Democrats Say John McCain Nearly Switched Parties

February 1, 2008 · Filed Under Politics, Republicans

Democrats are saying that John McCain nearly left the GOP back in 2001, partly because he was still bitter about his loss to Bush in 2000.

Former Sen. Tom Daschle (D-S.D.) and ex-Rep. Tom Downey (D-N.Y.) said there were nearly two months of talks with the maverick lawmaker following an approach by John Weaver, McCain’s chief political strategist.

Daschle said that throughout April and May of 2001, he and McCain “had meetings and conversations on the floor and in his office, I think in mine as well, about how we would do it, what the conditions would be. We talked about committees and his seniority … [A lot of issues] were on the table.”

Other senators who played major roles in the intense recruiting effort, according to Democrats, were then-Sen. John Edwards (D-N.C.) as well as Sens. Edward Kennedy (D-Mass.) and Harry Reid (D-Nev.).

“John [Edwards] at that time was working with McCain on a couple things and there was a sense that because of his relationship that he might be a good person to talk to him,” Daschle said. “He was clearly one of those that we thought could be helpful.”

A source close to Edwards said Daschle’s comments are accurate.

Daschle also said, “Both Sen. Reid and I talked to [McCain] both individually and together.”
Several former McCain aides who worked for the senator in 2001 and are now in the private sector did not return phone calls seeking comment.

This certainly isn’t going to improve John McCain’s standing with hardcore conservatives that’s for sure. At the end of the day regardless of all the grumbling from GOP circles about McCain, when the general election rolls around if Hillary is the nominee you can be sure that Republicans will vote for McCain even if they find it painful to do so.

Unlike the other GOP candidates, McCain’s renegade status in the party allows him to attract independents and Democrats.

Democrats who think their party are wimps on national security (which they are), but would never vote for a right-winger like Huckabee or a Romney would probably vote for a McCain just as they would’ve voted for a Giuliani.

Even though it upsets the far-right, the fact that McCain is not a right-wing Republican actually gives the GOP a better chance of keeping the White House.

On the Democratic side, I think Obama would be a far more difficult candidate to beat than Hillary Clinton. I don’t think Republicans want to run against Obama, because like McCain he has the ability to attract independents and liberal Republicans.

Ironically, when you look at Obama’s voting record both as a State Senator and U.S. Senator he’s actually far more liberal than Hillary Clinton.

In fact, Obama has nearly the most liberal voting record in Congress. He dresses everything up with eloquent rhetoric and promises to “reach across the aisle”, but in reality Barack Obama is your garden variety left-wing liberal.

-Chris Jones