Seems like the heat Sen. John McCain has taken for his lobbyist-heavy campaign staff hasn't affected his choice [1] of the person who will lead up his "transition team," the entity responsible for getting him ready to take office should he win in November. The leader of this team is William E. Timmons Sr., who heads up his own lobbying firm and has done work on behalf of several corporate institutions including everyone's favorite mortgage lender, Freddie Mac.

McCain has spent his time on the stump promising change, reform, an end to "business as usual" etc. etc. -- but he keeps picking the insideriest of Beltway insiders to work for him.  Will it hurt him?

More on the Timmons selection from Time: [2]

His registrations include work on a number of issues that have become flashpoints in the presidential campaign. He has registered to work on bills that deal with the regulations of troubled mortgage lenders Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae; a bill to provide farm subsidies; and bills that regulate domestic oil drilling.

By tapping Timmons, McCain has turned to one of Washington's steadiest and most senior inside players to guide him in the event of a victory — but also to someone who would represent the antithesis of the kind of outside-of-Washington change he has recently been promising. One Republican familiar with the process said the decision to involve Timmons could become a political liability for the campaign's reformist image, especially in the wake of the controversies over the lobbying backgrounds of other McCain staffers, including campaign manager Rick Davis. "It's one more blind spot for Rick Davis and John McCain," the person said.