John McCain in 2008?
 

I just had a monster of a post all typed up about John McCain (in support of if you might be thinking otherwise) and I accidentally hit the back button on my mouse, losing it all! Hopefully I'll get the gist of what I wanted to say in an edit later or maybe another post.

But what do you guys think about John McCain, and his potential as a presidential candidate in 2008?

I've done that before.

If you hit the forward button, Windows sometimes makes the unposted entry magically reappear.

With regards to McCain, I don't know much about him. I certainly prefer him to Bush as he comes across as a "decent" Republican.

Mr Mephisto

I was for McCain 4 years ago and would be for him 4 years from now. I really wish we did not have this tradition of those inside the party not challenging a sitting President for the nomination. I would have been for McCain this year too, if he had been in a position to run.

I tried desperately hitting the forward button but still got the empty box. Oh well...


McCain has worked hard with John Kerry in the past, and was even offered the democratic VP nomination in the recent election. He even works closely with members of both parties. Most people see him as pretty moderate, I think it's just his ties to the Republican party that put his more to the right. Check out Issues2000.org, it gives a really good overview of where he stands on certain issues. Now while where I don't agree with some of his stances, his awesome personality comes in. Have you ever seen him speak? Or even seen him on The Daily Show, laughing it up with John Stewart.

I think he could be he president that (finally) unites the states with his independent views and charisma. He would definitely win over Hillary if that's who the Dems choose to run against him. Overall, I think he would be a great leader and spectacular president who could get a lot done with more politically unified Senate and body of decision makers.

Edit: SirSeymour's post wasn't up when I finished this.

Had I been able to vote in 2000 it would have been for McCain. I feel pretty secure in my vote for Kerry this last year, but if McCain had been up as his VP Kerry would have been a shoe in.

I would definately vote for McCain, he's a moderate rep. who's not as reviled among democrats.

Unfortuantely I fear that the very conservative republicans would be arguing that the dual-Bush admins show a move to radical conservativism and that McCain wouldnt take advantage of that.

i would love it as long as he ran the government part of the economy in a similar fasshion to bush (don't bring spending into this) for me it would be to have my cake an eat it too. i am a very socially liberal person in regards to personal liberties and rights, but not at all in social programs. i think he could definatly strike a balance that would remain split. you have to remember the people that would get him elected are still going to have a say in his policy so you would not like every outcome in this hipothetical situation. he may be a step in the right direction to continued unity but he is not the end all be all solution.

as much as I'd prefer seeing mccain in office as opposed to Bush, i really don't think much would be different. I think the whole bush phenomenon in regards to foreign policy, etc, are more about the people in power and not just a single individual. While mccain/whomever would probably have done things differently, the overall effect would still be the same if the same people were allowed an audience (wolfowitz, rumsfeld, et al)

just my humble opinion..

in 2008...i don't really know. I honestly don't know how he would get past the primaries considering the amount of dirt bush drug up in their 2000 engagement.

I think McCain has a good image, but he has a few things that may work against him, the greatest of which is his age. He will be 72-years-old in 2008, which, if he won, would make him the oldest elected president. He is also staunchly Christian, which could work either way for him. He is certainly supportive of the Christian cause. Plus, he has never been under the scrutiny he would receive in an all out presidential race - his voting record is solid conservative.

I really don't see what all the hype is with McCain. His support of election funding reform is laudable but look at the money it takes to run for office. The money has to come from somewhere, the tax-payer should not pay for it (how the hell do we decide who is deserving). And once a donation is made, that donor then has an interest and the recipient in turn has a favor to repay. Not that we aren't there already, but change funding laws too much and we then get even richer guys buying power and influence (that's spelled - John Edwards.)

In addition, cross-aisle commradery is fine in the senate, but do we really want a president that is cozy with his legislative buddies? The best administration possible is one that is dead-locked. We have federal programs coming out our ass already, so we don't need new ones, and any attempt at reform of a program fucks it up worse than it already is.

A race between him and Hillary would be something I'd be interested in seeing. It would certainly tell liberals and conservatives where they stood with each other and I think people would be more surprised and taken off guard than they were in this past election. A whole lot of people live between New York and Los Angeles.

With that said, McCain would have had my vote, and he may in 2008, if he runs but he is not the shoe in people give him credit for. Nor is he a Mesia. He is a politician.

Good points Prophet. I had no idea McCain was so old. For some reason I thought he was young, in his fifties perhaps.

With regards to your point about tax-payers not paying for political parties, I actually disagree. I think this is exactly what should happen. The amount of funds provided could be easily linked to their share of the electoral vote.

Mr Mephisto

Wasn't Reagan older?

I don't have anything constructive to say, I just wouldn't vote for McCain.

