REMINDER: MCCAIN NEARLY SWITCHED PARTIES IN 2000

THE HILL:

Democrats say McCain nearly abandoned GOP

By Bob Cusack

Posted: 03/28/07 07:39 PM [ET]

Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) was close to leaving the Republican Party in 2001, weeks before then-Sen. Jim Jeffords (Vt.) famously announced his decision to become an Independent, according to former Democratic lawmakers who say they were involved in the discussions.

In interviews with The Hill this month, 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.

Democrats had contacted Jeffords and then-Sen. Lincoln Chafee (R-R.I.) in the early months of 2001 about switching parties, but in McCain’s case, they said, it was McCain’s top strategist who came to them.

• MCCAIN IS NOT A CONSERVATIVE.
• MCCAIN IS NOT A LOYAL REPUBLICAN.
• MCCAIN IS A GOOD HAWK, AND THAT'S ABOUT IT.

BOTTOM-LINE: MCCAIN DOESN'T DESERVE TO BE THE STANDARD-BEARER FOR THE GOP.

NOT ANYMORE THAN CHAFFEE - WHO IS NOW A DEM, AND JEFFORDS, WHO LEFT THE GOP AND CAUCUSED WITH THE DEMS.

(ASIDE: AND EVEN MCCAIN'S HAWKISHNESS IS FLAWED:

• HE SAID WE'D LOSE TO SERBIA WITHOUT GROUND TROOPS - AND HE WAS WRONG; WE WON WITHOUT THEM;
  
• HE SAID WE NEEDED HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS MORE TROOPS IN IRAQ - BUT WE DEFEATED AL QAEDA WITH A SURGE OF 30,000 AND A TOTAL OF 160,000 - SO HE WAS WRONG AGAIN.)