Columnist Broder Sees Potential Party Switches by Senators McCain and Chaffee

The Washington Post | 11-18-02 | Theodore R.

[gridlock]

Cool...I'm all for gridlock

Well, thank you very much. I prefer to sit this one out, however. At least until a few more judges get approved.

[the gillman@blacklagoon.com]

I'd like to see Lincoln "the Commie" Chafee jump...

off a cliff.

[A. Pole]

At any rate, veteran liberal columnist David Broder said there is a real chance that Senators John McCain and Lincoln Chaffee will switch parties

Forgive me, but I cannot recall if Mr. McVain is Democrat or Republican?

[Dems_R_Losers]

I am much more concerned that McCain will resign sometime in 2003 in order to start setting up an Independent presidential campaign or a GOP primary challenge to President Bush. Arizona just elected a liberal Democrat governor and she would certainly appoint a Rat to McCain's seat. So McCain could get what he wants without burning as many bridges with Republicans as he would with an outright party switch. McCain is too pro-life and pro-defense to ever be accepted within the Democratic party, especially for a presidential nomination.

If McCain resigns and is replaced by a Democrat, and Landrieu is reeelected, then we are back to a one-seat Republican majority and Chafee will be under much more pressure to switch. But Chafee is going to get a subcommittee chairmanship, and he wouldn't get any more than that with the Rats because of his lack of seniority.

[cynicom]

Broder is whistling in the graveyard once again, trying to rouse the dead party faithful. Broder cannnot accept that the people have spoken, McCain and Chaffee know which way the wind is blowing.

[1Old Pro]

Broder is wrong.

[bob_esb]

actually, i was called also on a poll.

i got something very similar to 7. listed by gnarledmaw. I am afraid that the dems are desperate enought to try this, and the press and independents will fall for it.

[KC_Conspirator]

McCain won't leave because he is the media's only pet Republican Senator. They already have 48 pet Democrat Senators. If he jumps ship he won't be on TV every other night.

You have just nailed the answer to the question about why McCain won't switch parties.

This is all just wishful thinking on Broder's part. Imagine if these senators switched and a Republican won in LA? They would simply be shutting themselves out of cushy and powerful chairmanships. Furthermore, a political dunce can tell after the election which direction the country is headed. Which should tell you something since Broder can't even figure that out.

[PMCarey]

I'm amazed that such idiots can become famous commentators. There's is NO WAY that Chaffe and McCain will switch. The nation has moved along way from when Jeffords switched. Consider:

• When Jeffords switched Bush was considered a weak president after a controversial election. Now Bush is a political giant after an electoral triumph
• When Jeffords switched Bush's standing in the polls was mediocre at best. Now Bush's rating is historically high and sustained.
• When Jeffords switched, the next election was a mid-term election in which more Republican seats had to be defended than Dem seats. The smart money was that the Dems would pick up several seats and retake the senate. Now, the next election sees more Dem seats up than Republican seats. Morever the Republicans are in a stronger position running on Bush's coat-tails in 2004.

In summary, Jeffords switched when confronting a likely loss of his majority status in 2002 if didn't and was facing only the wrath of a "weak" president. If McCain and Chaffee switch, is not likely that they will be able to hold their majority status past 2004 and they face the wratch of an extremely powerful president. Therefore they won't switch.

[solo gringo]

IMHO.The American people are tired of the Socialist thinking of Daschle and are glad he is no longer in charge. I think McCain is to smart to go over to a loseing team.Chafee ? ? ? ? ?

[ewing]

McCain is nuts and Chaffee could be offered the new chairmanship for Homeland Security committee for switching.

I wouldn't say this is probable but I wouldn't rule it out of hand either.

[unixfox]

Is there no way this behavior can be stopped?

Yep, vote for a BETTER and HONEST candidate.

[NativeNewYorker]

This is an exceedingly low probability event, so the question in my mind is, why is Broder floating it?

To fill space? To give the Dem faithful hope? To sow dissension on the GOP side?

[bourbon]

In the "Meet the Press" interview Sunday, Senator Landrieu urged LA to retain its two Democrat senators because "Mississippi would otherwise have three senators."

Sen. Landrieu, I resent that remark!

[BlackRazor]

If a person really has conviction that he/she should switch parties then they should also have the courage to resign immediately and seek re-election under the banner of their chosen party.

Under current laws, the above scenario would work for House seats (e.g. Phil Gramm), but not for the Senate. As soon as a sitting Senator resigns, the state's governor has the power of appointing a replacement. At present, there is no mechanism for a special election to handle your suggestion.

[XJarhead]

This stuff about McCain keeps getting floated without any support. The most recent comments I've seen from McCain is that he would "never" leave the Republican Party. I don't agree with the guy on a lot of issues, but his denial seems pretty credible to me.

[Aleutian Longliner]

If true... double suicide..

Remember Wellstone?

[Zack Nguyen]

As devastating as this would be after Republicans worked so hard to regain the majority, in a way this might be good for the long term health of the party. McCain is a moderate and no longer in the mainstream of the party. Chafee is a hardcore leftists and bears no ideological resemblance whatsoever to the Republican Party as a whole. The Republican Party tolerates a level of ideological disparity between it's leaders that is utterly alien to the Republican Party.

[Zack Nguyen]

That is very interesting indeed. Someone must be paying a lot of money to find out where McCain would best fit.

[RooRoobird14]

David Broder's batting average was about .00001 in the mid-term election predictions, slightly below Dick Morris's. Broder must be going through post-traumatic stress from 11/5..