The John McCain Imperative

Who John McCain picks as his vice presidential nominee is more important to the future of the Republican Party, and indeed the country, than it might otherwise initially seem.

Speculation of McCain's possible choices has grown with the news that prominent Republicans Mitt Romney, Charlie Crist and Bobby Jindal will join McCain over the Memorial Day holiday at his Sedona cabin, but if McCain and the Republicans give in to conventional tactics and select a conservative running mate to complement the maverick John McCain, they will most likely have opted for a losing strategy for a party that is now in decline.

The Republican Party is in a downward spiral since losing the majority in Congress in 2006, most recently evidenced by the loss of three congressional special elections in the last few months. Furthermore, the most recent polls all show Democrats have a double digit lead in congressional voter preference.

There is a way for the Republican Party to transform the race and ultimately have a strong chance to win the election. And that is by nominating a non-Republican for the second spot to create a fusion ticket that would be based on a centrist, non-partisan approach. Polls show that 60 to 70% of the American electorate is attracted to the idea of the parties offering a non-partisan, results-oriented approach to the nation's seemingly intractable problems. Fortunately for Democrats, the current makeup of the Republican Party suggests that it is highly unlikely that they will follow this potentially game-changing approach.

A quick look at some recent polls shows how uphill a climb Senator McCain faces if he is to emerge victorious.

The Democrats are currently divided and fighting among themselves. Twenty to 25% of Obama and Clinton supporters now say they will defect to McCain if their candidate loses the nomination. But those numbers are likely to change when the Democratic Party, as they inevitably will, consolidates around a nominee. This means that the polls that currently show McCain running very competitively with both Obama and Clinton will almost certainly change for the worse once the Democrats conclude their nominating process.

In a recent Fox News poll, McCain led Obama by three points. However, when voters were asked to choose between two presidential tickets, Obama-Clinton and McCain-Romney, the Obama-Clinton ticket won by six points, at a time when the Democrats appear hopelessly divided. The McCain-Romney ticket is a generic Republican ticket backed by such Republican stalwarts as Karl Rove, and these poll numbers are indicative of how that ticket is likely to fare in the fall general election.

Other polling, which focuses on the parties, demonstrates how big of an advantage the Democratic nominee is likely to have.

In an NBC/Wall Street Journal poll taken at the end of April, voters said they prefer that a Democrat be elected president instead of a Republican this fall by 18 points. A Washington Post/ABC News Poll taken last month shows that by an almost 20-point margin, the electorate would choose a generic Democratic presidential candidate over an unnamed Republican presidential candidate to resolve the situation in Iraq and handle the economy.

Thus, the odds are stacked greatly against a Republican winning the 2008 presidential race. So what can McCain do to win the race?

One compelling option for McCain is to change the nature of the Republican Party and indeed the electoral process in the United States in a way that has not been done in the modern era. Slated to join McCain this weekend is an independent Democrat, Joe Lieberman. The former Democratic vice presidential nominee is a strong supporter of a hawkish foreign policy, a loyal ally to McCain, and as McCain's running mate would allow for a number of arguments that will uniquely empower McCain and the Republicans in the fall elections.

By picking Joe Lieberman, John McCain can do three things he can not otherwise do. First, he runs as a centrist and a maverick, not a mainstream Republican, effectively and finally distancing himself from George Bush and turning the race into a contest between a bipartisan coalition and a more narrow Democratic ticket. This will avoid allowing the race to inevitably become a contest between a partisan Republican and a partisan Democrat -- a contrast that works inexorably to the Republican disadvantage.

Second, choosing Lieberman as his vice president allows McCain to develop a new, centrist ideology, borrowing ideas and principles from both parties. Working in a bipartisan fashion, and advocating and responding to the electorate's desire for change by indicating he will choose a bipartisan cabinet, McCain can take on the serious issues facing our country, such as entitlements, healthcare, our struggling economy and both the war on terror and the war in Iraq.

The Obama candidacy has compellingly proven that voters are attracted to this type of centrist, bipartisan approach, and there is ample survey research that supports this conclusion.

Finally, if McCain selects Lieberman as his vice presidential running mate, he creates a critically important opportunity for America -- the possibility for bipartisan coalitions in the House and the Senate to be forged in a way that will uniquely reassure the American people about what can be achieved in Washington in the future.

To be sure, this idea goes against conventional wisdom. When Karl Rove and other Republican leaders have been asked who McCain should choose as his running mate, they run through a list of prospective choices and conclude that someone like Mitt Romney would make sense, or perhaps Charlie Crist can deliver Florida, or Bobby Jindal can balance McCain's age. I think this conventional approach is wrong for the Republican Party and wrong for the nation.

Let me be clear. This is about more than just choosing a vice presidential running mate. This is about fundamentally altering the nature of the political party system in America, which will redound not only to the short-term benefit of McCain, but also to the long-term benefit of the country.

Thus, selecting Joe Lieberman is not only a smart electoral strategy for John McCain, but a strategy that could potentially transform American politics.

Carly Cooperman contributed to this article.

Comments

[RLHotchkiss]

There are several problems with this coloumn.

I have often thought that Leiberman is angleing for the number two job. But a McCain Liberman ticket would offer nothing to Democrats.

It would be almost impossible for such a ticket to present itself as bi-partisian. Far from being bi-partisain Leiberman has been one of the most hyper-partisian figures in politics today. He has continually impuned the motives of Democratic lawmakers and voters. He has come perilously close to the right wing blood libel that Democrats are treasonous.
Secondly McCain has already established positions that would basically preclude any of the goals of a the Democratic party. By making the Bush tax cuts permenant McCain would ensure a radical shrinking of the role of government in our society.

