Should McCain be part of the Kerry Administration?

[WI_DEM]

If so, what position would you like him to have? or do you want him in the new administration at all?

[RUMMYisFROSTED]

1. Position:

Minority Leader in the Senate.

[Toronto Ron]

2. One bonus for having him in:

He gives up his Senate seat, which then gets filled by appointment by Arizona's Democratic Governor (if I'm not mistaken).

[madrchsod]

3. yes but i`m not sure where

somewhere in the veterans dept or better yet ,someone who will lead the fight in the senate for better treatment of our guys and gals in the military.

[Bok_Tukalo]

4. He should but he won't

I believe him when he says that he could do more good in the Senate. That body needs all the rational Republicans it can get. A Kerry presidency will not be effective if all the Executive has to deal with are the Trent Lotts.

[Trajan]

5. No no no no NO !

HE is a REPUBLICAN !

Maybe SoD, but NOTHING else ....

[Jai4WKC08]

10. That would be the WORST possible choice

A Repub SecDef in a time of war? Absurd. That's what hurt Clinton so bad in Bosnia and Kosovo. God, I hope Kerry learned THAT lesson.

Veterans Affairs would be best. Kerry and McCain worked well together on advocating for the families of Vietnam MIAs, and McCain would certainly support Kerry's plans to restore Veteran benefits. Even better, it would get McCain out of the Senate.

Altho... doesn't AZ have a Repub governor? If so, he'll just appoint another Repub and likely worse. Hmmm... on second thought, let McCain lead the Repubs in the Senate (too bad I can't change my vote lol--like it matters). At least he'd likely work with the Kerry administration, and we could use who wouldn't try to roadblock every initiative. Not that I think he'd be exactly friendly, but we could do a lot worse.

[LeinesRed]

6. once in a while...he's a voice of reason in the Senate

the media loves him..he can REALLY irk the Republican leadership. If the Repukes maintain control after Kerry's victory, I'd keep him in the Senate.

[Kathleen04]

24. I agree

I think he's worth more in the Senate. We may get him to cross the aisle and work with us on certain issues.

[lapfog_1]

7. This is silly

It's extremely unlikely that McCain will be the VP on the Kerry ticket,
if Bush is defeated (make that WHEN), McCain would be the likely 2008
Republican nominee (sort of like Dole in 96, the repubs felt like they
owed him his shot, even though most knew he didn't really have a
chance). McCain is getting on in years so this will be his big
opportunity. He is ambitious as any politician I've seen. The only
potential impediments is a Bush III run (Jeb may get Rove and the
machine) AND the fact that he and Kerry are friendly... if he runs
against Kerry in '08, I predict a complete lack of negative campaigning
by either candidate... but McCain still might run. As for serving
in a Kerry admin, I would sincerely doubt it. McCain enjoys as much
exposure and power as a senator (unless, of course, he IS offered
the Veep spot... but I think it's very unlikely now).

So, who else is on peoples short list for a repub candidate for 2008?
Rudy? Frist? Arrrrnold?

[MAlibdem]

8. I just had a thought no one is going to like...

If Kerry has McCain for VP or appoints him to an administration position, the AZ governor (a dem) gets to appoint a Senator (a dem...) to serve the rest of McCain's term.

So we pick up a Senate seat.

[Padraig18]

9. Yep!

SecDef McCain would be a win-win.

[JI7]

17. true, but

we need to make sure the democrat appointed can get re-elected also. i sure don't want someone like jd hayworth running for the senate when elections come up again and winning. i would rather mccain keep the seat if it will most likely go republican.

[Jai4WKC08]

22. VA Chief maybe

SecDef NEVER.

[Hippo_Tron]

27. Sec. of Def is too high for a Republican...

As much as we love McCain on some occasions he was a full supporter of the administration and the Iraq War.

[JVS]

11. WHY?

What has this guy done for Democrats?

[Bok_Tukalo]

12. What has this guy done for Democrats?

So you just a Democratic turn at the levers of political power? What's wrong with the concept of trying to govern the entire nation? Isn't the current Executive and Legislative Branches' method unappealing; shove it down the opposition's throats?

[JVS]

13. What is the verb in your first sentence? And what's your point anyway?

[Bok_Tukalo]

14. So you just "want" a Democratic

My point is that our nation has serious problems to resolve and the "my side vs their side" method of governing isn't going to solve them. Adding Republicans (or conservatives) to a Kerry administration at the Cabinet level is necessary.

[JVS]

16. We should not be doing Republicans' work for them

If we do that all that will happen is that they'll be better able to launch a comeback later and continue ruining the country. What is it about McCain that appeals to some Democrats anyway? What is the difference between him and Tom Delay, except the fact that McCain is more personable?

How does McCain advance the positions of the party?

[Bok_Tukalo]

18. How does McCain advance the positions of the party?

I apologize. I did not realize party comes first.

[JVS]

19. The principles in which the party believes should have some importance

despite that being unpopular with some.

Now would you mind telling me what McCain would contribute to a Kerry administration?

[Bok_Tukalo]

20. what McCain would contribute to a Kerry administration?

Other than an olive branch? A genuine attempt at governing ALL of this nation as opposed to merely our side? A very public and real demonstration that the culture war we are engaged in is detrimental to the Union (and it is)?

A Conservative's perspective on the issues facing the America that could be directed at whatever Cabinet position that political philosophy would most be effective.

