Kerry McCain ticket

March 10, 2004 1:24 PM

John McCain is open to running with Kerry. Is a Kerry and McCain a ticket combination that keeps President Bush up at night? McCain could help Kerry and the Democrats bring in a sizeable chunk of the important "Nascar Dad" vote that is key to this election. Expect big overtures from the Bush team towards McCain including the possibility of a Bush and McCain ticket. McCain's decision may rest on any lingering resentment over the 2000 Republican presidentialcampaign, particularly the dirty tricks the Bush campaign pulled in South Carolina. Stay tuned.
posted by thedailygrowl (35 comments total)

Did you read the rest of the article? It won't happen. McCain openly mused on the Today show that Kerry would have a hard time justifying a pro-life, pro-tax cut, Republican running mate. I like McCain as much as the next guy, but I thought avoiding putting a Republican in the line of succession was kind of the point of this whole election.
posted by PrinceValium at 1:31 PM on March 10, 2004

It's already all over the news--as well as the linked article itself--that he's also categorically rejected the possibility.
posted by LairBob at 1:34 PM on March 10, 2004

It would never happen, but if it did, I would make the Kerry/McCain mark with a smile on my face and a spring in my step. Didn't Vice Presidents used to come from the opposition party on occassion...

Not to mention that it would diffuse charges of extreme liberalism, confuse republicans, and actually might help to reunite the nation.
posted by drezdn at 1:35 PM on March 10, 2004

No offense, dailygrowl, but no fucking way.

McCain is one of the ten most conservative Republicans in the Senate. He's a right-winger with a level of positive PR topped only by Rudy Giuliani. He votes the GOP party line for almost everything except his personal baby CFR. That Kerry would pick him over 48 of McCain's colleagues who by default are potential running mates within his own party, not to mention Democratic governors and the like, would be a startling message about Kerry's percieved confidence in Democrats to lead the country with him. Picking a Republican to strengthen the defense issue- the one major area Bush beats Kerry in right now- doesn't exactly help defeat the image that Republicans aren't strong against terror.

Kerry/McCain provides nothing beneficial except the "wouldn't that be cool" constituency... which as California proves only works if the incumbent's approval ratings are catastrophic. With a 50/50 split Kerry's not pulling a stunt like this.
posted by XQUZYPHYR at 1:43 PM on March 10, 2004

Besides, if McCain were next in line, how long would it take for some GOP nutter with a high powered rifle from perforating Kerry to get the country back under "control"?

Kerry/Dean? Yes.
Kerry/Edwards? Yes.
Kerry/Lieberman? No, sorry, the chinless wonder is use tough as limp noodles.
posted by fenriq at 1:53 PM on March 10, 2004

I disagree XQUZYPHYR, there are many on the left who would have been more happy with McCain as president than Bush (myself included). There's an easy way for Kerry to sell the idea to democrats and the country. The right and left are fiercely divided and running a ticket that has both a republican and democrat on it can be sold as a legitimate attempt to bridge this divide.
posted by drezdn at 1:53 PM on March 10, 2004

did anyone happen to see Dean's speech at the Gridiron pre-dinner soiree on saturday morning? if not, it's in the CSPAN archives (realplayer link). . . and is quite compelling. i'm hoping he's still in the running for the dems VP consideration.
posted by nyoki at 2:05 PM on March 10, 2004

John McCain is open to running with Kerry.

No, he's not.
posted by dhoyt at 2:36 PM on March 10, 2004

I think Dean took himself out of contention a while ago. I mean, I like the guy and all, but the general public thinks he's a nut.

Actually, want a real brain melting ticket? Dean / McCain running as Independant.
posted by bshort at 2:36 PM on March 10, 2004

but the general public thinks he's a nut

more like the media shapped the public opinion to think he looks like a nut.
posted by nyoki at 2:41 PM on March 10, 2004

Kerry/Lieberman? No, sorry, the chinless wonder is use tough as limp noodles.

Actually, fenriq, you'd have the same issue here. What kind of hero would you be if, with just one bullet, you could "elect" the first Jewish President?
posted by chicobangs at 2:43 PM on March 10, 2004

What's funny is here in Massachusetts, Kerry's considered a quasi-republican, at least compared to most of our legislators. Perspective always fascinates me.
posted by jalexei at 2:48 PM on March 10, 2004

McCain has not categorically rejected the idea, he simply says he thinks the chances of being asked are rather minute. That's a big difference. He does not say he wouldn't consider it or accept it - he's just shifting the focus to the Democrats and claiming they wouldn't ask him.
I think it's a really great idea. It would make Kerry unbeatable and take Smirky down. Hell, I wouldn't care if they exhumed Jesse Helms and stuck him in the V.P. slot if it would seal the deal. Considering that most of the Democrat Senators have voted the Republican party line, anyway, what difference would it make if Kerry chose a Republicrat?
posted by sixdifferentways at 2:58 PM on March 10, 2004

McCain as VP? What a brilliant idea :-) (self-link).
posted by jpoulos at 2:58 PM on March 10, 2004

My god, Nader (& Bill Hicks) were right after all. One puppeteer holding both puppets. Damn.

Yeah, I'd vote for Kerry, even if he ran with, oh, David Duke, so McCain? Why not. It's just that -- I guess I was working under the delusion that a multi-party system should have, oh I don't know, genuinely differing ideologies looking to forge a compromise between them, not merely two competing bowls of vanilla ice cream with turd sauce. (Ideologically speaking. I know there are differences. But why does Kerry come off as more conservative than McCain?)

You don't even have to say it, I already know. I'm just being naive.
posted by chicobangs at 3:14 PM on March 10, 2004

considering most voters in the primaries were choosing the person most likely to beat the President in the general election, I think McCain would seal the deal admirably.

