Best destinations in Europe ...

Beautiful islands, ancient architecture and delicious Mediterranean cuisine are just a few of the reasons why Greece tops Lonely Planet's 2014 Best of Europe Top 10 list. Hopping from one gorgeous island to another is part of the Greek experience, and Santorini (shown here), with its colorful cliffs and white Cycladic houses, is not to be missed. The sunsets are known to be exquisite, and there are also plenty of archaeological sites to explore such as Akrotiri, the site of an ancient Minoan city buried beneath volcanic ash from an eruption dated to the mid-17th century BC.

Second-place Ljubljana has a vibrant cafe and nightlife scene that makes it feel like a perpetual street party is going on. Much of the city's early-modern architecture was designed by architect Joze Plecnik in the 20th century, and the rest is a mix of Roman, Greek and ancient Egyptian architecture. This year's celebration of the 2,000th anniversary of the founding of the city's Roman predecessor, Emona, includes gladiator battles, educational workshops and dances in August.

"Downton Abbey's" success has brought more attention to the romantic English countryside, just one reason Southwest England came in third place on this list. The green hills, winding roads and sleepy villages of the Cotswolds (the town of Burford is shown here) are quintessentially "English." Afternoon tea and country walks are traditions that add to the relaxing atmosphere, and sites such as the Roman Baths and the Jane Austen Centre in Bath allow visitors to step back in time.

Instead of heading to Rome or Venice, journey south to the country where the true spirit of fourth-place Italy lives. Visitors are sure to get a warm welcome in Sicily and the city of Naples. The ruins of a catastrophic volcanic eruption in Pompeii are harrowing to see, while climbing Mount Etna (shown here) in Sicily, one of the world's most active volcanoes, is a thrilling adventure. And any worthwhile trip to Italy should be filled with food, such as Naples' bubbling wood-fired pizza.

Viking history is ingrained in fifth-place Denmark, which makes it a fascinating country to visit. The Viking Ship Museum in Roskilde has five recovered Viking ships on display. Denmark's "baptism certificate" can be found in the town of Jelling on a large rune stone, where Viking King Harald Bluetooth chiseled a message about how he brought Christianity to the Danes in 965. The viking reconstruction longship Sea Stallion of Glendalough is shown here.

Stylish tapas bars and a lively nightlife scene make Seville (No. 6 on the list) an enjoyable experience for visitors. The city is also steeped with tradition and history. Christopher Columbus is entombed in the Seville Cathedral. Bullfighting remains a popular sport. And the biannual Bienal de Flamenco is a festival in September (shown here in 2012) that brings together the best flamenco musicians and dancers for a month of performances and events.

These idyllic Scottish islands have the white sand beaches and crystal-clear waves more commonly associated with islands in the tropics, but the Outer Hebrides (No. 7 on the list) is still characteristically Scottish. Apart from the many whales and species of birds that can be seen, the prehistoric Callanish standing stones are stunning to behold. And local seafood, venison, haggis and whiskey are a perfectly Scottish way to satisfy the palate.

In Plzen, Czech Republic, it's all about the beer. The City is home to the Pilsner Urquell Brewery (shown here). For many, the promise of tasting the amber nectar and the factory tour is enough to make a pilgrimage to our eighth-place country. The city's charms run deeper than a pint glass, however. Underground Plzen is a series of passageways that run underneath the city. Some are thought to have been dug as far back as the 14th century and were either used for beer production or defense.

Stavanger, Norway, which comes in ninth place, is known for its culinary diversity and use of seasonal produce from the farmland surrounding it. The Gladmat Food Festival during July is Scandinavia's largest, attracting more than 200,000 guests and bringing together consumers with the local producers. An old oil-rich port town, Stavanger honors this history in its Norwegian Petroleum Museum, which has many artifacts, models and interactive exhibits to tell the story of how oil was discovered.

