Back in 2005, John McCain praised discredited Jim Crow nostalgist Trent Lott, saying “of all the majority leaders we’ve had in the United States Senate, I believe that Trent Lott was the finest leader we’ve had.” (McCain also endorsed George Wallace, Jr., who spoke four times to a racist hate group.)

Today, Lott returned the favor, sending out an email trying to bolster McCain’s conservative credentials by linking him to Ronald Reagan (PDF). With this kind of pandering to the base, it won’t be long until McCain’s media-fueled reputation as a “maverick” comes crashing down.

In other news, you can get your very own John McCain fleece if you give a mere $200 to his campaign (PDF):

Is it a PBS fundraising drive or a presidential campaign?