American Notes

The Senate ethics committee hearings on the so-called Keating Five staggered into the final stretch last week with cross-examination of Republican John McCain and Democrat John Glenn. Of the five Senators accused of granting special favors to indicted S&L tycoon Charles Keating in exchange for political contributions, McCain and Glenn were considered the least culpable by the committee's special counsel. Yet both men struggled under tough questioning.

A befuddled McCain conceded that he may not have fully repaid Keating for private-jet flights taken by his family. And a hollow-eyed Glenn solemnly acknowledged writing on Keating's behalf to S&L regulators at times when Keating was contributing to his campaigns.

This week Democrats Donald Riegle, Dennis DeConcini and, probably, the ailing Alan Cranston will be grilled in the final act of a saga in which none of the five has done himself -- or the Senate -- proud.