It just doesn't stop for John McCain. Never is there an issue before the American people that an industry lobbyist can't solve. This week's example: Healthcare.

Former U.S. Sen. Connie Mack (R-FL) introduced McCain today at his health care policy event in Florida. Mack is chairman of the board of directors of the H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center & Research Institute, where McCain's event was held. Mack is also, we should note, a registered state lobbyist, working for Liberty Partners of Florida and, drumroll, advocating for health insurance companies.

According to the official site of the Florida Legislature, Mack is registered in 2008 to lobby for Prestige Health Choice, a Florida company. The co. is "filing to become approved by the state of Florida as a Provider Service Network," and according to a company release dated Nov. 16, 2007, "Prestige will first provide Medicaid managed care services to Florida residents."

So, wait, let's review: McCain held an event today to roll out his health care policy during which he was introduced by a former U.S. Senator, and friend, who is now a lobbyist for the health care industry.

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But it seems suspect to us that McCain, who is already struggling to counter the image that he's too cozy with lobbyists, wouldn't think twice before allowing a health care lobbyist to introduce him on the very day he debuts his health care proposal. Let Mack sit quietly in the audience -- or, heaven forbid, pick another location for the rollout.

Why is it that wherever the McCain campaign goes there's a registered lobbyist at the candidate's site? And why is it that those lobbyists always represent industry, not the little guy? Rhetorical questions...

Anyway, the folks at The Hotline are right that this presents yet another optics problem for McCain despite the fierce protestations of the spinners in his campaign. Indeed it seems the only thing that the McCain press flacks are fighting more strenuously than the repetition of McCain's own comments that he favors an American presence in Iraq for 100 years are reports on McCain's all-too-close relationships with registered lobbyists.

In addition to this McCain-lobbyist-healthcare story -- and, by the way, people wonder why the American public trusts the Democrats over the Republicans on healthcare by a greater margin than they do on any other issue? -- this election season has already brought us news that McCain hewed to the position of his lobbyist advisors in helping ship American jobs overseas, his campaign is stocked chock full of lobbyists, and his own staff worried about the closeness of his relationship with a telecommunications lobbyist at a time when he was the chairman of the Senate committee that oversaw the industry.

With all of these revelations, one of the clearest story lines of this election is developing, both within the establishment media and in the minds of the American voter (and it's not a good one for the Republican Party): John McCain is just too close with professional lobbyists.