New Yorker Examines McCain's 2008 Ambitions

The latest New Yorker (May 30, 2005) has a mostly glowing article about John McCain and his 2008 Presidential ambitions. I mention it here because the article offers a glimpse into John Kerry's 2004 offer to McCain to be his running mate and the ensuing fall out of McCain's choice to not simply decline Kerry's offer, but to instead vigorously campaign for Kerry's opponent, Bush.

As a one time admirer of McCain, and supporter in 2000, I also find this story a sad tale of McCain's sacrifice of principles to further his own political ambition.

Clearly Bush and McCain had a friction filled past, yet McCain embraced Bush in 2004 calculating this would increase his chances at national prominence and at a shot in 2008. I think in the end the reverse will prove true. McCain isn't idiotically pure enough for the hard core Christian right who are the political king makers of the Republican party, and his aggressive salesmanship on behalf of Bush will cost him votes on the democratic and more moderate side.

To one group he will be Democrat Light and to another he will be a Bush backing Republican tool. I miss the old principled McCain.

Campanion Article
The Friendship of John McCain and John Kerry from 1996