This is going to go over really well with the GOP primary voters:
Republican John McCain says he intends to appoint a Democrat to a high-profile Cabinet post if he’s elected president.
“There are very highly qualified Democrats on a number of issues,” McCain said. “The more efforts you can make towards bipartisanship, I think in Washington today, the better off you are. But it also better be, one, an important post and, two, a person who has the ear of the president.”
Not just any Cabinet position, but a “high profile” one with “the ear of the President” – SecDef, or SecState, perhaps? And the reasoning behind this – to build a bipartisan administration. This comes during a time when the base is frustrated with GOP politicians who constantly capitulate to the other side, constantly “compromise” by giving the Dems what they want, and are calling out for someone to stand up for the conservative cause.
Granted, there is one Democrat I could think of that might be decent in a cabinet position – Joe Lieberman, and that’s only in the SecDef position. But I don’t think that’s who John McCain had in mind if he was looking to truly reach across the aisle and build a bipartisan administration, hated as Joe is by the left-wing.
Haven’t we learned from President Bush that giving in to the demands of those across the aisle will never merit you favor or grace in their eyes? All it has ever gotten the Bush administration is a knife in the back. It’s about time for a truly Republican administration in this country.
April 28th, 2007 at 7:14 pm
[...] post by HeavyM and software by Elliott [...]
April 28th, 2007 at 7:16 pm
geez….
April 28th, 2007 at 7:28 pm
I thought candidates were supposed to juke to the center AFTER they sealed the nomination. I guess Maverick McCain has a reputation to uphold.
April 28th, 2007 at 7:48 pm
This really isn’t a big deal. First of all, look at presidential cabinet history. Until recently there were always members of the opposition in the cabinet, even in higher profile positions. Clinton himself had a GOP Defense Secretary, and the Democratic party survived. Second, the Cabinet is made up of people who serve at the pleasure of the president. There won’t be any Kucinich type ultra liberals in the Cabinet no matter who the GOP pres is, but there are plenty of moderate to conservative Dems who could serve at Treasury or State or Defense without thrusting the government leftward. The problem with politics today is that now even the thought of working together with the opposition has become, well, unthinkable.
April 28th, 2007 at 7:55 pm
If we were Demmy’s, do you think we’d be having this conversation?
April 28th, 2007 at 7:59 pm
This appears like an obvious attempt to recapture the “Maverick” image. I for one think it won’t work in the primary because he will never be able to beat Rudy with moderates and with moves like this he reminds conservatives again why it is they don’t trust him and will vote Romney or Thompson instead.
April 28th, 2007 at 8:05 pm
Speaking of FDT, found an interesting article from the Telegraph a few minutes ago:
“Reagan’s Men are Backing…….”
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2007/04/29/wus29.xml
April 28th, 2007 at 8:07 pm
Actually, I wouldn’t be surprised if Joe Lieberman as SecDef was *exactly* who McCain had in mind. Lieberman may be vilified by the left-wing, but it would certainly appear bipartisan to the average observer.
April 28th, 2007 at 8:14 pm
Hopefully this helps to derail the straight crap express.
April 28th, 2007 at 8:24 pm
I have no problem with the idea of a reasonable Dem or two in the cabinet. I think it’s important for the president to have access to a real diverse array of views. The only cabinet positions which I think are too important to potentially hand to a Dem are SecDef and SecState. And even then, I might be willing to make an exception with Defense, for Lieberman.
April 28th, 2007 at 8:34 pm
Lieberman, I could possibly handle, and Zell Miller, of course. But the thought of Joe Biden as Sec State, or Al Gore as EPA gives me nightmares.
Shillary as Sec of Education?
Maxine Waters as Sec of Defense?
Al Sharpton as NSA?
Slick Billy as AG?
April 28th, 2007 at 8:39 pm
Joe Lieberman Sec. Def. makes sense.
Ben Nelson for Ag. Sec. makes great sense.
I see no reason why Democrats can’t have a role in a Republican White House. I wouldn’t allow Democrats on the political/campaign side but no reason why qualified Democrats can’t offer their expertise in areas of agreement.
April 28th, 2007 at 8:49 pm
One of the great lessons of the Bush administration has been to get rid of the dead wood Democrats in the Administration. Giving the Dems a seat at the table just gets them that much closer for them to seek your destruction. Lieberman is the only Democrat I would let within a mile of the White House.
April 28th, 2007 at 8:58 pm
“Haven’t we learned from President Bush that giving in to the demands of those across the aisle…”
Really, Heavy, what planet are you living on?
April 28th, 2007 at 9:01 pm
McCain won’t have any cabinet to appoint anyone to. He won’t get the nomination and if he does, Iraq will finish him in the General. RIght now, the nom will most likely go to Fred Thompson, Rudy if Fred doesn’t run, and McCain has a slight chance but I highly doubt it.
I put Thompson at 65%, Rudy at 30% and McCain at 5% as far as winning the nomination
April 28th, 2007 at 9:38 pm
The only Dem I can think that I would love to have appointed is Zell Miller.
April 28th, 2007 at 9:40 pm
I’m a FDT guy, jim, but I’m not that much of an optimistic at this point. I’d say he chances are 28%, Rudy at 35% and Romney at 27%. and the last 5 o so to McCain or Newt. That’s supposing McCain can’t turn it around (which I’m not convinced of). Plus, it’s way to early to tell right now.
