Last week, The Hill caused quite a stir when it reported that [tag]John McCain[/tag], in 2001, was close to switching parties, and members of his team had actually initiated discussions about the Arizona senator becoming a Dem. Several leading conservative blogs noted that, if true, the report would likely end McCain’s chances in the Republican presidential primary.
There’s hasn’t been too much follow-up since — McCain was in the Middle East over the weekend — but MyDD’s Jonathan Singer chatted with John Kerry yesterday and learned a similarly fascinating and related tidbit of news.
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.
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… [JK answers phone]
Now, we all heard plenty of talk in 2004 about McCain being considered for Kerry’s running mate. Indeed, McCain acknowledged on national television that he’d consider the offer, should Kerry extend it.
But this detail from Kerry is definitely new. All the reports indicated that it was Kerry’s team who reached out to McCain. Kerry is now saying that it was the other way around.
If the right didn’t like reports that McCain considered jumping ship six years ago, they’re really not going to like this.
It’s already started. Human Events’ blog noted:
This story has lasted for more than a couple days- And if this report is false, then the McCain should set the record straight quickly.
And regardless of if this story is false or true, the bigger problem for McCain is that this story is entirely believable.
Dean Barnett adds:
This really isn’t shaping up as John McCain’s week. First, he got skunked in the money primary, and now his old friend John Kerry is hitting the internets reminding everyone about McCain’s alleged perfidy during the 2004 election…. The McCain campaign presumably has the agita.
Singer notes in his scoop, “For Republicans, I would imagine that reports that he approached the Democrats about leaving the Senate GOP caucus in 2001 represent a borderline unpardonable offense. But it seems that reaching out to the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee to talk about running on that party’s ticket would be tantamount to the highest form of political treason to Republicans.”
I’m very much inclined to agree. Can you imagine the ads?
“…John McCain says he’s a conservative, but in the last election, while our troops were on the battlefield, he reached out to Massachusetts liberal John Kerry about running against President Bush. This, after he tried to join the Democrat Party. How can we trust John McCain?”
Let’s see just how rapid the McCain campaign’s rapid-response team really is.