It was only a matter of time before some Democrats began jumping ship to join the all-but-announced McCain for President campaign.

The first casualty is Nicco Mele, the former webmaster of the groundbreaking Dean for America campaign. According to the Hotline, Mele, whose firm Echo Ditto represents over twenty Democratic and progressive causes, has agreed to become one of McCain’s key online strategists.

The move has caused a fury in the blogosphere since it was reported last night. Mele recently posted this blog in his defense:

A lot of people are asking me about John McCain. When I worked for Common Cause, I worked on the McCain-Feingold bill and worked closely with Sen. John McCain’s office. After Sen. McCain lost the Republican primary in 2000, I traveled with him as part of a group of campaign finance reform staffers as we criss-crossed the country working to secure support for the McCain-Feingold bill. I have long admired Sen. McCain’s work on campaign finance reform and his independent streak. If Sen. McCain runs for president, he’s got my support.

But Mele and other Democrats tempted to follow his lead should realize that the straight-talking McCain of 2000 is not the Bush-coddling McCain who wants to win in 2008.