Before the primary in New York, I endorsed Edwards, mostly on the believe that he alone (more than Kerry and more than Bush) stood the best chance of uniting the nation….something I believe should be a national priority during times of war. But perhaps there is another way…
Sen. McCain Open to Being Kerry’s VP
“John Kerry is a close friend of mine. We have been friends for years,” McCain said Wednesday when pressed to squelch speculation about a Kerry-McCain ticket. “Obviously I would entertain it.”
But McCain emphasized how unlikely the whole idea was.
“It’s impossible to imagine the Democratic Party seeking a pro-life, free-trading, non-protectionist, deficit hawk,” the Arizona senator told ABC’s “Good Morning America” during an interview about illegal steroid use. “They’d have to be taking some steroids, I think, in order to let that happen.”
hmmm…does this perhaps explain the seemingly out-of-left field war on steroids the President advocated in the SOTU Address?
I know it’s 8 months until the election, so we’re all looking for even the most ludicrous stories within the campaign to keep ourselves entertained until then, but I would actually support this idea…I think…
It’s not impossible to “imagine” it, it’s just that if it did happen, we’d all need to scan the quantum signature of the Dem’s to see which parallel universe we’d slipped into.
Maybe it was that alternate Universe that Wesley Clark is from, you know the one in which America was founded on a principle of progressive taxation. 😉
I still don’t know what all the fuss is over a veep. At this point, I would no more vote for Kerry with McCain on the ticket than I’d expect you to vote for Bush if Hillary Clinton replaced Cheney.
I still don’t know what all the fuss is over a veep.
I’m a political junkie, Crionna…I’m going through withdrawal…I need a fix!
Really, it’s just entertaining to consider it.
I agree. What a freak out that would be.
The real question for me would be is this simply a move to keep the Kerry show in the first section of the paper since the primaries are over?
I think (on Bush-can-see-Putin’s-soul grounds, admittedly) McCain’s an homest man. If he pledged to run the country as a centrist in the event of Kerry’s assassination, I’d vote for this ticket. Esp. if he declared as an independent. A guaranteed victory over Bush would be worth a great deal of compromise on V.P. And I like the idea of a bipartisan coalition to take serious action on nuke proliferation and terror.
McCain’s great on the environment and the influence of money in govt. After four years of Cheney/Rove/Bush, it’d be nice to have a strong voice for free trade and responsible budgets in the WH. And I think McCain would help Kerry modernize our intelligence and defense establishments.
Plus McCain is getting old (in part due no doubt to his hellish years in Vietnam) and wouldn’t outstay his welcome. In 2008 Kerry could pick a mainstream Democrat as VP (hello, Hillary or a seasoned, grey-haired Edwards) to succeed him. In the meantime McCain would provide cover for the Olympia Snowes of the world to flip to the side of the angels.
Most importantly, Kerry knows, trusts, and respects McCain. The president’s responsibilities are so onerous these days that he has to lean on the VP a lot, so a solid relationship is important.
It would mean Arizona and an almost impossible hill for Bush to climb, electorally. It would mean two “War Heroes” against two “whatever description is bipartisan this week”.
I orignally was attracted because of an entertaining campaign, and because it would get the base in both parties furious. But Democrats seem to like it too much, so it is less attractive now.
“”It’s impossible to imagine the Democratic Party seeking a pro-life, free-trading, non-protectionist, deficit hawk,””
Well, I’m a Democrat this year (thanks, Howard), and I think it’d be right fine.
However, I’m not The Democratic Party, and based on various experiences in the last 6 months or so, I’m fairly sure The Democratic Party doesn’t give a rat’s ass what I think.
You know, when reading Calpundit’s entry on the subject it occurs to me that John McCain pretty much stated today that he thought that the Democrats were full of people who were pro-abortion, against globalization, for unfair trade practices that alienate other countries and fiscally irresponsible*. He also linked the Democrats with a drug stereotypically associated with muscle-bound, impotent doofuses.
Wow. Perfect VP material for the Democrats there, yes indeedy. 🙂
Moe
*Note that I am not agreeing or disagreeing with any of that, except to concur that Democrats are more likely to be pro-choice.
In the 2000 primary, I voted for McCain. In the general, I voted for Harry Browne, and yes I still don’t particularly care for Bush. Yet if McCain were to jump parties and run as Kerry’s VP, he (McCain) and his running mate would never get my vote. Switching parties would negate all he has said and done.
Of course, I think this is all wishful thinking on the moderate but solidily Democrat’s part. In fact, yearning for a staunch Republican as a Dem VP candidate reveals some serious misgivings with ones own party.
I had my say here.