McCain as Kerry’s second choice

When not reminding everyone that John Edwards has as much experience as George W. Bush did in 2000, the GOP attack dogs focused their attention yesterday on the idea that John McCain was Kerry’s first choice as running mate. BC04 even unveiled a video about it. (Unlike the campaign’s last video, this one doesn’t feature Hitler or images from a Nazi propaganda film. Ain’t progress grand…)

This strikes me as a fairly silly line of attack. First, it offers the DNC a chance to remind everyone some of the less-than-flattering things McCain has said about Bush over the last four years.

Second, it’s not entirely clear Kerry ever offered McCain the job.

Mark Salter, McCain’s chief of staff, said McCain “has never been offered the vice presidency by anyone.”

Third, as The New Republic’s Ryan Lizza noted yesterday, Dick Cheney was Bush’s second choice, so he’s hardly one to complain.

[I]n 2000 Bush asked McCain if he was interested in being his running mate, and Bush was similarly rejected. I had completely forgotten about this bit of history until several people today e-mailed me this quote from McCain on “The Today Show” on March 18: “I’m not running for vice president. President Bush in 2000 asked me if I was interested in being vice president. I said no then. I’m not interested in being vice president now.”

And finally, as a practical matter, I’m not sure how much this really hurts Kerry anyway. Assuming that McCain is one of the nation’s most popular Republicans (which I think is the case), voters may actually like the fact that John Kerry approached him about a possible “fusion” ticket.

In an era of intense partisanship, I suspect there are a lot of people, particularly swing voters, that may respect and appreciate the fact that a life-long Democrat would consider a life-long Republican as a political partner in the White House. BC04 seems anxious to remind everyone of this; it’s a strategy that may backfire.