"McCain's problem is that his campaign is full of Washington-lobbyist types"

John McCain is supposed to be the great reformer. That's just pure bull. He scammed the FEC's public financing system last year -- something for which he's not been held accountable -- yet. And, his campaign is rife with very powerful D.C. lobbyists who work for some very shady characters -- and that's really starting to damage the McCain brand:

"It's the biggest anti-Washington streak in the American electorate in decades, and McCain's problem is that his campaign is full of Washington-lobbyist types," said Chris Kofinis, a former John Edwards aide. "You can't be the guy who is striving for reform when the people who run the campaign are fighting against reform."

Democrats have hammered McCain on that very issue for months, noting that campaign manager Rick Davis and senior adviser Charlie Black have spent decades lobbying in Washington. Both have left their companies.

The criticism exploded this month with the disclosure that two McCain advisers worked for DCI Group, a consulting firm that several years ago worked with a moderate member of Myanmar's military junta.

McCain was furious. The two resigned and the new policy followed.

Then, McCain fired an energy policy adviser who lobbied energy companies and asked another consultant to resign from the campaign's Virginia leadership team given a conflict. Former Texas Rep. Thomas G. Loeffler also resigned as McCain's national finance co-chairman because of lobbying ties that reportedly included Saudi Arabia.

Uh oh. Did I just read the McCain was furious? Watch out. We're told by many who have seen it (and many, many have) that a furious McCain is a very, very scary thing indeed. Problem for McCain is that he should be furious with himself. This is all his fault. He gathered all these lobbyists to run his campaign. Obviously, McCain didn't think it would be an issue -- but it is.

Ask Charlie Black.