If there's anyone left who thinks there's much redeemable about Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) get ready to change your mind. Here he is at this morning's hearings for the nomination of Gen. Casey to be Army Chief of Staff. Remember that Casey was the top commander in Iraq. And according to the new Bush script he's responsible for ignoring Iraq's steady slide into anarchy over the last three years. All General Casey's fault. Bush would have gotten serious about security. Sent new troops. Done whatever. But Gen. Casey just kept him in the dark. And here's Sen. McCain going along with the malarkey.

It's like a show trial.

Casey was definitely part of what's happened in Iraq. He was the senior commander. He's responsible too. But to imagine that he led the president down the garden path? Please.

We've got Spencer Ackerman at the hearings and he'll be reporting in later at TPMmuckraker. Here's his preview from earlier this morning.