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January 18, 2005
In summary
I put together this handy graphic so you can see where everybody stands on this spectrum. Came across a few interesting things. Dean and Kerry fall at the same spot. Edwards is considered more liberal. Makes sense to me -- Edwards was running more of an old timey populist campaign and I always thought Kerry was more deserving of the "classic liberal" support as he'd devoted a lifetime to that ethic instead of just one campaign. The more I knew about Kerry, the more I liked him, while the reverse was kind of true about Dean (although it was more the campaign that turned me off, not the person).
One very interesting thing that I happened upon on the Issues 2000 site was John McCain's profile. Many Democrats want nothing more than for John McCain to switch parties and become a Democrat. They feel that McCain would either be right at home with the modern Democratic Party or that he would be just what we need (sometimes both). They also feel that there is little room in the Republican party for McCain, and being fans, feel he could accomplish much more as a Democrat. Where does McCain fall on the chart? At the exact same place as Tim Roemer, someone that was the #1 object of contempt for many of these Democratic McCainiacs until Martin Frost replaced him today.
So basically, the message is that there is room for a high profile transplant such as McCain in the Democratic Party, and I don't doubt that if he were to switch he would instantly be a top contender for the nomination in '08. But someone who is more or less his ideological soulmate is completely unqualified to run the same party. Additionally, someone considerably to the left of McCain is way too Republican-light for the job. Odd how that works.
Posted by Chris at January 18, 2005 07:01 PM
Comments
Great work Chris!!
Posted by: Sid Cottingham ![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://www.chrisishardcore.com//nav-commenters.gif)
at January 19, 2005 10:49 PM
I think highly of McCain, he has integrity and he is often unafraid to challenge GOP dogma on a range of issues. He also thinks independently, and ever since he got burned in the Keating scandal, he's been a leading voice on ethics and campaign finance. That said, he is also a loyal republican. It's too late for McCain to switch and become a democrat, after so many opportunities to do so have passed and he came out campaigning hard for Bush in 2004. It should be interesting to see how he does in the GOP presidential primary in 2008 if he runs.
Posted by: Keith McNulty at January 20, 2005 10:04 PM
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