Just last Thursday Bloomberg ran a story that pointed out that the Saudi royal family is rooting for John McCain to win in Novermber. The article quotes Carnegie Middle East Center scholar Mai Yamani as saying the following:

He [John McCain] would keep the troops in Iraq, and that is their [the Saudi government] main worry, that the U.S. may withdraw or minimize its presence.

The article also points out the fact that McCain has had a 25-year relationship with Saudi Prince Bandar bin Sultan who is the former Saudi ambassador to the U.S. Bloomberg quoted McCain as saying he knew Prince Bandar "very well."

After reading this article it became apparent that McCain's ties to Prince Bandar bin Sultan and his endorsement by the Saudis should be used against him by democrats and the Obama campaign. Democrats should point out that McCain has been endorsed by a government that has connections with Hamas.

For instance, in September 2003, one of Hamas' senior leaders Khalid Meshaal personally met with the Crown Prince Abdullah at a Hamas fundraiser. The New York Times quoted Meshaal thanking the Saudis for "continuing to send aid to the people [Palestinians] through the civilian and popular channels, despite all the American pressures exerted on them."

In 2006, Khalid Meshaal again met with the Saudi royal family again after Hamas had won over the Palestinian parliament. The result of the meeting was a continued commitment to fund the Palestinian Authority even though it would now be controlled, in part, by Hamas.

If the tables were turned we would all be inundated with talking heads telling us that McCain had been endorsed by a state sponsor of terror and that he had a 25-year relationship with that terrorist government. Then, we would be asked questions like, is McCain anti-American? Is McCain a manchurian candidate?

So, what are the democrats waiting for? They need to hit McCain on this and they need to hit him on this now.

The democrats need to start asking the American people whether or not they can trust a man who has had a 25 year relationship with a state sponsor of terrorism. At the same time, the democrats need to point out that the bin Ladens and Hamas have extensive ties to the royal family.

Lastly, the Saudi connection would be a good argument to use against Bush and McCain as they have both engaged the Saudi royal family in direct talks without any preconditions even though they seem to have connections to the worst enemy of Israel's on the planet.