Now, don't you wish you'd have just come clean in the first place?

(h/t to MyDD) Honestly, when will politicians/staffers/mouthpieces learn?

When you make blanket denials, it'd kind of be a good idea to know what you are talking about.

Sen. McCain - having assured us there was nothing to worry about in his contacts with a female lobbyist - went on to deny ever having spoken with one of her clients (a Mr. Lowell Paxson) before sending letters to the FCC on his behalf.

In short order, Newsweek's Mike Isikoff comes forward with a sworn deposition McCain gave in 2002 asserting that he had, in fact spoken with Mr. Paxon.

Defenders of the man will just say there was no attempt to decieve: the denial was overly broad, this was six years ago - it slipped his mind. All perfectly possible scenarios.

But when you're on the hot seat and you start denouncing those who would question your integrity - ya might want to make sure you go through your statement with a fine tooth comb.

He just looks like a bumbler. He can cry foul about the original article and the timing - but this mess is all on him.