Kerry-McCain: McCain's Crew Approached the Kerry Campaign

by Jonathan Singer [courtesy of MyDD]

Following up on Todd's post on John McCain blowing up at New York Times reporter Elisabeth Bumiller over a question regarding the much talked about possibility that he would run on a ticket with John Kerry in 2004, I think it's worth going back to the record -- in this case the exclusive interview Kerry had with MyDD just one year ago in which he revealed that it was McCain's staff who had approached the Kerry campaign, not the other way around.

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Jonathan Singer: There's a story in The Hill, I think on Tuesday, by Bob Cusack on the front page of the paper talking about how John McCain's people -- John Weaver -- had approached Tom Daschle and a New York Congressman, I don't remember his name, about switching parties. And I was wondering if you could talk a little bit about what your discussions were with him in 2004, how far it went, who approached whom... if there was any "there" there.

John Kerry: I don't know all the details of it. I know that Tom, from a conversation with him, was in conversation with a number of Republicans back then. It doesn't surprise me completely because his people similarly approached me to engage in a discussion about his potentially being on the ticket as Vice President. So his people were active -- let's put it that way.

Singer: Okay. And just to confirm, you said it, but this is something they approached you rather than...

Kerry: Absolutely correct. John Weaver of his shop... [JK aswers phone]

In light of the truth revealed in this bombshell, it's no wonder that John McCain got so angry when asked about the potential 2004 Kerry-McCain ticket. Yes, today's exchange between McCain and Bumiller showed once again that the presumptive Republican nominee has trouble keeping his cool when under pressure -- not the type of serious character flaw Americans like to see in a Commander-in-Chief. But I think it goes beyond that as well.

Last April, Kerry had nothing to gain by lying about his interactions with McCain. He wasn't running for President at the time and did not seek out a forum in which to spread the news (it was prompted by a question he presumably had not been asked in some time). On the other hand, McCain, who denied Kerry's contention, had everything to gain by lying about the interaction between his people and Kerry's people -- and still does. Notice that today McCain did nothing to deny the conversations, or even to deny that it was he who reached out to Kerry in 2004.

But it's time for the media to push him on the subject. McCain was able to dispatch the story in a couple days last April, largely because a lot fewer people were paying attention back then and his campaign was already beginning to tank. Today it's a different story. With McCain desperately trying to court the Republican base, don't you think the Republican base would want to know if their presumptive presidential nominee tried to join the Democratic ticket in 2004? I'd certainly want to know if either Hillary Clinton or Barack Obama tried to run with George W. Bush four years ago.

So to the media and the conservative blogosphere I say this: The ball's in your court now. We have, on the record, John Kerry explaining his version of events. Let's hear it directly from John McCain himself now, not through his campaign or his surrogates. Did John McCain reach out to defect from his party in 2004? Or is he ready and willing to call his friend John Kerry a liar to the American people and substantiate that accusation?