April 28th, 2007 at 9:40 pm
Zell Miller rules
April 28th, 2007 at 10:44 pm
While Lieberman could well be the man McCain has in mind for SecDef, I think AG is more likely. Before becoming Senator Lieberman, Joe was Connecticut’s Attorney General from 1983 to 1988.
April 28th, 2007 at 11:09 pm
[...] http://race42008.com/2007/04/28/mccain-promises-to-appoint-dem-to-high-profile-cabinet-position/Â by Heavy MÂ Â 4-28-2007 [...]
April 28th, 2007 at 11:33 pm
Jim, I don’t know if you are just stating your odds based on what you hope or what you really think, but Tommy is closer to reality though I give McCain a slightly better chance. I wouldn’t take any candidate in either party against the field. Too many things can happen, especially this early and for a candidate who hasn’t announced yet and therefore hasn’t been vetted.
The nominee:
Rudy 33%, Romney 25%, Thompson 25%, McCain 15% and 2% to the rest of the field.
As far as on the ticket:
Thompson 60%, Rudy 45%, Romney 35%, McCain 20%, the other 40% to the field, especially T. Thompson, and Jeb Bush.
April 29th, 2007 at 12:23 am
Wow, Tommy and dskinner11 both thinking Rudy has the highest chance!
My view: Rudy 60%, Fred 30%, McCain 5%, Romney 5%.
The smart money at Intrade says: Rudy 30%, McCain 20%, Romney 15%, Thompson 14%
April 29th, 2007 at 12:37 am
we all pretty much agree that Rudy’s chances are around 25-25%, about the same as Thompson. However, if Rudy doesn’t win, I see most if not all of his support going to Thompson. I think the vast majority of Rudy voters would be just fine with Fred. So, if it becomes apparent that Rudy won’t win, you add his totals to Fred and you have around 60-65%. I think McCain loses if it comes down to him and Rudy or him and Fred. I think Mitt loses to all 3. Basically, I think it’ll come down to Rudy or Fred. Rudy is obviously counting on the 2/5 jackpot and winning IA, NV or NH to give him some momentum going into it. If he wins at least 1 his chances go up. If he wins 2 of 3 or all 3, the nomination is his. If he loses all 3. I think the Rudy supporters and anti-McCain conservatives coalesce behind Fred and he wraps it up on 2/5.
April 29th, 2007 at 12:37 am
make that 25-35%
April 29th, 2007 at 8:46 am
David B: Rudy’s the frontrunner, and until we see what kind of impact FDT will have if/when he makes it official, I think it’s premature to say anyone but Rudy has the best chance. I’m a Thompson supporter, but am not naive to automatically say he has the best chance right now. Those are my honest projections right now. I may be a Thompsonbot, but most Thompsonbots are pretty objective in their thinking.
Jim says: “I think the vast majority of Rudy voters would be just fine with Fred”
Jim, have you met KT yet?
April 29th, 2007 at 11:13 am
Last line: Hahaha.
This Rudy supporter says Thompson would be a great improvement over Bush. So would Romney, but I do not think the party should risk a Mormon in the general election.
However, Rudy is a once in a lifetime opportunity to elect a man who has the charisma and gumption to enact massive reforms against massive resistance, such as private SS and other accounts and massive tax reform. More importantly, he is the only candidate that will get the public to really understand the threat of Islamofacism and get them to go along with extreme measures. If the GOP squanders this opportunity, I will be forever pissed at the GOP.
April 29th, 2007 at 1:57 pm
John Kerry…As Sectary of Defense?
Would be just like McCain to do so.
April 29th, 2007 at 8:31 pm
I really don’t understand the overreactions people have over John McCain. Do anyone of you honestly believe that John McCain, the candidate who has staked his political career on victory in Iraq, would nominate John Kerry or Joe Biden to top foreign policy positions? Seriously?
I’m not a McCain backer, but I’m sick of having to defend him from such ignorant attacks.
April 29th, 2007 at 10:08 pm
Pickett. Most of the responders are joking
April 29th, 2007 at 10:09 pm
Did you really think I was serious when I said Maxine Waters would be his Secretary of Defense?
April 30th, 2007 at 12:00 am
I listened to John McCain’s presidential anouncement on C-SPAN tonite.He was down the line conservative on all the issues of concern to us and left the impression he intends to tackle some really big issues like health care ,social security and tax reform from a conservative point of view.
Though he is not my 1st or 2ond( 1. Rudy,2.Thompson) choice for president,based on his issue statements , I would have no trouble supporting him over any Democrat running. Based on his goals, any Democrat in the Cabinet should be of the Joe Lieberman/ Ben Nelson variety.
If McCain hadn’t tried so hard to promote his maverick image the last several years,over shadowing a good conservative voting record, he would most likely be in the cat bird seat for the nomination now instead of having to play catchup.
April 30th, 2007 at 7:19 am
Happy Monday folks! Tommy, thank you for my fifteen minutes of fame – - I never thought I would get it!!!
By the way, regarding leiberman. I dont think he will be the dem McCain is talking about, because I think he will switch parties long before then (due to the current dem BS re: Iraq war, etc.)
May 15th, 2008 at 9:09 am
[...] said it once before, and now John McCain has reiterated his intention of asking Democrats to serve in his Cabinet. Marc [...]