YES, WINGNUTS ARE EXTREMISTS

The overwhelming support Phil Gramm got from the wingnuts shouldn't be forgotten. Among the big name supporters are Jonah Goldberg, Rush Limbaugh, Fred Barnes, Mike Gallagher and George Will.

OTOH, it looks like the McCain campaign is running away from Foreclosure Phil as fast as it can. From PBS's Nightly Business Report, 7/11/2008:

GERSH: Top economic adviser to Senator McCain was Phil Gramm, who said we're in a "mental recession,: and that people were whining about it -- some people were whining about it. Is he going to have any role going forward in economic policy in Senator McCain's campaign?

HOLTZ-EAKIN: Senator McCain made it very clear that Senator McCain speaks for Senator McCain. He doesn't endorse or in any way show any sympathy for those comments. And he said that, you know, Senator Gramm is now high on the list of candidates to be the ambassador to Belarus, so I think...

GERSH: That's very funny, but is he going to be talking to Senator Gramm? Is he going to have any role?

HOLTZ-EAKIN: Obviously, the senator doesn't endorse those views and he is not going to promote anything that looks like a mindset that suggests we don't understand that Americans are suffering. They need jobs, and the senator is focused on those kinds of efforts.

GERSH: Is Senator Gramm still giving advice to Senator McCain?

HOLTZ-EAKIN: No.

GERSH: No.

HOLTZ-EAKIN: At -- I haven't spoken to Senator Gramm since the comments took place, and I'm not expecting to.

GERSH: Doug Holtz-Eakin, economic adviser to John McCain, thank you.

Matt at Think Progress notes that Uncle Phil may not be completely banished:

Last night, MSNBC reported that while other economic surrogates would be “driving the policy” for McCain, Gramm would remain a “trusted friend of the campaign.” MSNBC also reported that Gramm, who was until recently thought of as a potential Treasury Secretary under McCain, would not be stripped of his “volunteer designation” as a co chair with the McCain campaign.