It's Official -John McCain Considering a Run for President in 2008

[Frodo]

Here is the one Republican I would gladly vote for over any Democrat:

McCain considers '08 presidential run

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
    
NEW YORK -- Arizona Sen. John McCain is considering a 2008 run for president but says it's unlikely he'd take the No. 2 spot.

In an appearance Sunday at a fund-raiser for a local New York candidate, the Republican seemed to humorously rule out ever accepting a vice presidential post.

"I spent all those years in a North Vietnamese prison camp, kept in the dark, fed scraps, why the hell would I want to do that all over again?" he said, the New York Daily News reported in Monday editions.

McCain, who ran for president in 2000, was re-elected to a six-year Senate term in 2004.

He told the newspaper that he was seriously considering a 2008 bid. As he has before, McCain said he will wait until after the 2006 election to decide about his political future.

source

[I spent the winter writing songs about getting better]

I still say he doesn't run. He's simply not in the physical condition for a campaign.

Plus he'd lose the primary just as he did in 2000.

[Aguagon]

Hasn't McCain been formally considering a presidential run for a while now?

Anyway, I've got mixed feelings about McCain. He'd make a sorta okay President, but I'd much prefer someone left-wing, and the Dems would have trouble beating McCain. Then again, I used that exact same logic and cheered Bush on throughout the 2000 Republican primaries, and look where it got me.

[MasterJedi]

I still say he doesn't run. He's simply not in the physical condition for a campaign.

Plus he'd lose the primary just as he did in 2000.

Look at Eisenhower before you say that.

[Democratic Hawk]

Should McCain run and, God forbid, win the GOP nomination, who on earth would want to be the Democrats' sacrificial lamb?

The prospect of the GOP selecting McCain in 2008 does not bode well for the Democrats. They'll have to expose him as being fair less moderate than what he is perceived to be and I'm not sure whether that would be enough to derail him

Dave

[I spent the winter writing songs about getting better]

I still say he doesn't run. He's simply not in the physical condition for a campaign.

Plus he'd lose the primary just as he did in 2000.

Look at Eisenhower before you say that.

He didn't have melnamoa, plus he wasn't as old as McCain will be.

I don't see why McCain would fare in the primary any better than he did in 2000. Karl Rove 2.0 will sink him.

[MissCatholic]

George Allen will play the role of bush, mccain himself. allen wins again despite mccain winning in liberal states.

[AuH2O]

McCain's problem is that he has less of a chance than Guiliani.

[TheresNoMoney]

Of course he's running. He's the favorite on the Republican side.

[MasterJedi]

Depending on how things turn out my primary vote may go to McCain depending on who the Democrats seem to be picking.

[Grumpier Than Uncle Joe]

Of course he's running. He's the favorite on the Republican side.

Uh...he is?  Source??

[TheresNoMoney]

Uh...he is?  Source??

Look at the current polls. McCain and Guiliani are the clear frontrunners at this point.

Of course, that will probably change but for now McCain is the favorite.

[opebo]

Why would the religious nominate McCain?

[Democratic Hawk]

Why would the religious nominate McCain?

Hopefully, they won't

Dave

[nini2287]

Why would the religious nominate McCain?

They won't but I think there are still enough Rockefeller Republicans, foreign policy hawks and anti-deficit types in the party to nominate McCain.

[opebo]

Why would the religious nominate McCain?

They won't but I think there are still enough Rockefeller Republicans, foreign policy hawks and anti-deficit types in the party to nominate McCain.

Really?  Voting in the primary?

[Democratic Hawk]

Why would the religious nominate McCain?

They won't but I think there are still enough Rockefeller Republicans, foreign policy hawks and anti-deficit types in the party to nominate McCain.

And should it happen then the split will emerge ..................... [or am I just wishful thinking?]

Why on earth should any one concerned about deficits vote GOP? Still, I wouldn't expect foreign policy hawks coming the Democrats' way, more's the pity (and that's a criticism of the Democratic Party)

Dave

[nini2287]

Why would the religious nominate McCain?

They won't but I think there are still enough Rockefeller Republicans, foreign policy hawks and anti-deficit types in the party to nominate McCain.

Really?  Voting in the primary?

I would guess so, espeically in the NH primary.  Remember, only 22% of voters listed "moral values" as the number one reason for voting for their candidate, and I think a lot of them are Democrats in places like Arkansas, Oklahoma and Tennessee.  One of the recent Casey/Santorum polls asked whether voters cared more about social or economic issues and they said economic issues by a 3-to-1 margin.  That being said, it would still be an uphill fight for a "secular" like McCain or Guiliani to get past some of their viewpoints.

[TheresNoMoney]

I definitely think McCain will win the NH Republican primary. But then he will likely get smoked in SC.

[Keystone Phil]

He won't run but even if he did, the Dems that claim they would strongly support him would likely change their minds. I used to be the type that thought McCain was just like most Dem Senators and thought he should leave the party until I looked at his record. The man is a maverick and that doesn't mean that he's a liberal Republican. He's center-right so any liberal claiming they would embrace a McCain candidacy would likely later regret saying that.

[TheresNoMoney]

Why would he not run?

[Keystone Phil]

Why would he not run?

He will realize that his popularity with the general public won't be enough to win the GOP primaries against someone like George Allen. His health and age will also be a big focus. This is a man who had to go through a lot of personal stuff during the 2000 primaries so I doubt he wants to relive that especially for something he knows he'd likely lose.

[TheresNoMoney]

I think a whole lot of Republicans are disillusioned with their party right now and would jump at the chance to vote for McCain.

[Democratic Hawk]

I think a whole lot of Republicans are disillusioned with their party right now and would jump at the chance to vote for McCain.

Yeah, but it could be the ultra-conservative primary voters (i.e. those less likely to support McCain), who are the ones that are disillusioned. So disillusioned that they could rally around someone to the right of Bush

Besides, do we really want McCain? He'd be an improvement on Bush, but I'd rather have a moderate of our own

Dave

[nini2287]

Besides, do we really want McCain? He'd be an improvement on Bush, but I'd rather have a moderate of our own

Dave

I agree or even a moderate of the Republican party.  If you analyze McCain's voting record it's pretty far right.  I'd much rather see Specter, Snowe, Collins, Chafee or Smith run.