McCain V.P. offers are ingenuous

[louis c]

To those who feel that John Kerry and his staff made a mistake in offering the V.P. slot to John McCain, and the resulting snub by the Arizona Senator,is a political debacle, here's the other side.

To those like me that want Bush and Co. out of office at any price, he shows me his willingness to take a calculated risk to maximize the chances of victory. Under no circumstances should Kerry not attempt to pick up 14 points in the polls.

However, he couldn't lose me if he tried. By all accounts, this electorate is divided at roughly 45% to 45%, and both sides are fighting for that uncommitted, fluid, independent middle 10%. These folks are sick and tired of the divisions in this country, especially in our times of crisis.

President nit-wit and his gang have shown a willingness to divide to such an extent, they will even eat their own. O'Neil, Clarke, Plame, and to some degree, even McCain himself, have felt the wrath of this rigid and vindictive administration. Their unwillingness to compromise with the opposition point of view in congress, or even to reconsider Nancy Reagan's position on Stem-Cell research shows a hard line that, I believe, turns off this very important middle vote.

Enter the McCain offers. Kerry is telling the middle 10% that he is willing to reach out to unify this country. He will do this to bring aboard the candidate that best represents them. He is attempting to demonstrate that he recognizes our need to reach out to other groups to unify a divided nation. Only one other time in history did a candidate attempt to reach across party lines to unify a divided America. In the election of 1864, Republican President Abraham Lincoln dropped Vice-President Hannibal Hamlin in favor of the Southern Democrat, Andrew Johnson. This is the image Kerry's campaign is trying to convey to the group of voters that will decide the winner in November. I, for one, think the offers to McCain, even if spurned, are ingenious.

[Trajan]

1. There is a part of me that agrees ...

But enough is enough: he said NO ...

[louis c]

3. I agree with you,

It is time to move on, but he has made his point, and the leak was not accidental.

[HootieMcBoob]

2. Wes Clark

would accomplish the same thing and he's a Democrat with progressive ideas. I think putting the McCain idea out there is good, McCain is a popular Senator. But I would l ultimately like to see the offer go to Wes Clark. I'm not too excited about the Edwards idea.

[louis c]

4. And I agree with you

The offer serves its purpose, and Clark is now my choice.

[chimpymustgo]

5. Wes Clark doesn't give Kerry 14 points over Chimpy/Cheny. Edwards

is the only Dem candidate, based on recent polling that Kerry wins with. Though I think Kerry can win with several choices - Edwards is polling best.

[Bandit]

10. How would adding another Democrat to the ticket show inclusiveness?

It was a brilliant ploy to suggest McCain. It shows a willingness to be inclusive. He knew McCain would never go along with such a thing so he really risked nothing. It was a win-win situation and tactfully brilliant. Yes Clark is a warrior and in this warrior mentality we have found ourselves in he could be an asset, but not in the same way a republican could be. I am against war and would like to see someone chosen who opposed this war and all wars and that certainly is not Clark. It isn't McCain either but he was never really a consideration. I would like to see a woman chosen. One with a large popularity and liberal views. Maybe Oprah or some similar person. Ann Lewis is my ideal candidate for Vice-President.

[physioex]

6. Plame isn't "one of theirs"....

She is a federal employee involved in covert operations. She is employed by the citizens of this country for intelligence gathering. When they outed her, they created a battled between the intelligence community and the exective branch.....And I wouldn't want to be on the executive side of the conflict....

[PDittie]

7. There are so few undecided voters left

and none of them are reading anything posted here (I'll wager).

Nevertheless, the talk about McCain only helps -- helped -- Kerry.

Even though there was never any chance of it actually happening.

(quickly dons flame-retardant suit in pre-emptive defensive maneuver)

[LisaM]

8. If it was Olympia Snowe, maybe. But not McCain.

He is not pro-choice.

I think, also, you mean ingenious, not ingenuous? Sorry, I'm in a crabby mood now that you mentioned McCain.

[David__77]

12. I agree.

The choice issue is a deal-breaker, unless somehow McCain said that he wouldn't try to criminalize abortion, but is still "pro-life": i.e., if he became pro-choice for all intents and purposes.

[luisao]

9. Assinine Idea

Kerry will lose my vote and at least tens of thousands of others by proving beyond a shadow of a doubt that he stands for absolutely nothing if he does ask a Republican to join the ticket.

Will the DNC never learn that Americans want a president who stands for something other than getting elected?

[spanone]

13. He could put David Dukes on the ticket and I'd still vote for him.

anyfuckingbodybutbush*

[louis c]

15. Your attitude

is why Republicans get elected in the first place. The other side knows how to play wedge issues. If we can't figure out how to offset their tactics, we will never be the one's making the decisions.

[ibegurpard]

16. If we can't figure out how to offset their tactics without running them

on our tickets then we don't deserve to be the ones making the decisions.

[louis c]

18. Well, you've convinced me

If we can't have idealogical purity, let them win. As it turns out, in retrospect, other than Zell Miller, who's the biggest asshole in the Senate besides our V.P. candidate in 2000, Joe Lieberman?

[ibegurpard]

11. Absolutely brilliant

If you are hellbent on proving correct the 2000 Green Party mantra of "no difference between Republicans and Democrats."

[sangh0]

14. McCain has a reputation for being "his own man"

Kerry (a Dem) asks McCain, a Repuke who has a reputation for being "his own man", to *consider* being Kerry's (a Dem) VP.

The people on DU (who, like Kerry are mostly Dems) get upset hearing this. Kerry (a Dem) repeats the question to McCain, a repuke who has a reputation for being "his own man", even though many Dems don't like it, proving that Kerry (a Dem) is, like McCain, a man who is "his own man"

Add to this the constant references to how Kerry's military service record was heroic (like McCain's) while both Cheney and Bush* never served in combat. Rinse and repeat.

[KG]

17. whoa, this latest spin on this display of dem party lameness?

'ingenuous'?

heh, 'pathetic' is a better description.

[chimpy the poopthrower]

19. except that KERRY NEVER MADE THAT OFFER

Please see this thread:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=104x1786190

Show me the proof that Kerry ever made such an offer. All there are are a couple unnamed sources claiming that Kerry was discussing it with McCain, but there is NO PROOF of this.

[louis c]

20. The point is

that even the overtures, or speculation, or assumption that Kerry is considering McCain, makes him seem to the moderate voter to be the uniter they are looking for. Contrasted to the ideologue moron in the White House, Kerry becomes a very acceptable alternative.

[Name removed]

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