You may, however, help a publicly funded nominee by contributing to the candidate's compliance fund. A compliance fund is a special account maintained by publicly funded nominees solely for paying legal and accounting expenses incurred in complying with the campaign finance law. You may contribute up to $2,300 to the compliance fund of a major party nominee.

$5,000 dollars is over the limit set for the FEC. The campaign still was sending out to ask for money even though it has accepted public finance so was it clearly asking for a contribution to the compliance fund?

Time for an FEC audit of McCain's finances. That's what FOX and the rest would be baying for if this was an Obama campaign letter.

McCain: Across this country, this is the agenda I set before my fellow prisoners.

Apparently Republican strategist Joe Watkins got the email about how to deal with McCain's "housing crisis," because last night on "Verdict" the always reliable GOP shill stayed right on message, dismissing McCain's gaffe by pointing out how heroic, patriotic and POW-rific he is. Remind me again what being a former POW has to do with forgetting how rich, privileged and out of touch you are?

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Abrams: "Joe, I want to ask you if it's fair to call this 'playing the POW card. I want to ask you if that's an unfair characterization.'"

Watkins: "Everybody knows John McCain is a patriot. There's nothing wrong with having investment properties. Lots of Americans do. If I was Barack Obama, I wouldn't get into this argument with John McCain, who is an American hero."

Everyone respects John McCain's Vietnam service, but it's pretty sickening to hear the McCain campaign exploit that difficult chapter in his life every time he sticks his foot in his mouth. I mean, c'mon; In three short sentences, Watkins mentions twice that McCain is a "patriot" and "an American hero." That has absolutely nothing to do with the issue at hand, which is that despite all the GOP talking points to the contrary, John McCain is the one candidate in this race who cannot empathize with the struggles of average Americans.

But, but, but....that's his strong suit. Right?

WaPo:

In comments to reporters on Thursday, McCain asserted that “I can tell you that it is succeeding. I can look you in the eye and tell you it’s succeeding. We have drawn down to pre-surge levels. Basra, Mosul and now Sadr City are quiet and it’s long and it’s hard and it’s tough and there will be setbacks.”

In fact, as the Obama campaign was quick to point out, the troop level in Iraq is at about 155,000 right now, well above the 130,000 that would mark a return to pre-surge levels.

And the McCain camp's response:

Advisers to Sen. John McCain said the flap over whether the senator was mistaken about the troop level in Iraq is nothing more than "nitpicking" about "verb tenses."

So the lives of 20,000 soldiers is just "nitpicking"? Nice to know you really "support those troops," Senator.

Sound Clip O' Fun!

Yes, that is the audience laughing at Bush because...you decide: Bush On What Sovereignty Means