From today’s Washington Post. Unlike anti-Mitt stories, this one isn’t based on class warfare. Its central theme is that John McCain is a hothead who yells at and kneecaps fellow Republicans. His chief of staff’s defense?

[Mark] Salter scoffed at the idea that McCain is not fit to be president and said most stories about his temper are “wildly exaggerated.” He pointed to McCain’s success at “across-the-aisle cooperation” with Democrats as an example of how he would deal with Congress if elected president.

Yeah, like McCain-Feingold and McCain-Kennedy, a pair of legislative abominations. If that’s how a President McCain would “deal with Congress,” no thanks. But the McCain camp’s instinctive defense here is interesting. Instead of always touting McCain’s recording of working with liberals, which we all know he can do, how about Salter or someone else in McCain’s camp giving us some evidence that McCain can work with conservatives?

There isn’t much of that, at least in the last few years. But there’s this.

McCain’s relationship with House Republicans has been strained for years. After stumping for more than 50 GOP candidates during the 2000 campaign, McCain dramatically scaled back his efforts in 2002 out of pique toward House Republicans who opposed his effort to overhaul campaign finance law.

Great. McCain sacrificed the GOP congress over his wretched CFR crusade. Speaker Pelosi thanks you, Maverick.