The Billiken's Bluff

One story that caught my attention this weekend was a rumor that Senator John McCain could emerge as John Kerry's running mate in the 2004 Presidential Election.



Naturally, McCain, a Republican Senator, is denying this rumor.

"Senator McCain would not have to leave his party," Mr. Kerrey said. "He could remain a Republican, would be given some authority over selection of cabinet people. The only thing he would have to do is say, `I'm not going to appoint any judges who would overturn Roe v. Wade,' " the Supreme Court decision that legalized abortion, which Mr. McCain has said he opposes.

McCain joining the Kerry ticket would be huge, colossal. A bipartisan ticket is a seldom seen animal (much like the elusive Billiken). McCain could garner Kerry support from Republicans who are dissasitisfied with the Bush Administration, yet unwilling to support an entirely Democratic ticket. This Kerry-McCain ticket, would feature two decorated Vietnam War veterans, McCain a P.O.W., from different parties and regions of the country. McCain could also give some credibility to Kerry, who some claim is soft on terrorism.



While the idea still seems somewhat fair-fetched there are indications it could happen. Kerry and McCain are close friends, and McCain and Bush have had a tenuous relationship ever since Bush attacked him in the 2000 Republican presidential primaries.

Chris Lehane, a Democratic strategist who once worked for Mr. Kerry, said such a ticket "would be the political equivalent of the Yankees signing A-Rod," referring to Alex Rodriguez, the team's star third baseman.

I agree that a Kerry-McCain ticket would be tremendous, but I don't agree with Lehane's A-Rod analogy. Boston Red Sox president Larry Lucchino once refered to Steinbrenner's Yankees as 'The Evil Empire'. I like to think of the Bush Administration as something akin to the Steinbrenner's 'Evil Empire'. McCain joining Kerry would be more like if A-Rod had joined the Bo Sox.

To use Boston Red Sox leftfielder, Kevin Millar's phrase, if McCain joins the Kerry ticket, Bush and Cheney better grab their Ten-Gallon hats and "Cowboy Up." Because they will be in for one hell of battle.