Toulouse, France's pink city and 10th place on Lonely Planet's list, is so named because of the pink stone used to make so many of its buildings. A bustling and busy town, people still take the time to enjoy a delicious meal, savor a fine wine and live "the good life." What really brings the people of Toulouse together is the undying love they have for their four-time Heineken cup winning rugby team Stade Toulousain. And the city's space museum, Cite de l'espace, has a Russian Mir space station, Ariane 5 rocket, 3-D films and other exhibits to answer visitors' questions about space exploration and technology.

• These European spots are worth a visit in 2014


• Greece and Italy offer more than the obvious to the European explorer


• It's Vikings for Denmark and the city of beer in the Czech Republic

(CNN) -- Greece and Italy may seem like obvious choices for the discerning traveler because of their ancient attractions, spectacular cuisine and laid-back culture.

Yet even those popular spots have corners yet to be discovered by the traveling masses. That's why Lonely Planet has named them to its 2014 Best in Europe list.

Ten European destinations with interesting food, architecture and history were chosen by the travel publisher's writers and editors to encourage travelers to explore someplace new on the continent. Picks include island settings, picturesque villages in the countryside and an excellent beer town.

"We're pointing out places that would be fun for tourists to discover," says Noirin Hegarty, Lonely Planet's managing destination editor. "This list was about introducing and reintroducing places."

Think they picked the right spots? Click through the gallery to find out.

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'Ancient bathing' attracts tourists

Getting stuck in a hot, fragrant stone dugout for two hours with a chanting shaman is much more therapeutic than it sounds.

• The two-hour ancient Temazcal experience involves sweating it out in a stone igloo


• A shaman chants and uses hot rocks to release pungent vapors to rid the body of hatred


• Aside from the spiritual aspect, the experience is said to have physical benefits

(CNN) -- Aarti Aziz and her husband Moosa are locked inside a pitch-black concrete dugout in Mexico, sweating in unbearable heat.

With them is a shaman who has been chanting ceaselessly for the past two hours as strange vapors swirl around them.

It may sound like a harrowing ordeal, but it's one the couple volunteered for.

This is the world of Temazcal, a practice dating back centuries to when Mexico's Mayan Riviera was wilderness and the Mayan civilization was at the height of its power.

Temazcal entails entering a stone igloo with little or no clothing on and sweating it out to the sound of chanting and the fragrance of herbs.

Typically carried out for small groups by a shaman who's usually a member of one of the Mayan communities in the surrounding area, the process lasts two hours.

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It can be a tough experience.

Anyone with diabetes or heart disease should forget it, while those susceptible to claustrophobia or skepticism, might think twice.

Even skeptics, however, can rest assured that they'll come out from their two-hour session feeling refreshed, invigorated and a probably a few pounds lighter.

During the session, rosemary, basil and peppermint and other scents waft over a vapor created by the shaman as he or she gently throws water over a pile of hot rocks in a pit in the middle of the floor.

Visitors are kept hydrated with herbal tea and are permitted to lie down, walk around, or sit still -- whatever it takes to cleanse body and mind.

But once they check in, they can't check out.

"I did freak out a bit when the shaman covered the dugout's door with a thick blanket," says Aziz, who experienced a Temazcal in Tulum, on southeastern Mexico's Yucatan Peninsular.

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Inner child

Her eyes soon adjusted to the darkness and she enjoyed a comfortable two hours.

"The only light we ever saw were the brief sparks from the rocks when the water was poured on them," she adds.

Her husband says he found the shaman's constant chanting -- urging him to direct his woes and pains toward the smoldering rocks to rid his body of hatred and lighten his mental load -- a tad hokey, but the ambiance eventually caught up with him.

When the shaman told him to "let his inner child out," he laughed loudly as directed, carried away by the mood.

The couple emerged from their session feeling refreshed and lighter -- physically and mentally.

"My skin felt amazingly soft," adds Aarti.

"The ancient Maya respected the steam bath's efficacy and power for treating both physical and spiritual diseases," says Rosita Arvigo, author of "Spiritual Bathing: Healing Rituals and Traditions from Around the World."

