A political story

[NJCubScouter 1389]

I try to refrain from partisan political commentary in this forum, but I am copying below an AP story from today, just because it seems so nutty. Senator McCain is correct, this is never going to happen... so why there would be an article about it in the first place is beyond me. On the other hand, it's sort of amusing to see that Senator McCain doesn't seem to understand what steroids are. For all I know, they may have some mind-altering side effects in large amounts, but if I were trying to name a mind-altering substance, that is not the first one I'd think of...

 

______________________________________

 

WASHINGTON - Republican Sen. John McCain allowed a glimmer of hope Wednesday for Democrats fantasizing about a bipartisan dream team to defeat President Bush (news - web sites).

 

McCain said he would consider the unorthodox step of running for vice president on the Democratic ticket in the unlikely event he received such an offer from the presidential candidate.

 

"John Kerry (news - web sites) 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."

 

McCain gained a reputation as a party maverick who appeals to independent voters during his 2000 race against Bush for the Republican nomination. This year, McCain has campaigned for the president and said he would continue to do so.

 

Unlike some other Republican senators, he hasn't railed against Kerry, a fellow Vietnam veteran. McCain called the Kerry-Bush contest "the nastiest campaign so far that we have seen" and said he preferred campaigning for candidates instead of against their opponents.

 

[acco40 95]

I like Mccain but he is as confused as many when it comes to "labeling" political parties.

 

As for steriod use, it does have great mind altering capabilities, especially if the steriod use increases testosterone levels. I think he was trying to make a "funny" and being over 60 not really fitting in with his "drug" reference.

 

I think a McCain/Kerry ticket would be very entertaining myself.(This message has been edited by acco40)

[scoutingagain 20]

Thank you NJ for posting something other than Greek.

 

Very interesting article. McCain won the New Hampshire Primary four years ago and in general did very well in New England. My feeling is that if he had been the Republican Nominee last time around he would have won several New England states, most probably NH, ME, RI and maybe even MA. That would have been quite an accomplishment for a Republican.

 

It is interesting he doesn't seem to know what steroids are or other mind altering substances. I suspect this is one subject that Bill Clinton, John Kerry and George Bush are much more familiar with than Mr. McCain.

 

I'm sure he can be a stubborn SOB at times. Such a ticket would drive the Republican Party nuts. Something I bet they didn't have on their radar and now their probably wondering if this could happen.

 

One thing I find a little perplexing is that this presidential campaign is basically taking place in a handful of key states that could go either way. There are probably 15-20 million voters in these key states that will decide the election. We here in Massachusetts will see very little of this campaign from either side.

 

SA

[Twocubdad 665]

My first thought is what a remarkably vain comment that was.

 

But then I'm reminded that very little in politics is off the cuff. McCain has been actively campaigning for Bush is the primary states. Most likely is that this is simply an attempt to remind the Republican power brokers not to steer the campaign too far to the right and ignore the moderates. Even if McCain came up with this on his own, it's his way of saying, "Don't forget about me or I can still cause you trouble." Jesse Jackson has been doing it to the Democrats for years.

[acco40 95]

Touche.

 

There is a reason these guys are politicians. They know politics far better than you and I.

[NJCubScouter 1389]

TwoCub,

 

You're right. Just when there would otherwise be no reason at all for the national political media to be paying any attention to anyone other than George Bush, John Kerry and the cast of Democratic also-rans who might be considered for VP, here comes McCain, grabbing the spotlight. George Carlin once said that comedians are in the business of "Hey, dig me!" Basically, so are politicians, maybe even more so because the comedian is already on stage before he starts his act. The politician uses his act to GET on stage when by all rights it should be occupied by those who are actually running.

 

Or, maybe there are rumors going around that suggest that Cheney may not be on the ticket after all? Perhaps some medical news is floating around that has not become public, and Cheney will step aside before the Republican convention? I have heard what seemed like sheer speculation in this direction but it did not seem to be based on anything. Maybe it is, and McCain is trying to position himself for Bush to pick him when the time comes.

 

On the other hand, who really knows, but it's fun to guess if you're into this sort of thing, and I am.

[SR540Beaver 116]

If you'll note, McCain was on the program to discuss steroid use. Obviously, he must know something about it to be invited for an interview. I think his comment was an attempt to steer the conversation back to it's original purpose. He was not there to discuss running on a Kerry/McCain ticket. McCain has always been a fly in the ointment. I'm a registered democrat, but don't consider myself liberal. I would have voted for McCain in a heartbeat in 2000. As usual, we were stuck with the lesser or two evils in 2000. I think McCain could have gone the distance and I think he would have received more votes than Bush and the elecrtion would not been decided by the Supreme Court. Unfortunately for him, people in high places didn't give him the nod and worked against him. I doubt seriously that McCain would be offered the VP spot by Kerry, but it would be a gimmick that could actually knock Bush out of office. It looks to be a very close race like last time. I wouldn't coast on this one if I were Bush.

[SR540Beaver 116]

Oh yeah, there is thought out there in some conservative circles that Cheney's connections to Haliburton has become a liability to the ticket. Don't be surprised if he drops out at a later date.

[Proud Eagle 13]

McCain won't run with Kerry. The reason for that is Kerry won't ask him. The democratic base would have a heart attack (or if they are related to Cheney, 3 or 4). Besides, Kerry's liberalness would overshadow the moderate conservatism of McCain to the point that moderates would not be easily drawn to the ticket. Also, this would be the making of a great attack add for Bush/Cheney. John Kerry... Democrat one day... Republican the next... It would be the most transparent grab for the moderate voters in the history of presidential politics. Anyone with a brain would see through it.

 

As to Cheney dropping off the ticket, I seriously doubt it. Cheney's health would have to decline, or there would have to be some sort of Haliburton scandal directly tied to him. Currently we have no reason to think either will be happening.

 

Also, McCain lost the 2000 primary because he wasn't conservative enough. Primaries are always dominated by the more entrenched members of the parties. Therefore it required no action by back room big shots, but rather it just required Bush to appeal to the Republican base more effectively than McCain. Perhaps McCain would have won the general election by a landslide, but we will never know since his campaign strategy was insufficient to win the primary.

[NJCubScouter 1389]

ProudEagle says:

 

It would be the most transparent grab for the moderate voters in the history of presidential politics.

 

Well, maybe since the last time there was a "fusion" ticket, which was in 1864, when the Republicans and Northern "War Democrats" temporarily united to form the Unionist Party. And they won. Of course, we're not in the middle of a Civil War at the moment, at least not officially.

 

I think it's all moot because it isn't going to happen. Too many Democrats would freak out, and I don't see how it is going to attract many moderates, especially after some Democrats at the convention pointed out just how conservative McCain really is. The "moderate" image is just that, an image, I don't see how he's really less conservative in actual practice, than Bush is.

[SR540Beaver 116]

Proud Eagle,

 

Perhaps you don't recall the rumors put out by Bush's campaign when it came down to a race between Bush and McCain during the primaries. McCain was targeted with false stories such as being a stoolie for his captors in the Hanoi Hilton; that he fathered a black daughter out of wedlock (a reference to McCain's adopted Bangladeshi daughter); Cindy McCain's drug "abuse"; and even that McCain was homosexual.

 

True, McCain did not have the political machine or the money that Bush had and that coupled with dirty politics did him in. Bush was hand picked by a very elite and powerful group of people to be groomed for the Presidency. They succeeded in winning him the nomination.

 

Don't take my comments to be Bush bashing. These kind of things happen in political races. I'm just calling a spade a spade from my perspective.