John McCain is already taking Barack Obama to task over their differences in Iraq war policy. That’s going to be a tough fight for the Arizona Republican, but at least the ideological and political differences are clearly defined on that front.

His fight with conservative radio personalities, on the other hand? Not so much. Here’s how McCain’s most recent battle with the right went down:

• Earlier this week, popular Cincinnati radio personality Bill Cunningham was asked to introduce McCain at a campaign event. In doing so, Cunningham referred to Barack Obama as Barack Hussein Obama numerous times.

• McCain took issue with Cunningham’s inflammatory tone and remarks, apologized to Obama, and promised to run a respectful campaign.

• Cunningham, who doesn’t care for McCain to begin with, flew off the handle and lambasted the GOP nominee for throwing him under the bus.

Here’s a highlight reel of the John McCain-Bill Cunningham feud…

Bill Cunningham says McCain’s people told him to get the crowd fired up - to throw them some red meat, as he put it - and is incensed that McCain - who he says is not a true Republican, would criticize conservatives like himself.

McCain says Cunningham is free to say whatever he wants on his show, but not at an official campaign rally. Regarding criticism from the lunatic fringe far right, the candidate says he conducts himself without thinking of political consequences.

So it goes. For John McCain and a Republican establishment so bitter about its “maverick” moderate-conservative nominee that it can’t contain its childish rage, this is a battle likely to continue all the way into November.