If McCain runs again all of you supporters will be very disapointed.

He will have to come out on issues and you won't agree with him a many of them. Right now he has the "rebel" image and gets tons of great press while staying vague except to say the kind of things that everyone wants to hear. That will have to change if he gets the nomination.

I support Rudi. He isn't afraid to say or do things that aren't popular if he feels they are right.

I think McCain would be a good canidate, regardless of his age. Reagan was really old when he was president. He is also popular with both sides. I heard someone say he is the most popular politician in america. Prophet, you mentioned that his Christian beliefs could hurt him? I don't think Americans would elect anyone without a strong Christian befief. I think it would help him.

McCain is a Cam whore.

He will say anything as long as it gets him on camera. Come election time he acts like a republican, after that he spreads for anyone willing to put a microphone in his face.

McCain vrs Hilary 2008 - Lose Lose.

I'd vote for McCain if he was up against hillary, but on a lark, I'm thinking Condi2008.

You Republicans make me laugh, pretending like you have any choice in the matter. You'll support whomever Karl Rove picks and that'll be the end of it. Right now my money's still on Jeb Bush eventhough he's supposedly uninterested in the presidency. Emperor Rove will pique his interest come 2006.

Rove led a telemarketing campaign in South Carolina in 2000 before the primaries to let Republicans know McCain has an interracial baby. He also trotted out the same swift boat vet stoolies that were so effective against John Kerry. So unless Rove does a complete turn around, we won't see a viable McCain campaign.

All that said, I have a favorable opinion of McCain. I tend to be leftist on social issues and moderate on economics. It would really depend on who else was running.

This year I didn't have to see a single political ad to know I was going to vote for 'not dubya.'

I'm a registered independent, though.

i think bill frist makes a run. i loathe him, although he did teach me i can get aids from sweat. mccain's too old and not far-right enough for the current republican establishment.

I like McCain, I would vote for him.

I would love to see McCain run... I voted for him in 2000 during the primaries, and definitely would consider doing it again.. I also keep hearing rumors of Giuliani running in 2008, although I'm not sure if he could survive all the dirt that will be slung his way..

Actually McCain will be 71-years old plus a few months. Reagan was just shy of 70-years-old when he first took office.

And to Mephisto, it would seem that tax-payers could fund the entire presidential race. That would be fine with me, but it takes a LOT of money to get even that far, and once you have that, then you have politicians who have already been bought, sold and traded on an open market. Or rich fucks who fund their own campaign and don't have a clue what life is in the real world. In the end, the taxpayer gets it in the ass. But what the hell, we are already bent over and lubed, what's a little more?

Maybe watch Ruddy, though he would be an asshole for doing so (his place in history is guaranteed, not to mention highly lauded.)

I can see Condi taking a good shot, yet as of now I am unsure how I, as a voter, would look at her. It would be advantageous to the Republicans to get her on the ticket at least. And I suspect a great answer to Hillary, as well. In fact, this may be the only way to get the first female president, by having no other choice. Not that I feel that's right, but. . .

McCain is loved more now than he would ever be as president or even as a candidate. If he leaves now, he wil go out while on top. He knows the scrutiny he would undergo as a an out-right presidential candidate (equate that to John Kerry and the swift boaters.) I doubt a Vietnam vet in his right mind would even think of a presidential run now.

Frist is a possibility, though he is totally untested on the national circuit.

And what the hell, we have two years for them to groom someone, so if we watch, it should begin to become more clear. This is the best part of a democracy and just answering this thread has gotten me all excited!

God Damn It! I can hardly wait!

Let the mud slingin' begin!

This made me laugh out loud :D

As a registered Republician in Arizona, if McCain gets the nod in 2008, I'm voting Libertarian. Just like I voted Libertarian during his senate reelection in 2004.

I'd rather permanently attach my dick to a cinderblock with a pneumatic nailgun than vote for McCain. Same deal with Arnohld.

Heh. I'd LOVE to see a Rice/Allen ticket.... :)

I'd vote for Matt Groening/Seth Macfarlane. Or maybe Elizebeth Dole/ Elizebeth Edwards (I heard E. Edwards speak once and I am still in shock how intelligent and HONEST she was). I know I won't be voting for Rice, Clinton, Swartzeneggar (sp?), or any Bush. I'd even vote for John Stewert at this point.

You wouldn't vote for McCain for the same reasons you wouldn't vote for Arnold?

I like McCain. I wanted him in 2000 and I'd consider him in 2008, depending on who the Dem candidate is. I'm a registered Democrat but if I didn't like the Dem candidate and he was the Republican one, I'd vote for him. I just hope it isn't Condi in 2008 like a previous poster mentioned, that is the stuff of nightmares to me. I don't think I'd be too thrilled with Hillary though, either.