McCAIN TRIES TO CAPITALIZE ON THE FURY HILLARY CLINTON WON'T LIFT A FINGER TO QUELL

You can't blame him for trying to capitalize on the huge gift she's giving him, can you?

McCain lavishes praise on Hillary, says she's inspired American women

When a questioner at John McCain's town hall meeting earlier today in Nashville noted that the Republican was talking all about Barack Obama when Hillary Clinton was still in the race, the Republican nominee used the opportunity to pay tribute to his colleague from New York.

"Yes, Sen. Clinton is still in the race," McCain acknowledged to scattered laughter among the conservative crowd. "I have known Sen. Clinton, I admire her and I respect her. She has inspired generations of American women to believe that they can reach the highest office in this nation and I respect that."

...After noting that he and Clinton had "stark differences" on issues, McCain continued: "But I admire the campaign she has run and I think she deserves a great deal of credit."

..."I think the few of us who have been around politics for a while learned a lesson way back in 1992: that you better not count a Clinton out of any race." ...

And RNC "Victory Chair" Carly Fiorina just responded to an interviewer's question thus:

When I ask her what she thinks of Hillary Clinton's presidential campaign -- and whether the Democratic New York senator faced sexism on the campaign trail -- her response is clear. "Yes. I think women in positions of power are treated differently, and the treatment of her demonstrates that," she replies. "I have a lot of sympathy for what she's gone through. A lot of women recognize she's been treated differently, whether they're Democrats or Republicans."

Given the fact that Hillary Clinton is almost certainly going to spend the next three months sustaining the sense that she was shafted by sexist pigs and then -- maybe -- will campaign in earnest for the Democratic ticket for a mere two months, you can't blame McCain for trying to hunt where the ducks are. The only question, how many more damn ducks are Hillary and her team going to lead his way? At what point -- if ever -- will she start spending more time talking about defeating McCain than about how unfair it will be if Obama is the nominee?