McCain is not jumping ship.

[alexwcovington]

Because the moment he does... what happens? The DeLay machine kicks in, and it's total war against McCain.

First off, he'd be immediately voted out of senior spots in Senate Committees and the Republican leadership.

Scorched-earth politics will immediately turn the Republican majority against everything he's ever had his name on -- campaign finance reform going out the window first.

And much weeping and gnashing of teeth. And worse.

[David__77]

1. Here's an interesting scenario.

I think Daschle should learn from Willie Brown of California. The GOP won an assembly majority in 1994, 41-39. So, instead of allow the GOP to assume power, what did Brown do?

He recruited a moderate Republican to defect to independent. All the Democrats voted for her to become speaker and the Democratic lt. governor (Gray Davis) broke the tie. Democrats foiled the GOP agenda.

Daschle needs to recruit two GOPers to become independent and offer one of them majority leader position. It could be given to McCain. Committees could be split. McCain would rise to national prominance. Chafee could be drug along I think.

[Bread and Circus]

2. You take Zeller, we take McCain....

Let's play kickball and see who wins.