Poll Picks McCain as Kerry's Vice President

The New York Times ^ | April 1, 2004 | KATHARINE Q. SEELYE

[demlosers]

POLITICAL POINTS | 4.1 7:45 A.M.

new poll asked people of voting age which Democratic vice presidential candidate would be most qualified to become president if something should happen to President John Kerry. The answer? A Republican: Senator John McCain of Arizona.

The survey included Mr. McCain's name on a list with nine Democrats who might be potential running mates for Mr. Kerry, the presumptive nominee. A week before the survey, which was conducted March 19 through March 21, Mr. McCain had indicated he might "entertain" an offer from Mr. Kerry, but he just as quickly snuffed out such a possibility when the political world started going wild.

But Senator John Edwards of North Carolina should not despair. Of those most qualified to step into the Oval Office, Mr. McCain topped the list with 15 percent, followed by Mr. Edwards with 14 percent. But Mr. Edwards was picked by 20 percent as the candidate most likely to help Mr. Kerry win the presidency; 12 percent named Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton of New York; and 10 percent named Mr. McCain.

The national survey was conducted by telephone among 1,000 people of voting age by a research firm called Synovate on behalf of Case Western University in Cleveland. The margin of error was 3 percentage points. Case Western will be the host of the only debate between the vice presidential candidates, on Oct. 5.

The survey comes at a time when the veepstakes appear wide open. Mr. Kerry has given no clue about what he is seeking in a vice president or when he might select that person. Some Democrats have advised him to pick someone before the July 26 convention, saying he needs help on the campaign trail in both raising money and fending off attacks from the Bush-Cheney team. But others have said that waiting will increase the suspense and generate enthusiasm down the pike.

In any case, Mr. Edwards is beginning to emerge from his post-campaign cocoon, appearing on CNN on Tuesday for his first television interview since dropping out of the presidential race on March 3.

He was determined not to appear too eager to be vice president. But his interviewer, Wolf Blitzer, cornered him in a little game of journalistic cat-and-mouse.

Mr. Blitzer asked: "If he comes to you and says, `Senator, I believe you could help me win this race,' you would have to say yes?"

Mr. Edwards replied: "I will do anything I can to make John Kerry president."

Mr. Blitzer: "That is a yes, then?"

Mr. Edwards: "That means whatever it takes to make him president."

On the Republican side, the matter of vice president seems to be settled, with President Bush having said that Vice President Dick Cheney would run with him again and Mr. Cheney already out on the trail attacking Mr. Kerry.

Those in the survey said they thought Mr. Cheney would be the Republican most likely to help Mr. Bush win re-election. But they said someone else — Secretary of State Colin Powell — was more qualified to assume the presidency.

When given a list of six prospective Republican running mates for Mr. Bush, 32 percent said that Mr. Powell was "most qualified" to assume the presidency, while 19 percent named Mr. Cheney.

[Behind Liberal Lines]

I'm not sure what this points to more: the sparseness of the Democratic field or McCain's RINO tendencies.

[areafiftyone]

Why would Kerry want McCain? It would be like two huge egos exploding! They would constantly fight and argue.

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[F.J. Mitchell]

Two loose cannons on deck = double the likelyhood of them sinking their own boat.

[Mr. Silverback]

My prediction: Max Cleland.

If you're gonna reopen the Vietnam wound, reopen it big, baby.

[Tacis]

Great!! The dems would then have a ticket of 100% who served in Nam. One tried to blow up his carrier and then spent six years in a VC prison and the other who spent his summer vacation on duty in Nam and wrote himself up for three or six or nine Purple Hearts.

We need a law that requires serving Senators to resign from the Senate to run for national office. At least that way, the nation would greatly profit by a Kerry-McCain ticket.

[Huck]

I think it's both. On the one hand, it's completely nuts that when asked who the second best democrat is for president,the answer is a republican. Doesn't say much for the party, or for Joe Lieberman, Al Gore, Hillary, John Edwards or what's his name from Vermont. On the other hand, it does also show the appeal McCain has with dems. Still...no other Dems are as qualified as McCain? What about Lieberman?

[TomGuy]

It is just wishful thinking on KATHARINE Q. SEELYE's part.

Kerry will appoint whomever Hillary tells him to appoint. The Clinton's have already told Kerry that McAuliffe stays as DNC chairman. The Clintons still own the party.

If Kerry does appear to have the potential to win, Hillary will be the VP. If Kerry's political numbers cause him to appear as a November loser, Hillary might pick up the gauntlet, if GWB appears weak. Otherwise, she will tell Kerry to pick a throwaway like himself.

[TracyPA]

You have to believe McCain would try to take charge. And even if Kerry and McCain are now friends, I'll bet deep down McCain still carries a grudge about the anti-war stuff. That would come bubbling up in an argument. Plus Cindy McCain makes Teresa Heinz look like a bag lady.

[deport]

I'm not sure what this points to more: the sparseness of the Democratic field or McCain's RINO tendencies.

---

For sure it lends to the lack of a strong Democrat field and shows McCain's acceptance across party lines.... But I think it is way too early to read too much into this speculation at this point... There are four months to go until the Democrat Convention and a lot of things can and will change.... Unless Kerry decides to accept Pelosi's recommendation to select a candidate early and make the announcement by May....

[areafiftyone]

Cindy McCain may make Teresa Heinz look like a bag lady but she is two bricks shy of a full load herself. Jeeze can you imaging Teresa and Cindy as First and Second Lady? Scares me!

[the gillman@blacklagoon.com]

McMainiac on Kerry's ticket is probably the only thing that could make me go vote for Bush this fall.

[Boundless]

> Kerry will appoint whomever Hillary tells him to appoint.
> The Clinton's have already told Kerry that McAuliffe
> stays as DNC chairman.

And if Hillary doesn't nominate herself, who might it be?

The presumption is that Kerry is going to lose (which he
needs to, to enable Hil for 2008). So the running mate
needs to be someone that:
a. doesn't improve Kerry's chances,
b. sets the stage for a woman presidential candidate,
c. sends a message aboutwho runs the party

A local site here is speculating on Kansas Governor
Kathleen Sebelius. Having a woman on the ticket would
be consistent with recent Clinton remarks, and would
soften up the electorate for the shock of Hil in 2008.
Unfortunately, since Kerry will lose, that doesn't mean
Kansas would get rid of Sebelius.

Does anyone suppose that Kerry has an illusions that he
has any choice in this matter?

[Smartass]

For McCain, the living off his Vietnam past maybe
coming to an end. Like Kerry, McCain's time has come,
and gone. Arizona and the Republican party need better
representation than he has been offering.
McCain will have to reassert himself as a Repuiblican,
or face the same fate as Max Cleland!

[Boundless]

> Otherwise, she will tell Kerry to pick a throwaway like himself.

And if the Clintons really feel the need to humilate Kerry,
they'll force him to accept Gore as his running mate.

[Biblebelter]

McCain and Howard Dean are pretty much the guy. McCain takes his medication and Dean doesn't.

[mtbopfuyn]

Yee haw! This is gonna be a rip roaring campaign season for freepers.

[mewzilla]

Sen. McKeating, er, McCain for veep? Heh heh heh. Works for me.

[derlauerer]

I'm not sure what this points to more: the sparseness of the Democratic field or McCain's RINO tendencies.

I don't think it's either of these; I think this is just the NYT's latest attempt to sow fear, uncertainty and doubt in Republican ranks, seeking thereby to demoralize them.