Posted on 07/30/2008 6:57:53 PM PDT by pissant
He’s going to transform the party — by turning us into hawkish Democrats? Nuance.
There’s a bigger point — and this initial volley, they say, lays the groundwork for it. They will be sharpening McCain’s message that he, not Obama, is the true change agent, a man who’s repeatedly taken unpopular stands, made the hard calls and forged bipartisan alliances.
Part of the calculus now is how his VP choice will further sharpen that message. There is significant support among top McCain advisers that he make a “transformative” pick who would change the Republican Party — someone who would appeal to moderate Republicans and Democrats…
A person who fills that bill, these advisers say, is Joe Lieberman.
Lieberman, an Independent Democrat, flatly denied his interest to ABC’s Ron Claiborne earlier this month, but McCain is now seriously considering him as that “transformative” pick, sources tell ABC News…
What’s more, some McCain advisers believe Lieberman would dramatically enhance the point they are now trying to make about Obama in this “celebrity” ad campaign.
McCain and Lieberman are anti-celebrities, the argument goes. They have, as one top adviser said, felt the heat after taking unpopular positions because they were willing to do “what’s right for the country” — whatever it meant for their own popularity.
Good news for that unpredictable five percent in the middle he needs to win, not so good for, er, everyone else in America. Are evangelicals going to vote for a guy who scored 100% on NARAL’s annual report card? Are Reagan conservatives jittery about McCain’s maverickiness going to feel reassured knowing Al Gore’s choice for VP is waiting in the wings? Is the left going to reach hitherto unscaled heights of apoplexy at the thought of the one pol they hate more than George Bush somehow ending up on the Republican ticket? (No, no, and yes, respectively, if you’re scoring at home.) Think of it in practical terms. Assume the worst happens and through some misfortune Vice President Lieberman becomes President Lieberman. Either the Democrats’ animus towards him results in hopeless gridlock in Congress or the breach is healed and we’ve got a lefty executive working with a lefty legislature towards common goals — Iraq excepted, of course. I like Liebs; I don’t like the idea. But the signs are there if you’re willing to look…
Exit question: Maybe the left, true to its proud tradition of honoring dissent, will forgive Joementum his apostasy? Hmmm.
I trust Joe Lieberman infinitly more than I trust some Republicans. He had the balls to run as an independent in one of the most liberal states in the country and beat Ned LaMont, who was the party’s choice.
In winning, he totally blew the theory that the 2006 election was a referendum on the war!
Yes, he’s a social liberal, yet he’s on our side on the important issue of national defense. I like him, and I would take him as VP any day over a Obama White House. Whatever it takes to beat Obama is fine by me.
I call BS. Sounds like a Dem script for disheartening conservatives.
Lieberman's ACU rating in 2007 was 8.
Obama's was 7.
A week or so ago, I had a dream that this happened. :(
Wouldn’t put it past the bipartisan maverick to do something like running with a Dem. But what good would it do him?
Competing trial balloons—first Romney, then Pawlenty, Romney again, and now Lieberman. This really is getting old...
I dont see it happening
Ah, yes … the rumor mill grinds on. ;-)
I call B.S.
Lieberman would be orders of magnitude better than the obamanation the DemocRATS are nominating.
McCain/Lieberman UUUUUKKKK! The KISS of Boring Antiques, each can put you to sleep faster than a bottle of AMBIEN!
Please tell alll this is a wild butt rumor being started by the Idiot Dodd.:-)
I’m currently planning on joining the ‘Getdrunkandvote4McCain’ crowd.
Lieberman as VP would push me in to the ‘VoteObamaandhopeitisn’tallbad’ crowd.
McCain MUST pick a woman, IMHO.
This is what happens when the various factions of the party all insist on voting for their ideal candidate in the primaries. The moral of the story is that a good way to get the opposite of what you want is to insist on full and complete satisfaction of all your requirements.
United we stand. Divided we fall.
If this is true, I’m moving to Costa Rica.
“Whatever it takes to beat Obama is fine by me.”
McCain should pick Hillary then.
That's the worst advice yet.
However,FWIW, if McCain were to do this, he would absolutely lose my support and vote...which is being given very reluctantly as it is and only in an effort to defeat Obama.
But by putting an abortionist on the ticket with him, one heart beat from the Presidency, he would lose what I am willing to do.
Too conservative.
(only kidding)
This is a red herring. McCain will pick hopefully pick someone who is a telegenic live wire, and who has nothing to do with the Congress.
I respectfully disagree.
John McCain is that arrogant.
But John McCain is not that stupid.
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