McCain for Secretary of Defense?

[Feanorcurufinwe]

There's certainly precedent for this, William Cohen, Clinton's Secretary of Defense, was a Republican.


What do you think?

(ps, Clark is legally not eligible because he was too recently in uniform)

[Undercover Agent]

1. NO.

We don't need a REpuke in the kerry cabinet.

Get Wes Clark instead.

[IronLionZion]

2. can't

it hasn't been 10 years since the good general was in the service

[Name removed]

4. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[IronLionZion]

7. welcome, but we support Kerry here

whether we agree with all his policies or not. He's 1000 times better than Bush

[Pax Argent]

20. I hope you're being facetious

So far this week the new PM of Spain has all but sent contibutions to the Kerry campaign, the Poles have stated that they have been "taken for a ride" regarding WMD in Iraq, and unless the leaders of Germany, Canada, Mexico and France have some deep and abiding love of abuse and humiliation (not to mention nuclear proliferation), I can't imagine that they think much of Bush either.

As far as Osama goes, Bush was the best thing that ever happened to him. If it weren't for Bush's dropping the ball on 9-11 (check out Al Franken's book "Lies and the Lying Liars who Tell Them"; specifically the chapter called "Operation Ignore") we still might have had an intact New York skyline. Bush also legitimized Osama by making him an enemy of our ideology as opposed to just another criminal.

The bottom line is that the rest of the world acknowledges that George "I wuz chozen by Gawd" Bush is a bloody threat to the whole world. Maybe if other world leaders paid more attention to Fox, Rush, or Hannity they might have a deeper appreciation for the little simian nutbag, but apparently their cable is out.

In a way I almost feel sorry for Shrub. He would have sucked as Prez under normal circumstances, but to come right after a master diplomat and leader like Clinton just made him look small and absurd. Couple that with how deplorable he's going to look after Kerry wins and I'll be surprised if Rethugs are elected to dog-catcher in the future.

Oh, by the way, welcome to DU. Enjoy your stay....

P.S. I double dog dare you to read the chapter in Franken's book that I mentioned. Its exhaustively researched and very well thought out and if you can maintain your suspension of disbelief in the face of reality after that I will be impressed.

[RichV]

27. Spain PM can't donate cash to Kerry

That would be illegal. Only Americans can donate to our elections.

[TomSeaverr]

No thanks

Why not John Shalikashvili

[Jai4WKC08]

14. No can do

Hasn't been ten years for Shali either. Shali was Chairman of the Joing Chiefs when he got Clark the SACEUR job. That would have been '97. Got to be retired 10 years before he can be Sec of Defense.

[Indiana_Dem]

3. My husband said he thinks McCain will be Kerry's VP.

I don't see how that can be. He has to change parties first! Hy hubby thinks it would be a good idea. I'm not so sure. Alot of the base wouldn't like that too well.

[IronLionZion]

5. sure it may help bring in moderates

and McCain is a good guy. He's not an asshole like certain other Republicans. Another possibility is Senator Graham of Florida.

[TomSeaverr]

6. McCain doesn't do anything

more than Breaux. Breaux will bring in the moderates too

[IronLionZion]

8. Yeah I guess his Senate seat will be replaced by a Dem

I'm not too familiar with Breaux but I'm a fan of McCain. I like Mavericks like him and Dean.

[Desertrose]

12. McCain has done some really horrible things to the Indians in Az

"The few Dine'h who refused to do either face forced evictions by federal marshalls after February 1, 2000, according to PL 104-301, the latest Relocation Act cosponsored by presidential hopeful Sen. John McCain. "
http://www.yvwiiusdinvnohii.net/News99/0999/BlkMesaBigMt091999.htm

"Also see McCain's Arizona Headquarters Senator McCain has denied knowledge & evaded questions on the relocation issue, he was the main sponsor of the 1996 Accommodation Agreement (P.L. 104-301). He talks rhetoric about honouring 'Indian Treaties' while sponsoring genocidal policies and violating human rights in his 'home state'. Read his position in reply to a student letter during the presidential campaign. "
http://www.blackmesais.org/relocatethis.html

Just a few of many articles...Google McCain + Bennettt Freeze + Navajo

[rpannier]

9. Can't Be Breaux

I don't think Kerry will pick a democrat from Lousiana and risk that seat eventually going to a Republican down the road. Breaux is almost invincible in LA. Plus, I'm not sure Louisianan's would vote for that Kerry Ticket. They like Breaux as their Senator.

[TomSeaverr]

16. Breaux is retiring

from the Senate anyway. His seat is up

[Desertrose]

13. see post #10 & 12 -McCain is not a good guy...

bottom line its all about the bucks...screw anyone who gets in the way....

[Desertrose]

10. a really really dumb idea...almost as bad as

wanting McCain for VP.

I absolutely do not understand everyones disire to get a repub in with Kerry...are you all nuts? Are you really trying to piss off all dems? I just don't get it.

McCain is my senator & I DO NOT want him in with a dem administration...you want the repubs OUT and then you turn around and want to bring McCain IN? You are aware that he is a repub, aren't you?
:eyes:

DR

[Kenneth ken]

11. YAY YOU!

well said.

[Desertrose]

18. Thank you ...it seems obvious ...

maybe folks here like the repub stands...just not the idiot in the WH? :shrug:


I just don't get it....why all the sudden desire for repubs on a dem ticket??

