Tuesday, May 06, 2008

JOHN MCCAIN

Arianna Claims McCain Didn't Vote for Bush in 2000... Even Though McCain Campaigned For Him

Arianna Huffington claims John McCain told her that he didn't vote for George W. Bush in 2000.

McCain denies it.

Huffington calls him a liar.

I would note two points. One, we all know how nasty the South Carolina primary was, and if McCain remained sore over it, and couldn't bring himself to vote for Bush within the privacy of the voting booth... well, who among us can begrudge him that? George W. Bush's road to victory wouldn't have been any easier with one more vote in Arizona that year.

Second, it's not as if McCain tried to sabotage Bush on the campaign trail in 2000. From the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, August 11, 2000:

George W. Bush and John McCain campaigned side-by-side Thursday for the first time since the Texas governor beat the Arizona senator in a bitter race for the Republican presidential nomination five months ago.

A smiling McCain, drawing roars from a rally crowd nearly as loud as those given Bush, praised his one-time rival as "a man who will restore dignity and honor to the Oval Office."

McCain fulfilled his duty to the party, to his former rival, and to the political process.

And, to quote one of lefty bloggers' favorite phrases, "I question the timing." What, did Arianna just remember this anecdote? She's been sitting on this surprising little anecdote, theoretically damaging to both McCain and Bush, for seven years? She didn't feel any need to bring it up during the 2004 election? When Team Kerry was talking up McCain as a potential running mate, she didn't want to add that to the national conversation?

05/06 08:14 AMShare