McCain got no pull?
The FEC dealt McCain another blow yesterday when warned him that he would not be allowed to automatically withdraw from federal funding of his primary campaign. There is a overall $54 million spending cap on campaigns receiving federal matching funds. McCain has spent $49 million so far. He'll have make $5 million last between here and the convention.

The FEC Chairman David M. Mason informed McCain that the commission could not let him out of his federal matching application because the FEC board lacked a quorum and because there were questions about $1 million loan that McCain received.

It seems like the kind of problem that could easily be solved by McCain making a phone call or two, the first to Bush to rein in the FCC and maybe a couple of others to plead party unity and raise specter of Dole's funding problems in 1992.

It is difficult to make out what kind of conservative David M. Mason is from his CV. He worked for John Warner (for moderate Republican cred) but then he worked for Trent Lott. He's from Virginia which could mean anything. And then there is line:

He is active in political and community affairs in northern Virginia and in the home education movement nationally. He and his wife reside in Lovettsville, Virginia with their ten children.

Northern Virginia, active in the home education movement and 10 children = right wing home schooling Christian loon

That explains it.