That "B" mugging story is absolutely a hoax. Authorities haven't confirmed it as a hoax yet, but even wingnut race-baiter Michelle Malkin is questioning the veracity of the thing.
With the Morton Downey story as precedent, one look at that photo and it was clear that the "victim" was a flimflam artist. The shiner looks like Halloween make-up and the "B" was backwards indicating that she used her fingernail to scratch herself while looking into a mirror (hence the backwards).
And there's this:
police say that evidence from the ATM that she reportedly visited did not match her account.
In other words, the surveillance video didn't show anything. But here's the most startling development:
John Moody, executive vice president at Fox News, has now commented on his blog that..."If the incident turns out to be a hoax, Senator McCain’s quest for the presidency is over, forever linked to race-baiting."
The next question has to be whether the "victim" acted alone or if she was prompted by a campaign operative.