GOP Bait-and-Switch? Does anyone share my foreboding that McCain won't be the candidate?

[nichomachus]

This is just a foreboding on my part -- not a prediction and not based on anything, except knowing that:

A) The GOP loves last-minute election surprises; and
B) They don't like to roll out a new product until after Labor Day.

Here's what got me thinking about this. A lot of people on the right don't like McCain -- but right now he's all they've got. Also, he's a loose cannon -- unpredictable and about as tightly wound as anyone can be. As one person put it, he's about five seconds from punching someone in the mouth.

The corporatocracy doesn't like that. It was kind of easy to keep Bush on a leash, but McCain might not leash so well.

Also, notice that there hasn't been a big GOP push behind McCain so far. He's kind of out there by himself.

If I were running things on their side, here's what I'd do. Let him go on until some time in August. Then, when everyone is on vacation and getting ready for back to school, end of summer, etc etc, McCain begins to "have problems." They could be personality problems, health problems, whatever. They continue to grow until the GOP convention in September, when he is either told to step down or is forced out, allowing the party to bring in a brand-spanking new face -- unbloodied and unbowed by the primary process.

This would leave the Dems, who have fought a long primary and who would have survived two months of GOP attack ads to try to define and run against a new candidate in the mere eight weeks that would be left until the general election.

The media, of course, would go gaga over this new twist and the new GOP candidate would get unlimited airtime, fawning praise for his "fresh outlook," blah blah blah. Money would pour in from the corporations and fat cats. The Dem candidate, whichever it is, would have to run like hell just to catch up.

So, McCain will be used as a stalking horse, until a "white knight" can come out of the wings.

Is this too far-fetched -- or does it sound like something they would do?

[Caution]

1. McCain is the nominee.

He has the delegates. There is absolutely no way he isn't the nominee outside of a legitimate health issue.

[nichomachus]

5. This is the GOP we're dealing with

Al Gore had the votes too. They don't need to follow any stinking rules.

[Caution]

2. McCain is the nominee.

He has the delegates. There is absolutely no way he isn't the nominee outside of a legitimate health issue.

[LakeSamish706]

3. Nope, sorry I think what you see is what ya got.. At this point there is no way in hell...

that McCain will not be the Republican Presidential Nominee.... Now who his VEEP will be is another story, and how long McCain would remain President (if elected) is another story.

[DJ13]

4. Its too late for a surprise unless McCain gets too sick to run

[nichomachus]

6. I imagine that could be arranged

[Bluzmann57]

7. Who else have they got?

Nobody. Romney, Giuliani, etc. all suck and everyone knows it. And your scenario seems far fetched.

[uponit7771]

8. The fact that McSame can't raise more than 10 - 14 million a month might lean towards this

[bowens43]

9. McCain is the candidate.

[merh]

10. I've had that feeling since day one.

:scared:

[Johnny__Motown]

11. He may be the most electable Repug. I am not sure they can or will dump him.. who would they run?

Cheney?

Rudi?

Romney?

Huckabee?

[BlueManDude]

12. Why would they dump their most electable candidate? I wish they'd dump him.

[McCamy Taylor]

13. I say there is a 10-15% chance they will dump him for Romney before this fall.

[Danger Mouse]

14. Unless McCain gets very sick, I highly doubt this will happen.

[stillcool]

15. Nothing would surprise me...

Jeb could be waiting in the wings to save the day for all I know.

[pretzel4gore]

16. President Powell?

of course Powell's finished politically, but it cost the repukes nothing (i doubt they want to clean up after the boy) anyway...and mygod, another black candidate....wowie! Just the type of thing the 'pukes would/could do, to further confound the country, give their pigmedia lotsa slops ie ways to pile on the idiot dems, and make their criminal gang gop look oh so progressive; and give mr bush hisself a wonderful legacy (a onetime race-torn nation so healthy it actually features 2 black candidates and a gal for its highest office!!)
bang! pow! zap zap! cruuunchh! ding ding! zowie! pop! ....
They're vicious criminals, and they'll surely set fire to the place they looted when they leave
(i doubt that powell's so stupid, but you get the picture re the gopigs)

[onenote]

17. Someone may share your foreboding. But not me.

[rinsd]

18. McCain IS the white knight for the GOP. Rudy was the staking horse.

His campaign was dead and buried last summer but he stayed alive pretty much based on hsi performance in head to head polling with Hillary & Obama.

