While many of us revel in the patriotic excesses of the upcoming three day holiday weekend, John McCain is taking his Straight Talk Express tour to Mexico and Columbia. I’ve gotta tell you, ever since the itinerary of the tour was announced, I’ve been scratching my head a bit. It didn’t make any sense. Why would a U.S. presidential candidate feel the need to hobnob with the political elite in Mexico City and Bogata? And on a day that it was revealed that one of McCain’s biggest financial boosters had paid off right wing Columbian guerrillas over a long period of time?

Teh wierd, as the kids would say.

Let’s further tighten down the tinfoil hat for a moment. Earlier this afternoon, it was reported that several hostages who had been held since 2002 / 2003 time frame by a Columbian militant movement (one that’s associated, at least in the press, with Venezuela’s Hugo Chavez), had been freed. Among the hostages who were “liberated” by Columbian military forces was a former Columbian presidential candidate, and three American military contractors.

The Bush Administration had come under increasing criticism this year for seeming to forget about Stansells, Howe and Gonsalves. But it can now openly claim, as U.S. officials had privately done, that it was simply allowing the Colombians to mount today's rescue. One fortunate politician who can bask in this American policy victory is John McCain, who just happened to be visiting Colombia when the rescue was announced.