After seven-plus years of lies, deception, annihilation of civil liberties, ineptness and Karl Rove-speak, John McCain’s plain talk, service to our country, and moderate voting record on many issues is, by all means, refreshing.

But there’s little doubt what the GOP nominee’s political platform amounts to, at least from what we’ve discerned in recent weeks. This about sums it up …

NOTE: This was created by and is property of journalist and cartoonist Andrew Wahl. Visit his blog, Off the Wahl, for many more classics like this.

His “independent streak” makes him a strong general election candidate, but John McCain should probably try to distance himself a little from George W. Bush and offer more than an unenthusiastic defense of the status quo.

Or maybe he shouldn’t. As Democrats, we embrace this campaign theme - from the correct side of it - as a talking point all spring, summer and fall.

Below is a funny e-cartoon we found by the outstanding Bill Mitchell, a former newspaper cartoonist who’s long since abandoned print media for the online world, and who frequently shares his efforts with CNN.com.

Here’s his take on John Kerry’s recent decision NOT to run for president. The ecstatic donkeys pretty much exemplify the feelings among Democrats, who are thankful for Kerry’s decades of good service but grateful, at the same time, that they’ll have a new candidate in the 2008 election.

Look at the crowd go wild!

Source: Click here. Bill Mitchell archive: Click here.