Besides, we all know that the Veep is a completely supercilious fixture in most competent administrations.
posted by crunchland at 3:14 PM on March 10, 2004

Oh, and chicobangs ... take a look at this chart and tell me what it says to you.
posted by crunchland at 3:26 PM on March 10, 2004

Besides, we all know that the Veep is a completely supercilious fixture in most competent administrations.

Word. Which is why as a liberal Democrat, I would be very, very happy to see bad-ass, hilariously smart and funny, astute, brave, pro-life John McCain in the Kerry presidential ticket.

McCain vs. Cheney VP debate--now that would be a hell of a battle.
posted by jengod at 3:40 PM on March 10, 2004

the Veep is a completely supercilious fixture

Love this.
posted by CunningLinguist at 3:45 PM on March 10, 2004

Kerry/Nelson '04.

That is all.
posted by kickingtheground at 3:48 PM on March 10, 2004

"Sounds fun, but I think I'm to sleepy to be VP."
posted by delmoi at 3:59 PM on March 10, 2004

There are plenty of good Dems to pick from--Kerry doesn't need McCain (nor do I want to vote for a ticket that has a pro-life, pro-gun Repub on it).
posted by amberglow at 4:04 PM on March 10, 2004

PV's veepstakes:
Win: Bill Richardson
Place: Jennifer Granholm
Show: Bob Graham
posted by PrinceValium at 4:46 PM on March 10, 2004

Place: Jennifer Granholm

Jennifer Granholm is of Canadian birth, hence:

[N]o person constitutionally ineligible to the office of President shall be eligible to that of Vice-President of the United States.

- Twelfth Amendment of the United States Constitution

posted by Steve_at_Linnwood at 6:03 PM on March 10, 2004

d'oh.
The birth requirement really needs a repealin'. After Arnold retires, of course.
posted by PrinceValium at 6:08 PM on March 10, 2004

Yes, there are pleanty of good dems out there, so there is no need to bring in McCain as VP. Except for one thing. McCain seems to be the only person with even slightly right-of-center leanings that doesn't get blasted at mefi (tip'o the hat to dhoyt and steve_a_l for constanly reminding us that we are nearly the democraticunderground.com ;-)

I registered as a republican so that I could vote for McCain. I still don't like Kerry, but if he had the where-with-all to tap McCain, I'd go door to door for him. McCain is a very smart, very sharp man that at least has reasons for his conservative policy decisions. Dubya doesn't and gets zero respect for it. McCain is a leader who has rode the political tide up and down and I would be proud to vote for him in any capacity.

That and I think that if this floats long enough, some conservative talking head is going to bring up one of the SC Bush lies and McCain might just get mad enough to tell the RNC to fuck off. I'd pay 49.95 to see that on PPV.
posted by jmgorman at 6:17 PM on March 10, 2004

but if he had the where-with-all to tap McCain, I'd go door to door for him.

I second this.
posted by drezdn at 8:07 PM on March 10, 2004

but McCain didn't even try to stand up to Bush in 2000--the pushpolling and other slurs--he just stayed above it all. That won't cut it nowadays, and being a Repub, why would he want Bush to lose? (I could see one of the vanishing moderate Repubs running like Snowe or someone, but not McCain)
posted by amberglow at 8:27 PM on March 10, 2004

... take a look at this chart and tell me what it says to you.

Crunch, I feel you've proved my point better than I had the ability to myself. Thanks!

Keep in mind that over the next eight months, we are going to find out things about both Kerry and Bush (and their running mates, be they Cheney or Giuliani, or McCain or Edwards or Cleland or Landrieu or whoever winds up in the second seats) that we never wanted to know.

It doesn't really matter who's running with Kerry (or Bush, for that matter). We're going to hate them come November after the attack campaigns all play out. And they will be vicious.
posted by chicobangs at 10:59 PM on March 10, 2004

I registered as a republican so that I could vote for McCain.

It's becoming clear to me that I understand less about the American political system than I should. Would someone care to take pity on me and either explain what this means, or point me to some American Politics For Dummies place that would help me figure it out?
posted by stavrosthewonderchicken at 1:10 AM on March 11, 2004

I think jmgorman meant that he registered as a Republican so he could vote for McCain in the primaries, not the general election, where he could vote for Bozo the Clown if he wanted to, regardless of his party affiliation.

On the other hand, some states allow any registered voter, regardless of party affiliation, to vote in any primary election. I'm guessing that jmgorman's isn't one of them.

Does that clear it up?
posted by crunchland at 2:19 AM on March 11, 2004

The birth requirement really needs a repealin'.

No, it's fine the way it is. Leave it alone.
posted by Civil_Disobedient at 3:05 AM on March 11, 2004

The birth requirement really needs a repealin'.

No, it's fine the way it is. Leave it alone.

Besides, could you image the fuss?

"She's BOOORRRRRNNN.... in KA-NA-DAAARRRGGGHHHHH!"
posted by GrahamVM at 3:52 AM on March 11, 2004

The birth requirement really needs a repealin'.

Uh, shouldn't that be nation of birth requirement? I mean, birth itself should really be a requirement...

(although that might explain a lot...)
posted by GhostintheMachine at 4:54 AM on March 11, 2004

The birth requirement...

Look. Just because I happen to be a subdivided amoeba should not preclude me from serving my country as President (or VP, for that matter), should the Electoral College (or, barring that, the Supreme Court) so dictate.

I mean, look at Agnew. There's a precedent and everything.

Great. Now my secret's out. Damn.
posted by chicobangs at 7:34 AM on March 11, 2004