Former senator Phil Gramm's explanation of his "nation of whiners" and "mental recession" comments are correct. Indeed, the political and news media Left comprise the dominant view of negative indoctrination cast upon the public at large regardless of truth and fact, while objectivity is cast aside.

Clearly, anything goes when it comes to those seeking greater social and political power. That is the socialist mentality, which includes a constant drumbeat of social, political and economic negativity and grievances. They are the "whiners" who have infected the nation with a "mental recession" that can only be resolved by more government replete with social, political and economic engineers.

John McCain knows all this, and he knows Phil Gramm knows what he is talking about with straight talk. The problem is, McCain simply isn't accustomed to being harshly judged by the political Left and the media, who championed him in the past as a useful idiot. Now, he's being unnecessarily guarded and hesitant.