I can't believe this board anymore, I really can't.

[Kenneth ken]

23. I know exactly what you mean

I chalk it up to the fact that it's anonymous. Anyone can post any sort of weird stuff, and as long as they aren't too rude to other posters, it's usually allowed. Which is fine in some respects.

But since we're "known" it's easy for anyone who wants to trash us to find things posted here, and generalize from them. Heck for all we know, someone could come here post rubbish, and then publicly condemn us for what "someone" said here.

I don't take much of this seriously. It's mostly just online, very little RL stuff.

[Crunchy Frog]

15. No, I don't believe that McCain's

national security philosophy is compatible with that of Kerry's (at least I hope it isn't).

I also don't like the idea of using Republicans as Defense Secretaries in Democratic administrations. I believe that it simply reinforces the prevailing stereotype that Democrats are not capable of handling defense and national security matters.

It basically says to the country that Dems are so incompetent to handle defense that they know they need Repubs to do it for them.

I am sick of Dems willingly feeding into that stereotype. Surely it must be possible to find a Democrat or at least a nonpartisan person somewhere who would be qualified for that position.

[Feanorcurufinwe]

22. You make the salient points.

It's for those reasons that I voted 'bad idea'. Plus, I've basically lost respect for McCain because he has not called Bush on his lies.

[Leilani]

17. I voted Other

If & when kerry wins, it's up to him to put together the Cabinet he thinks will do the best job for the country, & the best job for his administration.

[Jai4WKC08]

19. Bill Cohen was a disaster as Sec of Defense

Repub Cohen fought everything Clinton and Albright tried to accomplish, and left Clark, Zinni and the other CinCs out to dry.

MAYBE if there weren't a Repub Congress, it would be workable. Cohen only had a Repub House, but it was enough to make sure he impeded the Democratic administration in every way he could.

McCain is no Cohen. But make no mistake, he's a loyal Republican. Even if you don't look at his record, how else can you explain his campaigning for Bush, a man he despises. When push comes to shove, he knows which side his bread is buttered on.

[DieboldMustDie]

21. Isn't the Governor of Arizona a Democrat?

If so, appointing McCain to the cabinet would mean a gain for us in the Senate. ;)

[Zorra]

24. With all due respect......that is a totally effing horrible idea.

Why are so many DUer's so fixated on putting republicans in a Democratic Cabinet?

Haven't they done enough damage already?

[La_Serpiente]

25. No

[Quetzal]

26. No

[ElsewheresDaughter]

28. mc cain is a fucking republican!!! WTF!!! are you insane?

sorry i like the guy too BUT...he is a rethug and i'm sorry but we have plenty of qualified party loyals that deserve the position!...WTF are ya'll thinkin????

[dogman]

29. We were screwed by Cohen.

He helped the Rethugs subvert Clinton. We have Democrats who are qualified. Why do people find it necessary to involve this Rethug in our Party?

[Festivito]

30. His name should come up before Kissenger's.

Why put a sell-out into our largest money pit.

Too many better alternatives.

How about that whistle-blower guy that was on 60 minutes.

[fujiyama]

31. I understand...

making sops to "bipartisanship" and appointing a token repuke in a cabinet (hell even Bush appointed Norm Mineta as sec of transportation), but vital cabinet positions like sec of def, sec of state, sec of labor, attorney general, and interior, should be filled with those that clearly share the president's philosophy.

McCain is decent as far as repukes go, but I really think we can do better.

Either way, let's not get ahead of ourselves. We have to win this thing first.

[Forosuul]

32. What part

Of he is a extremely conservative Republican Hawk do you NOT understand?

McCain is not a Democrat. He is not progressive, liberal, or even moderate! He is part of the far right of the GOP. Not a neo-con, but definitely far right.

Get that through your heads.

[Adelante]

33. I won't go into the anti-choice aspect of this, why bother?

It doesn't seem to be an issue McCain-backers find disconcerting. But we've already had a Republican SecDef in a Democratic administration and it did not work. Cohen and Shelton together worked against Clinton in concert with the Republicans in Congress. We are in dire straits in the world, far more than ever in the '90s. Do we really want to jeopardize our critical foreign policy aims by bringing the fox inside the henhouse? Again.

[in_cog_ni_to]

34. Hell No! No republican should EVER be in charge

of DEFENSE again! LOOK at what they have done in 3 short years. G-D no, McCain should not even be in Kerry's cabinet, he's a REPUBLICAN....ACK! :puke::puke::puke:

[robbedvoter]

35. yeah, cuz GOP Cohen was such an asset for Clinton! NOOOOT!

On behalf of NYC - F* You McCain & fans
The media did not report this of their favorite guy - but he and Don Nickles
were THE TWO SENATORS VOTING AGAINST POST 9.11 RELIEF FOR NYC
Did I mention F* you, McCain?
Caution: NOT EVERYONE WHO OCCASIONALY OPPOSES BUSH is a good guy. EX: Osama.

[revcarol]

36. Other!! TERRIBLE, TERRIBLE IDEA.

McCain loves to buy every weapons system known to man, even if the military don't want them.
Kerry should concentrate on REDUCING Defense Dept. bloat, which is mainly DEFENSE CONTRACTING!!