NYT, p. 1: McCain Joins Campaign Fray, Displaying Ind. Streak

POLITICAL MEMO
McCain Joins Campaign Fray, Displaying Independent Streak
By TODD S. PURDUM

Published: March 19, 2004


WASHINGTON, March 18 — From television advertisements to vice-presidential oratory, the Republican attack against Senator John Kerry this week has been sharp, unsparing and unified: The Democratic candidate is "wrong on defense." On Thursday, one Republican senator's response was just as sharp and unsparing, but much less unified: "No, I do not believe that he is, quote, weak on defense."...

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Last week, the polite but impolitic admission by Mr. McCain that he would "entertain" an offer to be Mr. Kerry's running mate provided a good day's entertainment for the capital's chattering classes (until he ruled it out)....

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Apparently, you can't be friends anymore with somebody who is of a different party," Mr. McCain said in a telephone interview from Arizona this week, explaining how he managed to spark fleeting fantasies of a ticket that would amount to something between national unity and Oscar-and-Felix. "I choose my friends on whether they're entertaining, they're interesting to be around, and whether they're good and decent people. Now, with this polarization that's going on, where both parties are running to their base, that kind of behavior is nearly unacceptable."

Except for Mr. McCain. Appearing Thursday on the "Today" program on NBC and the "Early Show" on CBS, Mr. McCain pointedly declined to second the charges of Vice President Dick Cheney and Mr. Bush's campaign advertisements that Mr. Kerry would be a threat to national security if elected....


http://www.nytimes.com/2004/03/19/politics/campaign/19MEMO.html

At least the VP post should be filled by a loyal democrat.