While Rudy got pounded on ethics and family values, McCain rode it out.

[goclark]

19. I think he is a place holder

He won't run IMO.

If he does, at the last minute he will pick HC for Vice President.

[CK_John]

20. I've been posting that for months. John Roberts or Condi depending on our nominee. n/t

[orangerevolution]

21. Step away from the computer...

take a deep breath, and go outside for some sunshine... It is Earth day, enjoy it! (Unless it is raining or cold, jusy saying.)

[nichomachus]

22. Already been outside for my sunshine

and don't fucking patronize me -- please.

With these bastards, anything is a possibility.

If I had told you in 1998 that we would, in the next 10 years, witness one (maybe two) stolen elections, a pre-emptive war with a country that was no threat to us, torture as official policy, oil above $115 a barrel, the destruction of almost all civil liberties in the name of "security," and the collapse of our banking system, you would have told me to "take a deep breath and go outside" or to adjust my "tinfoil hat."

Maybe you just need less fresh air and sunshine and should pay more attention to what these people are capable of.

[cali]

23. Sorry, your OP makes little- if any- sense

First of all, you don't explain who these guys would prefer to McCain who's more electable. Secondly, you're wrong about the rethugs not coalescing behind McCain. They have done so in time honored repuke tradition. Even people like Limbaugh. You simply don't provide any sound logic for your hunch.

[nichomachus]

25. I didn't say it was a "fact"

I said it was a foreboding that they have something up their sleeve. They always do. Or haven't you been paying attention.

Why do you think they moved their convention from the summer to eight weeks before the election?

And, I think it makes perfect sense. I think they see McCain as a weak candidate against either of the Dems. He's got skeletons in his closet, he's way out of touch with the average American, he's pretty tightly wound -- he hits people, for crying out loud -- and he could blow at any minute with the right provocation. He's also old. I'm sorry, but 72 is freaking old, no matter what shape you're in -- and those cracks will begin to show under the slightest pressure.

I think his biggest drawback is his unpredictability. Bush is unpredictable, but he had a huge machine to corral and muzzle him -- and he's an underachiever. I don't think McCain will be as amenable to that as Bush was.

One thing the corporatists detest is unpredictability. They want to know what they're paying for upfront.

Remember the saying, in politics a week is an eternity. Never assume that the way things are today is the way they'll be tomorrow -- or even after lunch.

[4themind]

24. I understand the rationale. but what is the mechanism?

In other words HOW would they go about switching the candidate under their party rules (even if some of them think it'd be a good idea) This would seem to assume that 1.) There is such a mechanism in place and 2.) That Mccain would either be unwilling or unable to fight it. Perhaps there is a mechanism but maybe you could provide your thoughts on that.

[nichomachus]

27. They don't need no stinkin' mechanism

Seriously, there was no "mechanism" for the supreme court appointing a president, but they pulled that off.

There was no "mechanism" for torture becoming national policy, but they pulled that off.

You need to realize that they do whatever the hell they want -- and so far no one has had the ability to stop them. Why would this be any different?

They could just have the corporate media go all "Howard Dean" on McCain -- pull the same shit they pulled on Howard. And, since there's plenty of stuff on McCain to dredge up, by the end of a three-week 24/7 media barrage, GOP rank and file would be begging the leadership to replace McCain.

He could be convinced to step aside "for the good of the party."

Or, they could just threaten him with the above and let him claim "health problems." They could also have people clamor for a medical exam -- reasonable for a 72-year-old candidate -- and then "find" something that precludes his being the nominee.

If all else fails, there is always an unfortunate airplane accident.

It really isn't that hard.

[crankychatter]

26. he could keel over anytime without any sinister implications

but just because we're paranoid, doesn't mean they are NOT out to get us.