McCain caught in another lie: he approached Kerry about VP slot

[ProSense]

John Kerry: McCain Approached Me About Joining Dem Ticket in 2004

by Jonathan Singer, Tue Apr 03, 2007 at 10:30:45 AM EST

On Monday afternoon I had the chance to speak with Senator John Kerry of Massachusetts, the Democratic Party's nominee for President in 2004. During the interview, which covers a range of topics and which I will be posting later this afternoon, an item of particular interest jumped out at me: According to Sen. Kerry, it was John McCain's staff who approached his campaign about potentially filling the Vice President slot on the Democratic ticket in 2004. Take a listen to and a look at the interchange...

Jonathan Singer: There's a story in The Hill, I think on Tuesday, by Bob Cusack on the front page of the paper talking about how John McCain's people -- John Weaver -- had approached Tom Daschle and a New York Congressman, I don't remember his name, about switching parties. And I was wondering if you could talk a little bit about what your discussions were with him in 2004, how far it went, who approached whom... if there was any "there" there.

John Kerry: I don't know all the details of it. I know that Tom, from a conversation with him, was in conversation with a number of Republicans back then. It doesn't surprise me completely because his people similarly approached me to engage in a discussion about his potentially being on the ticket as Vice President. So his people were active -- let's put it that way.

Singer: Okay. And just to confirm, you said it, but this is something they approached you rather than...

Kerry: Absolutely correct. John Weaver of his shop...

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[ProSense]

1. Shouldn't come as a surprise,

McCain had already denied it. Seems he just forgot.

Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., who has been asked for months whether he would join the Kerry ticket, said Wednesday he has never been offered the job of Kerry’s running mate and would not accept such a position. He declined to comment on whether he and Kerry had discussed a unity ticket. The Associated Press reported that discussions ended last week with McCain rejecting Kerry’s request to consider being his running mate.

“I’m not going to talk about private conversations I’ve had with senators. I’m just not going to do that. But I was never offered that,” McCain said. The Arizona Republican said he will campaign for Bush’s re-election.

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McCain's rhetorical flirtation with the idea of becoming Sen. John Kerry's running mate is just the latest act in an ongoing intramural psychodrama that began in 1999, and no amount of common geostrategic purpose in the post-9/11 world can end it. He is a proud man, a fierce fighter with an ego to match the pride and ferocity. He wanted the Republican nomination in 2000, wanted it badly, and raged against what he saw as a system rigged against him.

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Through a remarkable orchestration of behind-the-scenes politicking, John McCain's advisors thrust him in the middle of the John Kerry Vice Presidential selection process - the McCain as VP rumors started not in the Kerry camp but in the McCain camp.

By elevating his status among Independents and Democrats, John McCain dramatically increased his appeal and political power. In fact, McCain currently outpolls some potential Democratic 2008 candidates among DEMOCRATS.

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[IndianaGreen]

2. Kerry is contradicting himself

Kerry said in 2004 and 2005 that there was no such consideration from either side to run a unity ticket with McCain.

I am at a loss as to why we are getting a different spin now.

[ProSense]

3. Kerry never discussed his VP decision. That's why

the NY Post got it so wrong.

The fact is he never asked McCain, who injected himself into the race by denying he would accept. McCain has continued to make the false claim, with the help of the media, long after he himself said it never happened.

[blm]

5. Kerry said he never made the offer or discussed it with McCain. That people from McCain's camp

tried to push the idea was known at the time. And all evidence pointed to his camp and the casual suggestion by Biden that the two run together. Something Kerry never considered, but McCain's camp sought to benefit from the perception in the media frenzy around the story.

McCain is the one being inconsistent when he first honestly denied that he was ever offered the position in 2004, and then recently said it was offered.

Kerry had to set the story straight ONCE AGAIN.

[IndianaGreen]

7. Okay, thanks for clarifying that. This is all McCain's bullshit

and my recollection of Kerry is still valid. Kerry never offered shit to McCain.

[karynnj]

8. Kerry never was asked if McCain approached him

All Kerry ever said was that he didn't ask him. My guess is that Kerry considered McCain's overtures to be confidential. What changed was that McCain blatantly and gratutitously lied about Kerry in responding to the 2001 story.

McCain has told MANY stories - and elaborated on each. He had also claimed in 2000 that Bush wanted him as VP.

In 2004, Kerry simply said he would say nothing of the VP search and he said nothing other than at one point, after Edwards was chosen he said he was the first choice.

There are things you can point to where McCain has lied. I have never seen anything where Kerry lied. I assume the reason Kerry didn't say this in 2005 is that McCain would have been believed over him because he was a media darling.

[ProSense]

4. McCain's desperation has been steadily increasing.

McCain's criticism elicited a strong response from Democratic Sen. John Kerry, the 2004 presidential nominee and a potential 2008 candidate.

"He must be trying to burnish his credentials for the nomination process," said Kerry, who labeled McCain's comments "flat politics and incorrect."

"The truth is the Clinton administration knew full well they didn't have a perfect agreement. But at least they were talking. At least we had inspectors going in and we knew where the rods were. This way, we don't know where the rods are. The rods are gone. There are no inspectors. Ask any American which way is better," Kerry said.

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[Imagevision]

6. McCain is low man on the totem pole, the price for mimicking Bush...