DID Kerry court McCain?

[BurtWorm]

As was reported a week ago? I find it hard to believe he could be so naive. Perhaps "court" is too strong a word for what he actually did? I hope!

Given that McCain is now traveling with Bush for votes out West, and assuming that Kerry actually did pursue McCain, does anyone care to defend such a tack? Or can we agree that it makes no sense?

[molly]

1. Think about the game of chess

[lancdem]

2. There never was any chance McCain would've accepted

The whole story was meant to make Bush look bad.

[BurtWorm]

4. That is the very best explanation I've seen for this story.

Thank you! Seriously! It gives me some hope to think the Kerry people are capable of being so devious. :evilgrin:

[BurtWorm]

6. On the other hand

does McCain's appearance with Bush today look like a pointed snub of Kerry? It does a little to me. Back on the previous hand, perhaps that seed of doubt about McCain's loyalty to Bush has been sown... but doesn't this harm McCain more than Bush? I just don't know.

[Monte Carlo]

3. Frankly, no.

I don't want to defend something against someone who I don't think will listen anyway, who seems to have already resolved that it made no sense.

[Sinistrous]

5. I believe the Kerry/McCain blather was disinformation designed to

build up McCain's reputation among the moderates for the moment when Mr. POW-War-Hero replaces Cheney on the bush ticket. Now the retrogs will be able to float the meme that McCain is such a wonderful guy that even the Democrats wanted him. Prepare for a major puke-fest.

8. That's my instinct also

there's an editorial floating that balloon in the New York Daily News I posted in editorials which lends some credence to that idea.

[WI_DEM]

7. yes

if McCain had said yes, Kerry would have taken him.

[venus]

14. I agree WI-DEM. Kerry never denied it

as I recall. I think it's sad. Heard it again on some news show this evening.

[VOX]

9. The courtship was reported by "respectable" rags like the WP and NYT...

Not that that makes it fact. But there is the general perception that a courtship did in fact occur.

And thus *'s maneuver today, which sends out the message, "Hey, McCain is *mine*."

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A50708-2004Jun17.html
Kerry's Search: In Depth, In Secret
Friday, June 18, 2004; Page A01
<snip>
Kerry, who had been enamored with the idea of a unity ticket, all but dropped that as a possibility after Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) rebuffed his overtures, the sources said.
<snip>

http://www.nytimes.com/reuters/politics/politics-campaign-bush-mccain.html
McCain to Campaign with Bush After Rebuffing Kerry
Published: June 17, 2004
But the outspoken senator scotched the idea of a cross-party election ticket, declaring: ``I will not be a candidate for vice president of the United States.''
<snip>
Asked how McCain's participation in Friday's events came about, McCain's spokesman, Marshall Wittmann, said, ``The president's campaign requested it and Sen. McCain said 'Yes.'''

[venus]

15. Can't stop staring at your moving kitty! n/t

[incapsulated]

10. Yes, I believe he did

Since Pitt made that revelation a while back, until now, most people here have refused to believe it, regardless of what seems like a hell of a lot of people saying so, on and off the record.

I believe he would have made him his running mate if McCain had accepted.

I also believe that the majority of DU'ers will refuse to believe this.

Oh, well, it's water under the bridge now.

[LizW]

11. It's worse than "makes no sense"

I can't begin to explain this lame move.

It was bad enough before McCain started actively campaigning for Bush*. Mary Matalin spelled out the Repug spin on the matter last Sunday. She said (I'm paraphrasing): We've been right all along. The Democrats are so lame and have so little conviction and so little support that they think they need a Republican on their ticket to win. And with McCain turning Kerry down, now whoever he does pick will be the bridesmaid, second choice.

[bluedog]

12. McCain is only

looking out for his votes this year and the $$$$$ that comes along with it........

[cosmokramer]

13. He only name-dropped McCain to poke the White House in the eye.

[venus]

16. Huh? n/t