Just when you thought partisan politics couldn't smell any worse ...

A 45-year-old Minnesotan who admits to hating Republican presidential candidate John McCain said he left small bags of dog feces in the back of a pickup truck sporting McCain-Sarah Palin stickers, police in St. Cloud said Thursday.

David Vanderlinden told police that he left his political contributions in his neighbor's the truck because "he hates McCain," police said.

He was caught after the truck owner's mother called police after seeing Vanderlinden placing the bags in the truck.

Vanderlinden's next contribution will be to the public coffers in the form of a $183 fine for littering/unlawful dumping.

PAUL WALSH