The Temazcal experience is now the main attraction for many travelers to Playa del Carmen.

A doctor of naprapathy -- a science similar to chiropractic manipulation -- who's trained in Central American traditional medicine, Arvigo says steam bath buildings made out of stone were a part of every major Maya ceremonial center.

Some are still intact in various parts of Mexico.

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Hallucinogenic drugs

While technically the word Temazcal is not Mayan, but Aztec, ancient Mayans -- athletes, priests, kings -- regularly engaged in these sweaty detox sessions and took hallucinogenic drugs such as peyote to further enhance the experience.

Visitors are unlikely to be offered any peyote today, but just about every hotel in the touristy cities of Cancun, Playa del Carmen and Tulum offers a version of a Temazcal.

Many actually have a stone dugout, or sweat lodge, on their premises.

They're the main attraction for most travelers, says Barbara Varicchio, head of sales and promotion for Dos Palmas Eco Tours, an organization that arranges Temazcals and works closely with Mayan communities in the region around Playa del Carmen.

Varicchio attests that the physical benefits are many.

She says the vapor created by the mix of essential herbs clears the digestive tract, improves blood circulation, energizes tired muscles and clears the skin.

And finally, partaking in the experience helps develop tourism, in the best way.

"By keeping the ancient steam bath practice alive, we are encouraging sustainable tourism and enabling traditional communities to earn their livelihood by doing what their ancestors did," she says.

Where to go for a Temazcal:

Cenote Encantado , Cenote Encantado, 1320 Tulum, Quintana Roo, Mexico; +52 55 1991 4266; 4,200 pesos ($320) total, the company prefers a minimum of 10 persons per Temazcal (cost can be split)

Dos Palmas EcoTours , Playa del Carmen, Mexico; +52 984 1116 3403; $65 per person, which includes the Temazcal as well as a visit to and a meal with a Mayan community

Temazcal Cancun , Carretera Cancun-Merida, Km. 302, Calle Flamboyan 8, El Ramonal, Quintana Roo, Mexico, +52 998 168 8252 or +52 998 147 5723; call for pricing information

Savita Iyer Ahrestani is a freelance writer based in the United States. Her work has appeared in Business Week, Wall Street Journal India, Vogue India and other publications.

Rise of the hotel two-pack

The Courtyard-Residence Inn Central Park is North America's tallest hotel and a towering example of the trend of packaging two hotel brands in one location.

In Syracuse, New York, Marriott pairs up its Courtyard and Residence Inn brands again in a downtown location. Guests share a fitness center, indoor pool and meeting space, but the hotel has distinct lobby areas. The Residence Inn lobby is seen here.

The Courtyard lobby at the Syracuse two-pack features different decor.

Hilton packages a higher-end Hilton hotel with the more economical Hilton Garden Inn at Frankfurt Airport in Germany.

At LA Live in Los Angeles, a Ritz-Carlton is packaged with a JW Marriott.

• Major hotel companies are starting to offer multiple hotel brands in one location


• Offering two or more of their brands in a single location cuts costs for hoteliers


• Consumers may benefit from expanded access to amenities

(CNN) -- When Marriott opened its new 68-story hotel overlooking Central Park in New York City back in January, it became the tallest hotel in North America.

But its impressive stature wasn't the only thing distinguishing the hotel, it also became one of the growing number of dual-branded hotels cropping up in cities across the globe.

A dual-branded hotel -- or "two-pack" as it's called in the industry -- is a property that contains two different hotel brands from within the same hotel family in a singular location. At the aforementioned Marriott in Midtown Manhattan, for example, guests can stay at either the Courtyard hotel occupying floors 6 through 33, or at the Residence Inn found on floors 37 through 65.

"Either brand could have done fine on its own here," said Marriott's CEO Arne Sorenson at the hotel's ribbon cutting, "but this gives us the opportunity to tap into two distinct types of customer feeds."

