KETTLE - BLACK

Oooo, Cindy McCain is spitting mad. She lashed out and

decried the "viciousness of the media" Monday, days after the New York Times ran a front page story detailing her troubled history with prescription drugs and difficulty fitting into Washington social circles.

You see, Cindy had a drug problem back in the early 1990's. She stole drugs from her own charity, the American Voluntary Medical Team, and had an American Voluntary Medical Team doctor prescribe drugs for her under the names of other employees. She avoided time in the lockup, though, thank god.

Cindy was a first-time offender, which partially explains the fact that she did no prison time; instead, she entered a diversion program. But at the time, defense lawyers told New Times that if Cindy McCain had been a poor minority and not married to a U.S. senator, she likely would have been locked up.

But anyhoo, the McCains are crying foul over the NY Times article, calling it a

barrage of petty and personal attacks.

And McCain's attorney, John Dowd

also scolded the paper for rehashing a series of facts that he said have been long reported.

Yeah, we don't need to rehash a series of facts.

Consider yourself lucky, Cindy. At least you're not palling around with terrorists.