Like a beloved major leaguer playing his final season, accepting gifts and receiving toasts at his last appearances at opposing teams’ stadiums, John McCain finds himself in his death-bed bombarded by pre-obituary accolades from the press. The press, which McCain has long jokingly referred to as “my base,” has already issued so many sugary summations of his life and political career that by the time he dies the obituary writers will have nothing to chew on but a smattering of scraps.

In recent weeks McCain has been lauded in print for his decency, his courage and his congeniality. He’s an icon. No, he’s an American hero! No, make that the conscience of the Senate! Bret Stephens and Gail Collins of the New York Times have gathered around the cracker barrel to reminisce in a piece embarrassingly titled “Maybe We Don’t Deserve John McCain” about the glories of covering his “Straight Talk Express” campaign for president in 2000. Washington Post columnist Dana Milbank, not usually given to this sort of acclamation, dropped his wise-guy persona last week to gush about McCain being “the single greatest political leader of our time.” Back in the Times, columnist Frank Bruni staged a Viking funeral for the senator, writing, “Although I disagree with many of his political views, including his too-keen itch for foreign intervention, that doesn’t prevent me from admiring him enormously.” Not even Derek Jeter and David Ortiz were flurried with as much confetti when they departed.