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"Instead of filling up its 639 rooms with just one brand, we can fill it up with two," said hotel developer and owner Harry Gross.

The possibility of attracting different target demographics is one of the advantages spurring this growing trend. It's also cheaper for hoteliers.

"Dual-branded hotels are designed to maximize resources while minimizing costs for owners and developers," said Ian Carter, the president of global development for Hilton Worldwide.

"The most notable benefits to hoteliers are the operational efficiencies and cost savings gained by combining certain areas of the hotel, such as laundry, storage, and employee facilities, and combining the roles of various team members," Carter said. "Owners can also save money on the land costs, since the model has a smaller footprint."

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Another advantage is the increased possibility of travelers experiencing new brands and becoming loyal, long-term customers.

The benefit for guests? Choice.

"The biggest benefit for guests is the added element of choice they receive. Dual-branded hotels can provide more robust amenities than they may be able to individually," said Chris Walker, the vice president of brand experience for Hyatt Place and Hyatt House.

For instance, when Choice Hotels International developed its dual-branded Sleep Inn and MainStay Suites concept, the first of which was introduced in Port St. Lucie, Florida, they opted to go with the Sleep Inn's heartier, expanded offerings when it came to choosing which free breakfast guests of the property would receive.

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Of particular interest to groups and business travelers at the combination Hilton Garden Inn and Homewood Suites that opened in Bossier City, Louisiana, in 2013 is the nearly 9,000 square feet of onsite meeting space, a feature anyone staying at a Homewood Suites typically wouldn't be able to take advantage of.

Another example of the multi-branding concept can be found at the bustling L.A. Live complex in downtown Los Angeles. It features an 879-room JW Marriott and a 123-room Ritz-Carlton, along with some residential Ritz-Carlton units, and has proved so popular that Marriott has built another dual-branded hotel directly across the street.

The new site, which opened May 29, contains a Courtyard and a Residence Inn, giving visitors even more options and flexibility. Guests of the Courtyard and Residence Inn get unique perks like signing privileges at any of the adjacent Ritz-Carlton's and JW Marriott's restaurants.

While dual-branded hotels are the norm, properties flying three or even four different flags are popping up in some destinations with the appropriate market demand.

In Canada, for example, Hilton is building a three-pack complex at the Calgary airport, which they're referring to as a "hotel village," that will combine a Hilton, a Hampton and a Homewood Suites. Properties combining different brands from different hotel families are also starting to make their way onto the scene, like the one in the River North neighborhood of Chicago that features one entry each from Starwood, Marriott and Hyatt.

With multiple hotels in one place, one might expect there could be a bit of brand confusion among the guests, but developers insist they are careful to maintain each brand's unique identity.

"While there are various shared public spaces, each hotel still has its own front desk and lobby space, so the individual brand check-in experience is the same as any other hotel within that brand," said Hilton's Ian Carter.

"It is critical that we have clear identities," said Hyatt's Walker. "Even though the brands are placed next to each other, we are fully committed to preserving the key guest experience elements for which each brand is known."

In fact, some hotels don't even advertise the fact that they are a multi-branded property, so a guest who books a room online at, say, the Westin resort in the ski village of Changbaishan, China, may not even know there's a Sheraton on the same spot until they arrive.

Whether travelers are aware of the concept or not, multi-branded hotels are only expected to continue to grow in popularity, as the potential benefits for hotel owners and developers can't be denied.

Airbus: The future of flight

• Aviation's future must be efficient, greener and easier as air traffic grows


• Just 1% greater fuel efficiency means millions in savings for airlines


• Cabins with glass-top ceilings are part of the Airbus vision

CNN celebrates 100 years of commercial aviation with a week of programming presented by resident travel expert Richard Quest.

Toulouse, France (CNN) -- The disruptive days of thunderous, fuel-guzzling planes hovering in our skies could be a thing of the past. So too could the tortuous queues and endless boarding process, if futuristic flight concepts become reality.

