Oh, hello John! I didn't know you were here!

So, apparently Senator John McCain formally announced his candidacy for president yesterday.

...

What?

If I'm not mistaken (and I read the New York Times, so I don't think I am), John McCain has been campaigning for president for a number of months now. Indeed, I was under the impression that he had announced his candidacy on the Late Show with David Letterman on February 28, almost two whole months ago.

What is this? Struggling candidates will re-announce their candidacy every few months in hopes of drawing media attention and gaining stature in the polls? Well, the former worked; I guess we'll have to wait and see about the latter.

I'm skeptical, though. I don't think conservatives will ever trust McCain, and now that he is fiercely faking conservatism (which may not be a sound strategy, given that Giuliani, an out-of-the-closet moderate, is still dominating the polls), he is losing the support of moderate Democrats who would have voted for him if he had lived up to his bus's name: the "Straight Talk Express."

Indeed, a recent poll conducted by Rasmussen Reports shows that his approval rating has hit a new low. And in other polls, he is losing in general election match-ups. Even to Hillary. I know many Democrats who have said "I'll surely vote for McCain before I vote for Hillary!" It looks like that crowd is changing its mind.

Here's the thing. McCain had a wide base of moderate support, and now that he is miming conservatism, they're deserting him. And what's worst of all (for him, at least) is that he's not gaining anything! Conservatives do not, and will not, trust him.

Looks like you've shot yourself in the foot, there, John.