NY Times Says McCain Nearly Switched Parties Twice

March 23, 2008 · Filed Under Politics, Republicans

From the NYT:

Senator John McCain never fails to call himself a conservative Republican as he campaigns as his party’s presumptive presidential nominee. He often adds that he was a “foot soldier” in the Reagan revolution and that he believes in the bedrock conservative principles of small government, low taxes and the rights of the unborn.

What Mr. McCain almost never mentions are two extraordinary moments in his political past that are at odds with the candidate of the present: His discussions in 2001 with Democrats about leaving the Republican Party, and his conversations in 2004 with Senator John Kerry about becoming Mr. Kerry’s running mate on the Democratic presidential ticket.

The article goes on to analyze each incident and the vast differences between the Democrat’s version of events and McCain’s.

McCain claims he never entertained the idea of switching parties, but I suspect he may have. It wouldn’t surprise me at all if he considered switching parties after the 2000 election. The way he was treated by his supposed “friends” was disgusting and he had every right to be angry.

The smear campaign that was launched against him was grossly unfair and deeply personal, but the important thing is that he didn’t switch parties.

All that happened in the past is exactly where it should be, in the past. McCain is now the Republican nominee for President and all Republicans should (and will) support him as such.

-Chris Jones