Since the first commercial passenger flight in 1914, 65 billion passengers have taken to the skies and another 65 billion are expected to do the same before 2030. And experts say efficient, greener performance is what will steer aviation into the next century.

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"A major breakthrough in an airliner will bring half a percent, 1% greater fuel efficiency, which doesn't sound like much -- but to an airline, it's huge. It's millions of dollars (in savings) a year," said Robert van der Linden, chair and curator of air transportation at the Smithsonian Institution National Air and Space Museum.

The Airbus A380 is the world's biggest passenger aircraft, and its future depends on constant redevelopment and improving performance.

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The energy problem is one of the major drivers for the company, Gregor Dirks, corporate innovator for Airbus, told CNN's Isa Soares. "We have to do something about it. Reducing fuel burn is one way, and we have been very successful in the past."

The Airbus vision of the future can be seen through its concept plane design, which is packed with the stuff made of engineering dreams.

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One concept feature is dubbed "eco-climb," where take off is assisted by propelled acceleration for a steeper climb, so that planes reach efficient cruise altitudes sooner. In the concept cabin, seats will use body heat to power aircraft systems such as holographic pop-up pods, while a futuristic cabin membrane can become transparent to give passengers open panoramic views.

What's more, Airbus has radical ideas for speedier boarding.

"We could think about city center check-in and actually transport little pods to the airport where the passengers are already in and just slide the pod into the airplane," said Dirks.

Some of the full-blown features of the Airbus concept plane will become a reality later this century, according to Dirks, but parts of the vision are already being implemented in the current fleet. Titanium brackets used in the cabin have been made using 3-D printing, reducing the weight of the parts, and allowing the manufacture of "organic" shapes that would otherwise be too expensive to produce.

"This is going to be a big revolution in manufacturing," predicted Dirks. "Passengers won't see it much but they get more choice and they got it cheaper and earlier."

No. 2 Republican loses to tea party foe, CNN projects

• If he loses, it would be a stunning upset for Cantor, the No. 2 House Republican


• Cantor has been the subject of speculation that he could become speaker


• Virginia is just one of five states holding primaries on Tuesday

(CNN) -- In the biggest upset of the year, the No. 2 Republican in the House, Eric Cantor, has lost to his tea party opponent in his primary in Virginia, CNN projects.

With 89 percent of precincts reporting on Tuesday, Cantor trailed his opponent Dave Brat 55% to 44%, according to the Virginia Secretary of State's website.

"This came out of nowhere," said Mark Preston, CNN's executive political editor, who said a defeat for Cantor would have national implications since he has been viewed as a potential speaker.

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Brat is an economics professor at Randolph-Macon College outside Richmond.

Most Republicans view Cantor, 51, as the most conservative member in the House leadership lineup. He was President Barack Obama's chief foil in budget negotiations in 2011, a role he proudly points out during this campaign season.

In a phone interview with CNN on Monday, Brat argued that Cantor is more attentive to donors in New York and California and big business groups than he is to enacting an agenda based on Republican ideals.

"While he's got an eye on the speaker job, he's turned his back on his constituents," Brat said.

He noted that Cantor and other GOP leaders have dropped their free market principles and not done enough to address looming deficit problems.

Brat attempted to frame his challenge as another case of a grassroots conservative taking on the GOP establishment, a major theme in Republican contests this year.

Brat has tried to make immigration reform the central issue, and said Cantor's position would hurt the economy.

Brat said Cantor's campaign ads have actually helped elevate his name ID and predicted he would win.

"On Tuesday you're going to have a shock on your hands," he predicted.

Showdown for Lindsey Graham

Lindsey Graham faces off against six primary challengers today.

• Five states hold primaries on Tuesday


• In South Carolina, Sen. Lindsey Graham is hoping to avoid a runoff


• Graham faces a divided opposition in his primary bid

(CNN) -- Five states from Maine to Nevada hold primaries on Tuesday, but the marquee race is in South Carolina, where two-term GOP Sen. Lindsey Graham is hoping to avoid a runoff.