The appointment of more extremist judges to the judiciary would further weaken the ability of the government to regulate any industry. Essentially if McCain fufilled these campaign promises nothing short of a revolution would allow the Democrats to achieve any of their goals.

Finally Lieberman would be unlikely to be accepted by conservative republicans. Given McCain's age and relative poor health Lieberman would have an above average chance of ascending to the Presidency where he might for example appoint Justices inclined to maintain Roe vs. Wade.

Further, as such a blatant traitor of his party LIeberman faces the same suspiciouns that former mistress must harbor when she marries her lover.

[tatt00me]

I agree with your post as a whole and feel strongly that Lieberman would be disastrous for the Republicans. However, I must take exception to the statement that making the Bush tax cuts would ensure a radical shrinking of the role of government in our society. This is simply not true. The cuts have had no impact to date and if permanent would continue to have no impact. I agree they should be reversed and, if anything, given to the middle class. But, the belief that cuts shrink government in this day and age is terribly inaccurate. Perhaps if our budget were balanced, the cuts would reduce funding enough to have an impact, but we do not. Congress spends as it will without apparent concern for the fact that we are operating in a deficit.

[atp2007]

Do you really think there is a democrat in the country that doesn't hate Joe's sanctimoneous butt. I can see the campaign slogans now: McCain-Lieberman, Setting the record for ticket age. John and Joe:They still love Bush. Mc Cain- Lieberman: Lobbyists Delight. McCain-Lieberman:we take the phone off the hook at 9 PM. McCain-Lieberman: Get off the White House lawn!

[RobtBrock]

I love it! Lieberman helps Al Gore lose a shoe-in and now he could help McCain lose to a puff-ball candidate like Obama. That would be classic!

[joeneri]

This is a joke, huh? Doesn't this guy realize how thoroughly detested Joe Lieberman is among ALL Democrats? If anything will bring more Democrats to the polls to vote against McCain, picking Joe Lieberman is it.

[barkingdog]

So many unemployed in this country. I can't believe this guy isn't one of them.

[druidlady42]

Surely you jest! Just what we all need right now,---WWIII, McCain & Lieberman's "wet dream"!

[bayman]

Two 'war at any cost' neo's. Yep, sheer brilliance.

[jkpcguru]

Even with Lieberman and so called maverick mccain, their still a republican trojan horse

[nolabels]

Lieberman is a Democrat like Hillary Clinton is a Democrat - as in not at all. You are what you vote.
This ticket is sure to turn the "straight talk express" (which is even more of a joke now than it was in 2000) into the cj express. These two are so disgustingly high on each others' war mongering.

[MissinAmerica]

That's what I was going to say. He's a Republican, just like Hillary, masquerading as a Democrat.

But he really would be a great pick for McCain--they can go down together.

[Obamamo]

Exactly!

[BADEN]

Hey, no problem.

Bring 'em on.

Two rightwingnutcases onna "mission from Gawd".

The New Crusaders to pave the way for Armaggedon­...paid for by the taxpayers of the US of A.

Oh yeaaaahhhhhhhh.

Bring 'em on.

[HansB]

McCain should chose his mom. She has it all: she makes him look young, she makes him seem knowledgeable, she'd lure the Hillary crossovers, and there ain't anyone else in the Republican Party who'd pass even the most cursory vetting.

[CTmom13]

nothing will help this year

Republican Strategists Say Bush is Hurting Party
Political Wire recently obtained a memo from Republican pollster David Johnson of Strategic Vision and GOP fundraiser Holly Robichaud to the House Republican Leadership.

The memo explores the reasons that the Republican brand is at such a low standing and essentially concludes that Democrats have successfully equated President Bush with the word Republican very much as the Democrats did with Herbert Hoover and the Republican Party. The authors argue that unless House Republican leaders visibly break from the President, the Party will be in the minority for the next ten years and could lose between twenty to thirty House seats.

[marignymitch]

Other than the facts that Lieberman isn't centrist, bi-partisan or even an independent Democrat, this reads like a great idea. That ticket (two elderly war-mongers for the price of one) would be fun to watch.

Sadlly the idea is too absurd even for Republicans. His only constituency as far as I can tell are Israelis. But we can dream!

[javaman110]

McBush and Joementum a ticket to victory. You've got to be kidding me!!!

[Openeyes]

This has ZERO connection to the real world. The Reps can barely stomach McCain because he isn't conservative enough, and you suggest an Independent for a running mate (Lieberman is NOT a Democrat)?

The Rep's problem is there are no moderates left in any position of power in the party, thus, anyone not at the most extreme right edge is toast - Romney wasn't a "Christian" enough conservative, and Guiliani wasn't a conservative enough Christian (on his social issues).

It's ludicrous to think the new way for the Reps is bipartisanship. Most Rep's have clearly demonstrated they'd rather be busted in a men's room soliciting sex than cross the aisle to work with Dems, so there is zero chance that just putting Lieberman on the ticket will usher in a grand age of bipartisanship.

McCain's problem with the Rep party is that he is already viewed (suspiciously) as a centrist, and eccentric is a more accurate discription than maverick. As for Dems or Independents, why take a watered-down Republican version of "centrism" over the populist based "centrism" offered by Obama?

I hope he does pick Lieberman, because it will be Obama in a landslide if he does.

You want to "transform American politics?" Put in a populist, progressive administration and congress to dismantle the near fascist state we have that only caters to big corporations - that will improve the country, not two befuddled cold warriors whose first and last option is bomb everybody and let God sort 'em out.

[flatus]

Superior work, Openeyes.