I come from a long line of hard core Democrats, but I freaking love Meghan McCain. It's like she's the last real person left in politics - and her willingness to be almost the only prominent member of the Republican party who is outspokenly in favor of gay rights makes her something of a hero - bleached blond hair, Matrix references, and all.

You should not judge this book by its cover or its title, both of which are sillier and more sensationalistic than Meghan McCain's funny and fair accounting of life on the campaign trail for her dad. In the prologue, she explicitly says that she's not about making things up, and reading the book, you do have to believe her. She nicknames staffers she doesn't like "Mr. Burns" and "The Blond Amazon." She makes jokes about how people responded to one of her interviews as if she had "just released a sex tape with the President of Greenpeace." She writes with honesty, candor, and a good sense of humor about a very unique experience (being the child of a major party Presidential nominee) that most of us will never have.

She is also very clear sighted about the short comings of the Republican party - the intolerance, the lack of true fiscal restraint, and the nagging feeling that some people just want to turn back time to the good old years of Reagan. It's not a deep look at any of these issues, as she doesn't come off as an especially deep person, but she's sharp and observant and highly relevant.

The book is short, the chapters are almost travelogues, and it's a very quick read. It is worth it for the hilarious story of her being blown off for a lunch date with Jenna Bush. ("Wanna talk about feeling stupid and unwanted? Try carrying a take-out bag as you leave the White House in sparkly glitter heels and your hair braided in three huge cornrows,") for the story of meeting Sarah Palin for the first time with unwashed hair, and for the story of getting pulled over the day after the election. ("I'm sorry officer. My father just lost the election to Barack Obama.) It is also interesting to observe her feelings about Sarah Palin and the Palin family evolving over time in a way that indicates a growing awareness that they may have created a monster.

I do think that Meghan McCain loves her father too much to be really objective in terms of his politics and his role in letting the campaign get away from him. But I love the way that she never tones herself down, never pulls any punches, never omits downing a shot of whiskey in a Nashville bar or having unmentionables spill out of her suitcase in a hotel hallway. She is also abundantly loyal to her friends as well as her family.

No matter what your politics are, I think we should not be afraid to hear what the other side has to say. And Meghan McCain represents one of the sanest and most genuine young voices in politics today.