The Palmetto State showdown comes as fellow Republican Sen. Thad Cochran is fighting for his political life in Mississippi. Last week, he was forced into a runoff against a challenger backed by the tea party.

But for Graham, any comparison with Cochran is short lived even though many tea party activists and other grassroots conservatives in South Carolina despise him and other local organizations in the state have censured him in recent years.

Graham's opponents are divided and getting little help from powerful anti-establishment outside groups.

With the most recent poll indicating Graham close to the 50% threshold needed to avoid a runoff, he spent the day before the primary on a bus tour through the conservative, voter-rich upstate region.

In his final campaign commercial before the primary, Graham touted his conservative credentials, which he said included support for "building the Keystone pipeline, opposing Obamacare, looking for answers on Benghazi, standing up for our military."

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And in the ad, which his campaign said was a six-figure statewide buy on TV, radio and digital, Graham said he is a "conservative leader you can count on to get things done."

Graham's fractured opposition

Graham faces off against six primary challengers. According to a Clemson University Palmetto poll released last week, 49% of likely South Carolina primary voters said they backed Graham, with state Sen. Lee Bright a distant second at 9%.

The other five challengers all registered in the low single digits. A high of 35% of respondents said they were undecided.

"I think all signs point to Graham avoiding a runoff, and that's happening for two reasons. One, because he's up against an incredibly weak field of competitors, and of course he benefits a bit by having the 'not Lindsey' vote split among several folks," South Carolina Republican consultant Joel Sawyer told CNN.

"Second, to Lindsey's credit, he's run a great campaign. I think the assumption among a lot of people was that he'd solely wage an air war, but I've been impressed with the way he's also run a traditional, grassroots-focused campaign in addition to a compelling broadcast message. And Lindsey himself has spent a lot of time on the ground here holding events and interacting one-on-one with voters."

Two other advantages for Graham: He has a massive war chest -- around $8 million cash on hand, which gave him a huge campaign cash advantage over his primary opponents -- and outside groups have steered clear of the race, unlike in Mississippi where establishment and tea party groups fought.

Sawyer added a third factor.

"His opposition is 'a mile deep but an inch wide.' People who don't like him really don't like him, but that sentiment is not particularly widespread," said Sawyer.

Graham debated his opponents for the first and only time this past weekend.

They slammed him over his 2008 vote in favor of the Wall Street bailout, his votes in favor of President Barack Obama's Supreme Court nominations, and especially for his support of immigration reform.

If there's a runoff

Without a competitive Republican gubernatorial primary on Tuesday, turnout in the GOP Senate showdown likely will be low. If no one cracks 50% of the vote, the first two finishers face off in a runoff in two weeks. If that happens, Graham will be considered the favorite.

"Number one: it's only two weeks," said South Carolina based GOP strategist Hogan Gidley, in listing reasons why Graham would be the odds-on-favorite in a runoff.

"Number two: we don't know if the second place finisher will be a viable alternative. "Number three: will that candidate have any money to spend against Graham?" Gidley said.

Democratic state Sen. Brad Hutto is considered the front runner for the Democratic Senate nomination. But in red-state South Carolina, the eventual Democratic nominee will be considered a very long shot to win November's general election.

What's the matter with McCain?

• Sally Kohn wonders why Sen. John McCain gets away with his constant flip-flops


• He was first in favor of prisoner swap for Bergdahl, she says, then was against it


• She says McCain's flip-flops are nothing more than political opportunism, plain and simple


• But the real reasons may be an desperate and reactionary Republican party

Editor's note: Sally Kohn is a progressive activist, columnist and television commentator. Follow her on Twitter @sallykohn. The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of the author.

(CNN) -- What the heck has happened to John McCain?

First he flip-flopped on immigration reform.

In 2006, Sen. John McCain was a primary co-sponsor of and worked closely with Sen. Ted Kennedy to craft immigration reform legislation that included a path to citizenship for America's undocumented immigrants.