[JVS]

21. The winner gets to govern the whole country anyways.

Why should I vote for a conservative as VP. If I wanted to vote for conservatives I'd vote Republican.

If we are engaged in a culture war why should we disarm unilaterally? It sounds like a way to ensure that the conservatives win the culture war.

[mitchum]

15. NO!

[DrFunkenstein]

23. Campaign Finance Reform?

McCain is strong on a number of issues, while weak on others. I'd be thrilled to have him part of the administration, so long as he does not compromise our core values as Democrats.

[Hippo_Tron]

25. Secretary of Veterans' affairs

But I highly doubt that he'd take the job.

[Hippo_Tron]

26. NOTE: It's customary to have one member of the other party in your cabinet

In the Shrub adminisration it's the sec. of transportation.

[JVS]

34. After this administration they don't deserve a spot.

[struggle4progress]

28. I really think he's an honorable man but on too many issues ...

he's on the "wrong" side, so not as VP: why would we want a conservative Republican (i) at the top of the line of succession if anything happened to JK; and (ii) casting all tie-breaking votes in the Senate? Lower in the Administration, I have less of an objection: the Kerry administration can distance itself from the Bush disasters by making its appointments based on COMPETENCE; then reaching across the aisle would be no sin and might have some advantages, if anyone can forget what rude and boorish games the Rs have played in recent years.

But are we asking the right questions? Maybe we should contemplate whether Bush should offer the VP position to Sharpton?

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

29. Hey, it's all "one big pro-war tent", isn't it?

McCain, Lieberman, Miller, Kerry, Edwards, Gephardt. Why not just stick with the dolt-in-chief and Darth Cheney.

Dems and repugs in name only. Drainos?

[Zinfandel]

30. NO!!! McCain is a fucking republican, NO! Aren't Zell Miller and

Joe Lieberman enough republicans in the democratic party already???

Last thing the democrats i.e. the workers, need now is more fucking republicans in the party...corporations, which are the republican party, are squeezing this countries workers dry.

Check this out...

http://www.nytimes.com/2004/05/12/business/12shop.html?ex=1085736759&ei=1&en=853cfdf93452bea0

[Zorra]

31. McCain Voting Record:

Though the media has been labeling presidential hopeful John McCain a "liberal", his ADA voting record tells a different story. With a lifetime rating of 9%, National Director Amy Isaacs said, "It is a great defamation of our character to call John McCain a liberal. The very few places he has voted for the 'liberal' position just go to show a person can't be wrong all the time." The only area where McCain's voting record is even in the moderate range, with a 45% voting record, is in the area of campaign finance, which brought him to the spotlight in the first place (the McCain/Feingold bill being a well-known good bill on campaign finance). On such valued ADA issues as Education, Housing, and Social Security, McCain scored a 0%. Listed below are the three candidates with ADA voting records, side by side for comparison. A full voting record of individual votes can be obtained from ADA, although it is quite lengthy.

Statistics from the ADA:

http://www.home.earthlink.net/~nycada/newnews/news0003-2.html

Project Vote Smart

http://www.vote-smart.org/issue_rating_category.php?can_id=S0061103

ACLU

http://archive.aclu.org/vote-guide/239.html

Daily Kos

On the other hand, he's, what do you call them... a Republican. His 2002 ratings, with Kerry's in parenthesis:

Americans for Democratic Action (liberal): 20 (85)
ACLU: 0 (60)
AFSCME (labor): 29 (88)
LCV (environmental): 41 (94)
Concord (pro-balanced budget): 95 (65)
National Taxpayer's Union (anti-tax): 75 (18)
Chamber of Commerce: 79 (55)
Christian Coalition: 79 (55)

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2004/4/3/213110/5512

McCain has an ACU lifetime voting record of 84% which makes him more conservative than any Democrat in the Senate. He supported tax cuts, supported a ban on partial birth abortion and supported the appointment of judicial nominees by President Bush.

http://www.enterstageright.com/archive/articles/0404/0404veepstakes2.h...

[Darranar]

32. NO! n/t

[Crunchy Frog]

33. Don't want him in the Kerry administration

at all, however if he was it should be as veterans affairs secretary.

I absolutely don't want a Republican as SOD no matter how good he may be. That will only continue to reinforce the popular perception that Dems are weak on national security and need Republicans to take care of it for them.

[Null Pointer]

35. Yes.

It gets him out of the senate. Can Napoliatano appoint a nice Dem? What's AZ law say about that?

Hell, he should appoint a whole assload of Repub Senators from Democratic states to cabinet posts. Then we'd win it back.

[ndalum]

36. The Argument in Favor

Many Presidential Administrations have had one cabinet member who is a member of the other party.

Clinton's last Secretary of Defense, William Cohen, was a former Republican Senator from Maine. Even W, as divisive as his administration is, has a Democrat in his Cabinet (Secretary of Transportation Norman Mineta, who was Secretary of Energy in the Clinton Administration).

With that in mind, I would consider McCain for a cabinet position, such as Secretary of Defense, Secretary of Veterans Affairs, or Director of Homeland Security, but NOT Vice-President.

Sidenote: if McCain accepted a position in Kerry's Cabinet, his Senate replacement would be appointed by Arizona Gov. Janet Napolitano, a Democrat, until an election could be held in November 2006.

Edwards for Vice-President, btw.

[newyawker99]

37. Hi ndalum!!

Welcome to DU!! :toast: