As VP? Maybe not. But ... http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/4961694/ If McCain agreed in advance, this would change the entire dynamic of this race. <B>Kerry says he’d put McCain at Pentagon</B> <I> ORLANDO, Fla. - Democratic challenger John Kerry said Wednesday his first choice as defense secretary would be Republican Sen. John McCain as he criticized the Bush administration for failed policies in Iraq. advertisement Kerry slammed President Bush and Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld for the abuse of Iraqi prisoners, their failure to build an international coalition and other ”miscalculations surrounding this war.” “This thing has been so extraordinarily mismanaged and ineptly prosecuted,” the Massachusetts senator told the “Imus in the Morning” radio program one day after Army Maj. Gen. Antonio Taguba, who investigated the mistreatment at the Abu Ghraib prison, told Congress the abuse reflected a failure of leadership in the U.S. armed forces. Renewing his call for Bush to take full responsibility for the prison scandal and Rumsfeld to resign despite his apology, Kerry singled out McCain of Arizona, a fellow Vietnam War veteran and frequent Bush critic, when pressed on who he would want running the Pentagon. “I have any number of people that I would make secretary of Defense, beginning with our good friend John McCain,” Kerry said. McCain was not immediately available for comment. Kerry listed several other possible candidates “who could manage it (the Pentagon) very effectively,” including Democratic Sen. Carl Levin of Michigan and Republican Sen. John Warner of Virginia, the top ranking senators on the Armed Services Committee. Denies interest in veep spot McCain’s name has surfaced on the long lists of potential running mates for Kerry but he has denied any interest. In addition, Kerry used McCain’s image in one of his campaign ads. McCain was defeated by Bush in the bitterly fought 2000 Republican Party primary. With a strong following among independent voters, McCain has always had a reputation for outspokenness, recently defending Kerry against Republicans questioning his commitment to national security. Kerry blamed Bush and Rumsfeld for the prisoner abuse scandal in Iraq, saying they “dismissed” the Geneva Convention after the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks “so that the status of prisoners, both legal and moral, becomes ambiguous at best, and I think as we hear from Gen. Taguba, worse that ambiguous, major failures in command.” “I think you’re going to see a command failure here,” Kerry said. He predicted more “public backbiting” which he warned would hurt the military. Kerry said his goal was to bring other countries into Iraq to “get rid of this American occupation, (to) get the target off the American troops alone, (and to) get the war out of the pocket of the American taxpayer exclusively.” Pressed on his characterization of atrocities committed by U.S. troops in Vietnam, Kerry said many U.S. actions during the war ran counter to the Geneva Convention. 'Pretty hard word' “I used a pretty harsh word and I regret the harshness of it,” he said. “But the reality is that ... countless numbers of books have been written that have chronicled how we went awry over there.” Kerry brushes aside complaints from some Democrats that his campaign was stagnating at a time when Bush’s approval ratings are falling to new lows. “We’re doing just terrific,” Kerry said. “The fact is that I am running stronger against an incumbent president than any challenger in history, and we’re going to win this race.” Kerry said those critics who “wrote me off” before the primaries were wrong. “Does it take time to sink in? Sure. Do people need to get to know me over the next months? Yes. That’s what a campaign’s about.” </I>
Would McCain few SoD as a more enviable position than VP? If not, I don't see anyway that he'd agree to it *beforehand*. I could very well seeing him accept if Kerry wins the election.
I agree that's it not likely, unfortunately. But McCain could come out and say "if an administration wanted me as Sec of Defense, I would definitely be interested" or something like that. I think he would want to avoid V.P. simply because he wouldn't want to have to campaign against Republicans. But SecDef could be a good compromise. I am curious to hear his response whenever he's asked by it. He may not formally agree at any point, but his response now might give insight into his plans.
McCain said there was no way he would serve as the Vice President under John Kerry. Do not see him changing that stance for the (DOD) Defense Secretary position all the sudden.
McCain said there was no way he would serve as the Vice President under John Kerry. Do not see him changing that stance for the (DOD) Defense Secretary position all the sudden. That's because he refuses to leave the Republican Party. SecDef (or any Sec, really), however, can be of the opposite party - note that Clinton's was a Republican.
