Imagine this 2008 Ticket: McCain/Hillary

[rucky]

yes, it's ridiculous, but just for shits and giggles, let's play this out:

Bipartisan ticket of "moderates" to "bridge the deep divisions between the two parties." It's plausible - not probable.

Splinter groups form from both sides - with the Hillary-hating Cons running someone else like Frist, and DLC-detesting Progressives running - well - a progressive. Two new, weaker parties are formed from both wings (or one weird but stronger coalition party from the middle).

The bipartisan ticket wins easy w/ disillusioned GOP-ers eager to put lipstick on their whorish reputation, and DLC-type dems can fuel their corporate interests without apologies, and come in second for once without coming in last. Meanwhile there'd be a formalized "triangulated" balance of power and the makings of a strong progressive movement (and a fringe fundie whacko party).

If it were a Hillary/McCain ticket, they'd still win, but it would be a long-term hit for progressives, because the fundie wacko splinter group would end up being stronger than the progressive group.

I'm not endorsing this as a good idea at all. We can run a progressive and win in '08. But you've gotta admit this scenario would make for an interesting dynamic (assuming we'd survive 4-8 years of that "dream team").

[rpannier]

1. One problem with that ticket is...

In a three horse race like that I doubt they could get enough electoral votes and I'm not sure they'd win a house vote.

[Selatius]

2. Well, Kerry tried to reach out to McCain, but he's on Bush's side

If Kerry-McCain became a reality, Bush would've been defeated as moderate Republicans and perhaps most of the Democratic base would've voted for them regardless of what was happening in Iraq, and since they're both grizzled war vets, they probably would've had a sane approach to Iraq as well, since they KNOW what it's like to be in war.

[NewJeffCT]

3. Outside of DU & similar places...

nobody thinks of Hillary as a moderate. Most think of her as a radical socialist bent on imposing national health care on the populace.

[Warren Stupidity]

6. Actually that is nonsense.

I'm no fan of HRC, but she polls very well 'outside of DU' and she has carefully crafted her image as a moderate. By the way, outside of DU, 60%+ of the population supports universal healthcare.

[NewJeffCT]

10. Actually, about 65-66% support universal health care

However, whenever anybody to the left of Ann Coulter tries to expand healthcare coverage, we get bombarded with charges of "socialized medicine", like famous socialists Richard Nixon & Otto Von Bismarck (both of whom supported it)

But, if a politician is bold enough to propose it, they get tagged with that label by the RW media machine.

[I_Make_Mistakes]

4. McCain is not worth a thought. When the Kerry - McCain rumor

was circulating, I (moranically) considered that it could be a good thing.

After, watching McCain's posturing, he stands for nothing. I really couldn't tell you he is (fill in the blank), something is wrong with that man. He actually, changes his stands, more than my daily underwear change!

[Warren Stupidity]

5. In what sense is McCain a moderate?

I reject your assumption.

[rucky]

13. That's why i put it in "air quotes". n/t

[SheWhoMustBeObeyed]

7. I will never! vote for any ticket that includes that fuckface McCain

Maybe his shit hasn't hit the fan yet, but when it does nobody will want McCain, not Dems or repubs.

If there is a moderate Republican whose worth anything at all and has seen the light, let him or her prove it by switching parties.

[harpo]

14. ditto...I keep recalling the pic of him hugging sweaty chimp...UGH

[SheWhoMustBeObeyed]

15. You mean this picture?

Or this picture?


Or maybe one of these?




They just can't keep their hands off each other.




If they run McCain in 08, we must constantly keep these pictures in front of voters.

Bush and McCain. McCain and Bush. Inseparable.

[harpo]

16. oh yes, those are the ones...

:puke:

[SheWhoMustBeObeyed]

17. Sorry to spoil your breakfast ;-) n/t

[Donkeykick]

8. That would not surprise me a bit!

;) And I wish McCain would turn on the GOP and become a Democrat.:headbang:

[BushOut06]

19. Why, so he can become the biggest DINO in Congress?

He and Lieberman would practically climb all over each other trying to see who could kiss the most * ass.

[qanda]

9. Sounds like what my nightmares are made of

[fed-up]

11. I'm a registered Democrat, I will NOT vote Republican n/t

[OmmmSweetOmmm]

12. McCain is a spineless, bushasskissing hawk and I cannot even imagine

such a match-up, and in fact, I find this thread downright creepy.

[mtnester]

18. Jayzus, can anyone say Deja Vu?

I can hear the Rove spin machine loud and clear kiddies...can you!

And feeding into it with "for sihts and giggles lets play this out" is exactly what they want.

I am not advocating anyone stopping from posting anything they want, I would just would like to make an effort to make SURE EVERYONE HAS THEIR DAMN BLINDERS AND EAR PLUGS OFFF right now.

[rucky]

21. Oh yeah, Rove pays me quite well to frustrate & confuse you.

:eyes:

[liberalmike27]

20. Unhelpful

This type of thinking is as unhelpful as the McCain Kerry BS that went on in the last campaign. It plays right into the "We can't find a democrat that is good enough to be VP, so we we'll blend in a bit of Republican.

The Democratic Party's problem is that they suck from the same corporate slop bucket as the Republicans do. When they stop this, and at least pick one industry (pharmaceuticals perhaps) to decide to not accept money from, and campaign against them, then we'll have a party we can get behind, and we can stop all this crazy speculation about a split ticket.

It also plays into the BS center idea that we need to keep trying to peel off upper middle class voters rather than giving the "less elite" masses someone to rally around. You can laugh at the scream, but Dean was that kind of candidate.

[rucky]

22. "We can run a progressive and win in '08."

from my OP. n/t

[Toucano]

23. No thank you. n/t