Hey, you guys remember Senator John McCain? You know, the Republican who was the subject of speculation that he was going to be offered Kerry's Veep slot? The Republican that CW's designated as most likely to be praised by Democrats? Him?
Well, he put the knife in tonight on national TV:
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Trying to stamp out speculation that he might consider joining Democratic Sen. John Kerry's ticket, Republican Sen. John McCain of Arizona insisted Sunday that he would not do so under any circumstances.(emphasis mine)He said he would campaign and vote for President Bush in the fall, despite their policy differences.
"No, no and no. I will not leave the Republican Party. I cherish the ideals and principles of Abraham Lincoln and Theodore Roosevelt and Ronald Reagan," he said on NBC's "Meet The Press."
Now, personally I think that you can find the ideals and principles of at least the first two in the Democratic Party, too (I think that it's a bit early for everyone to be comfortable with feeling all bipartisan about Ronnie), but then again I'm not the Republican Senator responsible for deliberately screwing over Democratic fundraising efforts for probably the rest of the decade (I'm also not up for reelection this year, either). Granted, this SOB is on my side, but we already have enough people in both parties ready to slap at outstretched hands, thanks; no need to encourage the process.
Just... stop encouraging him, 'kay*? It's painful to watch, sometimes.
(Via Centerfield)
*I'm sure that there's some sort of interestingly revealing reason why McCain's shenanigans in particular rub me the wrong way. Do I care much what it is? Oddly enough, not especially. Probably my reflexive pro-Bush robotic partisanship kicking in, or maybe the last gasps of my old Democratic nature fighting to regain control of my soul, or possibly both (hey, if Whitman can contain multitudes, so can I).
Well, he always looks just so darn sincere. Which just means he a real good liar? I don't trust any politician, but with I am like you, with John McCain just not sure why.
Sigh. McCain's unrequited love and loyalty may stick Dems with Gebhardt any number of other boring VP choices.
OK Governor may be best choice. Or most interesting.
Posted by: bob mcmanus | April 12, 2004 at 12:05 AM
Uh, von, he wasn't just putting the shiv in the Democrats. He's more subtle than that. He put the shiv into his fellow Republicans as well. I mean, anyone who thinks that Tom Delay has anything in common with Teddy Roosevelt must be taking some mind altering substances.
Posted by: p mac | April 12, 2004 at 02:36 PM
As if the pro-life/pro-voucher chairman of Bush's Arizona campaign was ever going to switch parties.
It's called "PR", folks.
Posted by: Ricky | April 12, 2004 at 10:08 PM