The McCain Friends' gyrations to support their angry old far* no matter what put the acrobats at Cirque du Soleil to shame.

They turn a blind eye to the fact that McCain's misogyny included calling his beloved sugar momma wife a "cun*" not only to her face, but in front of others, accusing her of slathering on her makeup with a trowel, and calling her a trollop.  

If WJC had picked on HRC's looks in an analogous manner (or Obama on Michelle similarly), surely the McCain Friends would have made sure WJC's (or Obama's) comments were immortalized into part of the vernacular as much as "depends on what your definition of 'is', is" has become.

Yet with McCain, we are expected to not consider that he is the Senator with the most vile temper and lack of control of it of the 100 in that body.  Think of it - of 100 egomaniacs (a job requirement for Senator) thorougly inculcated in getting their way and making those who don't give it instantly pay dearly for their lassitude, McCain has the worst temper and temperament of them.

When McCain zoomed in the New Hampshire polls in 2000, W.'s supporters insinuated that McCain's years in Vietcong dungeons, including two suicide attempts, left him with snakes in his head.

. . . McCain himself has joked: "It doesn't take a lot of talent to get shot down. I was able to intercept a surface-to-air missile with my own airplane."

So, Clark was, in effect, quoting McCain (though it was Schieffer's question which was closer to what McCain himself said).

I wouldn't be surprised if there's also some message-testing going on, in addition to just a bit of gratuitous poking the eyes of the McCain camp with a pointy stick, when Clark, Webb et als. (and there will be als.) take shots at him.  Surely Camp Obama will want to see in advance which tweaking at McCain and his supporters will yield the biggest return in Crazy Old Man Ranting points.

Because, to my eyes, the more McCain winds up ranting and raving, the less attractive he becomes to anyone (including the Repug base) as a recipient of votes.  And he winds up backing, filling and apologizing instead of attacking.

So, while you might be right in saying Webb wins for calm, cold stiletto-in-the-kidneys points, Clark might win, too, because he managed to get the whole Republican party in a 5-alarm uproar.  It's which reaction the Dems want/need which will determine who, between Webb and Clark, comes out on top.