Since he's running for re-election this year to the Senate, I think he'd dismiss any idea that he wouldn't be serving the term in the Senate he's running for.
Most of the recent SecsDef have been basically apolitical - at least as far as interacting with the public/media and campaigning - while in office, no?
I don't know. Dick Cheney was the first Bush's Secretary of Defense. I don't recall him being overtly political, but he sure seems that way now. Cap Weinberger has been quite political since leaving office, but I don't recall what he was when he was in office. And, of course, Rumsfield was Secretary of Defense before. I don't recall any of the three Clinton Secretaries of Defense being all that political.
I saw an interview with McCain on TV tonight and he was asked straight up if he would serve as John Kerry's defense secretary. He jokingly said "what about VP?". Then he said he would not serve under Kerry because he feels like he can do more in the Senate.
I wish McCain was president. He is a straight shooter and could give a rats ass about party politics. He makes me believe in the political process again. That was one very different Letterman, dont you think?
Actually, he's about the only real Republican left. When the new breed of manipulative, morals-legislating, free-spending jingoists came along, the true Barry Goldwater small government Republicans had their message twisted and selectively destroyed to suit the needs of the reactionary “good-old-days” elements. That having been said, Kerry is doing the political equivalent of bin Laden's letter to Europe of a few weeks back; he's seeking to perform the classic divide and conquer manouver on the Republican party.
It's tempting to agree that he's " the only real Republican left", and as a national Republican leader, that's a close to accurate statement. Just don't forget his fellow "real Republican", Joe Lieberman. bama said McCain should change his party affiliation... hell, so should Joe. I know several "real Republicans" in real life who stumble around, grouchy, with a bit of a dazed look... cussin' Bush and his radical clique who rule the Republican roost today. Then they cuss the Democrats for nominating Kerry, who they plan to vote for, unless they just don't vote, because Bush makes them sick to their stomach. (hey, most of us Democrats didn't frontload the primaries, which worked so well to Kerry's advantage, but at least he's better than the devil we know... sittin' in the White House) You make a great point, Ottomaton, which I've tried to mumble here from time to time. These aren't your father's Republicans. The vast majority of pre-Reagan Republicans, including those who were strongly conservative, like Goldwater, wouldn't get close enough to sniff the leadership of today's GOP. Too liberal. Can't call them moderate, because the word is no longer in the lexigon. Besides, someone like Goldwater would have been insulted to be called a moderate Republican. That's what leaders like Nelson Rockefeller and Everett Dirksen were. There are some real Republicans here in D&D... mrpaige and MadMax spring to mind. Giddyup might be if he would take a breath from being so darned stubborn. And some others I can't think of at the moment. So, all you Real Republicans here inhabiting the ether, I salute you. Now go take back your party. I'm working on mine.
Sorry about that. I forgot to put in the . I did make a broad swipe, but you have to admit that McCain has far more integrity and honesty than the Republicans who are running this administration. Personally, I love John McCain. I was looking forward to voting for him until Rove pulled out his dirty tricks in South Carolina in '00. I was thrilled that there was a Republican who was talking about the same things that I think about and who seemed to be concerned about the way things were going, particularly with campaign financing. Unfortunately, it was campaign financing (or lack thereof) that saw McCain out and Bush in. So, giddy, what I wonder is if you think that McCain has more integrity and honesty than Bush and co. That was the point I was trying to make. I know that there are Republicans with integrity and honesty, I just don't see many in this administration.
We should only do this on the condition that they take one of our bad contracts off of our hands. I propose Zell Miller from GA.
Then he said he would not serve under Kerry because he feels like he can do more in the Senate. Word. My thoughts exactly. McCain is not implying that he will be Kerry's b*tch in the Senate. He is stating that he can do more to promote his conservative agenda in the Senate, viz-a-viz SoD. McCain notably seeks to forward his agenda through bi-partisanship. If you put this on its head and spun it, one could see this as helping promote Kerry's more liberal agenda.