But faced with a primary challenge from a tea party Republican in 2010, McCain denied that he had ever supported a path to citizenship. McCain subsequently threw his support behind Arizona state legislation that ostensibly allows for racial profiling of Latinos and is considered one of the harshest anti-immigration laws in the nation.

Then he flip-flopped on legislation meant to address the dangers of climate change.

In 2003, McCain was a key supporter of so-called "cap and trade" legislation that would create a market-based solution to limit pollution. During his 2008 presidential run, McCain boasted of his support for cap-and-trade measures. "We stand warned by serious and credible scientists across the world that time is short and the dangers are great," said McCain. "The most relevant question now is whether our own government is equal to the challenge." McCain, it appears, was not.

By 2009, McCain was calling such measures "cap and tax." By 2014, McCain was blasting Secretary of State John Kerry for even talking about climate change.

And now we have Bowe Bergdahl.

Recently, the Fact Checker column of the Washington Post found that Senator McCain had flip-flopped on his support for a prisoner swap in exchange for the release of Sergeant Bergdahl. The Post awarding McCain a rare upside-down Pinocchio for his switch in positions.

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In February 2014, McCain told CNN's Anderson Cooper, "Now this idea is for an exchange of prisoners for our American fighting man. I would be inclined to support such a thing depending on a lot of the details." That was before Obama actually made the exchange. Then McCain said he was against it.

McCain claims his objection was based on the details of the five Taliban prisoners swapped for Bergdahl but as the Washington Post Fact Checker pointed out, the details around those five specific prisoners were widely known in February when McCain originally commented. In fact, the Washington Post ran a front-page story with details about the prisoners.

McCain's flip-flop, like all his others, was nothing more than political opportunism, plain and simple.

Moreover, these are not the only times McCain has wildly switched positions on fundamental issues. Suzy Khimm, then of Mother Jones magazine, produced a thorough list including other flip-flops as of August 2010. But it's somehow especially stunning to hear John McCain flip-flop on the issue of Bergdahl in particular.

After all, McCain is without question a true American hero. And he has been, from his earliest days, a man of principle.

In 1968, a year into his imprisonment and torture as a prisoner of war during the Vietnam War, McCain was offered early release — the North Vietnamese seeking to gain publicity points after McCain's admiral father was put in command of all U.S. forces in the region. The young John McCain refused. He would only agree to be released if every American taken prisoner before him was released as well. It was only then that McCain was subject to heinous and severe torture, including beatings every two hours.

Five-and-a-half years later, the principled POW and his fellow soldiers were released and came home. They received a heroes' welcome. The New York Times put a picture of McCain's homecoming on its front page. McCain was awarded the Medal of Honor.

It's important to remember that McCain was ultimately released by the North Vietnamese as part of winding down of the war. That's what happens when you end a war; you exchange prisoners — even the dangerous ones.

In the case of the five Taliban prisoners swapped for Bergdahl, even a legal adviser from the George W. Bush administration has argued there would be no grounds to continue holding them after the war in Afghanistan officially ended later this year. And by then, they wouldn't even be useful as leverage for Bergdahl's return.

Certainly John McCain knows the immense suffering and brutality of being a prisoner of war. He also knows what happens when wars end.

In fact, I like to imagine that John McCain knows a lot of things including how ridiculous his repeated backtracking seems in light of his own self-proclaimed principled "maverick" identity.

But these radical shifts in position say less about McCain as a person and more about the political party to which he belongs, a party that was for immigration reform and for cap-and-trade regulations and for doing whatever it took to bring Bowe Berdahl home up until the moment that President Obama took the same side.

The modern Republican Party is desperately opportunistic and reactionary, trading whatever thin principles it may have once held to simply stand against whatever the other side is for.

And John McCain, whether willingly or unwittingly, is at best an illustrative canary in the coal mine or at worst, yet again held hostage -- this time by an increasingly reckless and irrational GOP.

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