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2 McCain Moments, Rarely Mentioned
New York Times ^ | March 24, 2008 | By ELISABETH BUMILLER

Posted on 03/24/2008 8:10:44 AM PDT by ninonitti

WASHINGTON — Senator John McCain never fails to call himself a conservative Republican as he campaigns as his party’s presumptive presidential nominee. He often adds that he was a “foot soldier” in the Reagan revolution and that he believes in the bedrock conservative principles of small government, low taxes and the rights of the unborn.

What Mr. McCain almost never mentions are two extraordinary moments in his political past that are at odds with the candidate of the present: His discussions in 2001 with Democrats about leaving the Republican Party, and his conversations in 2004 with Senator John Kerry about becoming Mr. Kerry’s running mate on the Democratic presidential ticket.

There are wildly divergent versions of both episodes, depending on whether Democrats or Mr. McCain and his advisers are telling the story. The Democrats, including Mr. Kerry, say that not only did Mr. McCain express interest but that it was his camp that initially reached out to them. Mr. McCain and his aides counter that in both cases the Democrats were the suitors and Mr. McCain the unwilling bride.

Either way, the episodes shed light on a bitter period in Mr. McCain’s life after the 2000 presidential election, when he was, at least in policy terms, drifting away from his own party. They also offer a glimpse into his psychological makeup and the difficulties in putting a label on his political ideology over many years in the Senate.

(Excerpt) Read more at nytimes.com ...


TOPICS: Extended News; News/Current Events; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: flipflop; fundedbysoros; mccain; mccainsoros; mcdemocrat; mcrino; mcsoros; reforminstitute; rino
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To: GVnana

Timing is everything ;-)


21 posted on 03/24/2008 8:56:55 AM PDT by ninonitti
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To: Always Right

They do seem inseperable lately...


22 posted on 03/24/2008 9:09:16 AM PDT by stuartcr (Election year.....Who we gonna hate, in '08?)
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To: ninonitti

On the bright side, I can’t see this article making him LESS palatable to Democrats who can’t stand or don’t trust their candidate, but don’t want to vote for a doctrinaire conservative for President.

Better McCain than Hillary or Obama!


23 posted on 03/24/2008 9:14:53 AM PDT by Piranha
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To: ninonitti

IIRC, Rush mentioned that at a meeding with a Jewish group, McCain’s rep mentioned that the “Christian right” was a serious problem.


24 posted on 03/24/2008 9:17:33 AM PDT by Dante3
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To: Digital Sniper

Yeah, but the point is that the NYT prefers Clinton and Obama to McCain. That’s all I need to know.


25 posted on 03/24/2008 9:31:00 AM PDT by Brilliant
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To: RKBA Democrat; bert
Not at all. Sen. Clinton will be happy to join him on the ticket. And if not her, maybe Sen. Kennedy, Gov. Corzine or maybe even Justice Bader-Ginsburg.

LOL. . .yes and we can smell the smoke of some serious thinking going on here. . .

.. .but again, think Lieberman is not a worry - most likely Cabinet or 'State' for him; but do wish there were more to realistically choose from for VP.

A 'Fred fan'; but he does not ease the 'age' thing with McCain - or appear to; nor does the image of 'two white-haired, white men' as per Charlie Crist exactly cut it. Lindsey Graham is OTOH; a baby-faced loser IMHO.

So, still looks like 'slim-pickens' from here. Would be great for McCain to have what is perceived as an 'exciting ticket'. Just don't see a dynamic duo lining up here.

26 posted on 03/24/2008 9:38:47 AM PDT by cricket (Damn Political Correctness; before it irretrievably, damns us all. . .)
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To: Brilliant
The NYT is trying like the Devil to separate McCain from the conservative movement.

It's amazing how many people here at FR still think "republican" and "conservative" are synonymous. Yes, McCain is a republican. No, he is not a conservative.

27 posted on 03/24/2008 9:55:50 AM PDT by GATOR NAVY (Your parents will all receive phone calls instructing them to love you less now.)
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To: dittomom; uglybiker; Slip18
His discussions in 2001 with Democrats about leaving the Republican Party ...

I guess we now know what they were talking about at the big "summit," eh?

28 posted on 03/24/2008 10:07:31 AM PDT by Cyber Liberty (Don't trust anyone who can't take a joke. [Congressman BillyBob])
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To: Brett66
I wonder what would happen if the vice-president was nominated over the sitting president in 2012?

I had similar thoughts, but I want him to select a rino or a rat for vp that way they go down with him and we nominate a conservative in 2012

29 posted on 03/24/2008 10:30:23 AM PDT by Liberty2007 (We are busy winning hearts and minds while our islamfascist enemy is busy cutting throats and necks.)
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To: Always Right
"I just fear McCain is going to name Lieberman as his running mate."

Be thankful if it's not Kerry or Kennedy!

30 posted on 03/24/2008 10:56:08 AM PDT by penowa
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To: ninonitti
LOL Lieberman? way too conservative.....Kerry is more to Juan's liking.

No, he's going to pick Ms. Linsey Graham. This way he'll sew up the Southern vote, and he can have two first ladies in the Oval Office.

31 posted on 03/24/2008 11:12:24 AM PDT by E. Cartman (Those who do not know history are doomed to repeat it.)
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To: penowa
Be thankful if it's not Kerry or Kennedy!

Kennedy would be a de facto adviser in a McCain White House. Maybe President McCain could invite him up for "sandwiches".

32 posted on 03/24/2008 11:15:15 AM PDT by E. Cartman (Those who do not know history are doomed to repeat it.)
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To: E. Cartman
"Maybe President McCain could invite him up for "sandwiches"."

Good one! LOL!

33 posted on 03/24/2008 11:37:43 AM PDT by penowa
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To: Brilliant
To each their own. Just remember that the lesser of two evils is still evil.
34 posted on 03/24/2008 12:11:33 PM PDT by Digital Sniper (Hello, "Undocumented Immigrant." I'm an "Undocumented Border Patrol Agent.")
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To: cricket; Always Right

Guess I was wrong:{

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1990814/posts


35 posted on 03/24/2008 12:54:42 PM PDT by bert (K.E. N.P. +12 . Never say never (there'll be a VP you'll like))
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To: bert
. . .and now - slimmer pickens ;^#. . .
36 posted on 03/24/2008 1:00:16 PM PDT by cricket (Damn Political Correctness; before it irretrievably, damns us all. . .)
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