McCain: I'd Entertain Kerry VP Offer

NewsMax/AP ^ | 3/10/04 | Limbacher

[Tumbleweed_Connection]

Republican Sen. John McCain allowed a glimmer of hope Wednesday for Democrats fantasizing about a bipartisan dream team to defeat President Bush.

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.

[Mercat]

He is pro-life. I think that this was a great answer. I agree he's flawed. I would love to have him hammer Kerry but this is signal that it's not going to happen.

[duckbutt]

I thought McCain said while he was a POW they played the Kerry anti-vietnam stuff to them. If that is true, how in the HELL can this man be a friend of his?

[pcx99]

They'd have to be taking some steroids

LOL! Ya gotta love McCain -- that's the best dig I've seen in a long while :)

[pcx99]

Dude, did you even READ the article? Sure, he said he'd entertain it if the dems were stupid enough to offer and then proceeded to dig into every one of the dem's weak points and basically called them little girly men needing steroids to compensate for all that flab :)

[COURAGE]

I think this is great. A candidate for President most important action is picking the Veep. McCain and the Republicans will keep Kerry and DemoRATS twisting in the wind for weeks, messing up the selection process. Kerry is not considering McCain, but we should keep pushing it, screwing up the process. Keep telling the public and the DemoRATS how McCain is prolife, pro-Iraq war, etc. It would show that Kerry liberal ideas are not even good enough for the DemoRATS.

[RichardW]

This ain't going to happen. This is just a lot of sound and fury signifying nothing.

[Bagehot]

I don't think McCain will campaign very energetically for Bush - but he doesn't like him, so his liking for Kerry (which I cannot fathom, to be honest) is not truly a big factor. Kerry would not pick McCain for veep in a zillion years.

[WL-law]

Dude, did you even READ the article? Sure, he said he'd entertain it if the dems were stupid enough to offer and then proceeded to dig into every one of the dem's weak points and basically called them little girly men needing steroids to compensate for all that flab :)

You're wrong, and you really don't understand McCain at all.

McCain has a HUGE ego. He pines for all the attention that he received 4 years ago.

And -- often when McCain goes on the Sunday morning talk shows, I get the strong sense that the questions have been scripted in advance. McCain negotiates the questions, and prepares his answers.

McCain WANTED to be questioned about the VP slot, and he planned his "coy" answer -- which was certainly not a denial.

Now he's floated it more openly.

He knows that he can give Kerry cover on the Viet vet question, and on the defense question.

Kerry doesn't care about the other 'repub' issues. Kerry wants to win.

Winning is everything.

Sure makes it look suspicious, BTW, that McCain wanted on to Bush's Intelligence review commission.

You can now bet that McCain will be out to embarrass GWB.

One final point -- I PREDICTED ALL OF THIS on Sunday morning (and posted a commment here on FR saying so) after seeing McCain's performance with Steffy on ABC.

[AmishDude]

It's simple. McCain misunderstood the word "entertain". The context in which he said it indicates that he would allow Kerry to finish the question before he said "no".

I'm no McCain fan, but this is out of the realm of possibility, even for him.

[7.62 x 51mm]

Johnny "Lame Brain" McCain is truly mentally-ill. That cancerous lesion on the left temple must have gotten to what little brains the RINO scumbag had left. He's nutty as a fruitcake.

[AmishDude]

I thought McCain said while he was a POW they played the Kerry anti-vietnam stuff to them. If that is true, how in the HELL can this man be a friend of his?

Don't you remember, McCain visited Vietnam recently. He's been forgiving everybody. To be honest, he probably doesn't want to be angry about this stuff for the rest of his life.

I do wonder if McCain resents Kerry more than Bush. I suspect Bush could play into that and get more aggressive campaigning from McCain. If you stroke McCain's ego the right way, you can make him do anything.

[NYC Republican]

McCain will be on Hannity's show. Sean says it'll NEVER happen.

[Mo1]

Someone needs to smack that man upside his head

Of all people ... Kerry???

[My2Cents]

He'd "entertain it" the same way boys are entertained by burning ants with a magnifying glass.

[My2Cents]

I think this is McCain's way of giving Geo. W. Bush heartburn for about two minutes.

[My2Cents]

Make that the "unholy grail."

[PhiKapMom]

Did you put this in Breaking News? It is sure a lot more important then some of the stuff that is there now IMHO!

[Wait4Truth]

I agree. This should definitely be in Breaking News! If not this, what???

[raloxk]

he isnt going to switch. McCain is not a traitor

[Wait4Truth]

he isnt going to switch. McCain is not a traitor

He is after saying what he said. Even you should recognize that!