Before throwing the hate at me for posting this, just watch the first minute or two. I remain very very skeptical of McCain as a conservative for all the same reasons most of you do. McCain’s hypocrisy in bashing Mitt Romney for spending his own money, when his own campaign finance law is largely responsible for the rise of self-financed campaigns, all but makes McCain a joke. He reportedly flirted with becoming a Democrat in 2001 according to that 10-month old story that Drudge is flogging, probably out of personal rage for having lost to George W. Bush. He still has Juan Hernandez, someone I consider to be an agent of influence for the Mexican government, on his campaign staff and that’s totally unacceptable. Rather they being a straight talker, he distorted and dissembled during the last GOP debate. But in the first couple of minutes of the interview McCain does lay out one serious difference between himself and either of the Democrats: Iraq. Last night both Clinton and Obama made pledges to begin withdrawing troops from Iraq as soon as possible. McCain disagrees and won’t do that, and rather than hem and haw about Iraq, stated unequivocally that we’re winning there. That’s probably the one issue where McCain’s straight talk actually means something, but it’s one big issue. Click on the image to head over to Red Lasso to play the clip.

Partial transcript:

JAY LENO: Don’t quote Mao on the campaign trail.

(Laughter.)

Not a good idea. It’s interesting because I’ve watched your career, and you seem to revel in being the underdog. It seems like, when the times get rough, you do this conniving ‑‑ do you enjoy that?

JOHN McCAIN: In a way, yeah. If I could just tell you a brief story. I was in Iraq with my friend Senator Lindsey Graham. 688 brave young Americans ‑‑ temperatures like 125 ‑‑ reenlist to stay in Iraq and fight. I mean, it was one of the more moving experiences I’ve ever had. We were on the plane on the way back, and we were talking, and I said, “You know, you’ve got these kids out there, these brave young Americans out there, and I’m worried about my political future, and they are putting it on the line. We’re not going to let them get defeated. We’re not going to have them surrender, and they’re going to win,” and, by golly, they are winning, my friend.

(Applause.)

Does McCain’s undeniable support for finishing Iraq with a win complicate things? Yes, it does. There’s nothing simple about this year’s election. Nothing at all.