I am taking it in stride, I really don't care. Everyone does it from time to time. But, c'mon who in their right mind is going to think someone had themselves beaten up for no reason?
USS Maine, 1898, to facilitate start of Spanish-American war.
Lucitania being sent unguarded into German waters after warnings, to garner domestic support for necessary US entry into WWI.
FDR getting advanced warning of attack 24 hours before Pearl Harbor, moving all the modern ships out, allowing old fleet to be hit to create domestic support for entr into WWII.
Gulf of Tonken "misunderstanding" we later admitted - the lie that Vietnamese fired on us, used to enter US into Vietnam war.
Self-inflicted, "let it happen", or "didn't actually happen" wounds used to rally public support behind a pro-war cause (or candidate).
If they'll let another nation sink a ship to get us into a war, what's that insane about a few rogue operatives of the republican party (yes, we know it was an organized effort now, and that it was moved to a swing state PENN) using the lie of a "self-inflicted" wound, literally, to rally public support behind a candidate?
McCain likely knew nothing about it, but those in his campaign who were pushing DRUDGE to print it (with photos!) before the police report was even filed - Yes, you should have looked at this story (which would have benefitted one candidate so tremendously) with a cynical eye.