Tipsheet

Political Translation

Hotline interprets the headlines. On the McCain vs. Romney fight:

Superficial Interpretation: McCain is afraid of Romney; McCain is worried by Romney's rise in the polls

Better interpretation: McCain and Romney are now running against each other; they're vying for the Rudy alternative spot; also, McCain is a bit concerned about Romney's rise in the polls,and he's angry that Romney appears to be eschewing intellectual honesty in order to score cheap political points on immigration. Also: McCain thinks Romney is a big phony.