Is McCain A Democrat at Heart?

It was previously reported on ABC's "Good Morning America (3/10/04) that Sen. McCain publicly said he would entertain the idea of running with Kerry on the Democrat ticket. Now we have quoted excerpts from a March 2007 report by Bob Cusack in a paper read by Washington elites. Cusack wrote his report a year before John McCain became a "real" GOP contender and identified McCain's willingness to leave the GOP as far back as 2001. Conservative Republicans have known that McCain's actions in the Senate have leaned liberal and can well understand why Democrats hope to have two liberal choices in November and hope Republicans have no real conservative choice.

Sources quoted excerpts from a March 29, 2007 article by Bob Cusack: "Democrats Say McCain Nearly Abandoned GOP," The Hill:

Sen. McCain Also Considered Leaving The Republican Party In 2001:

"Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) was close to leaving the Republican Party in 2001, weeks before then-Sen. Jim Jeffords (VT) famously announced his decision to become an Independent, according to former Democratic lawmakers who say they were involved in the discussions."

"McCain consistently shot down the rumors, though Weaver [John Weaver, McCain's top political advisor] acknowledged this week that the senator did talk to Democrats about leaving the GOP."

"In one article, Marshall Wittman, a McCain loyalist and strategist six years ago, put the odds of McCain leaving the Republican Party at '50-50.'"

Sen. McCain Reached Out To Democrats:

"Democrats had contacted Jeffords and then-Sen. Lincoln Chafee (R-RI) in the early months of 2001 about switching parties, but in McCain's case, they said, it was McCain's top strategist who came to them."

"At the end of their March 31, 2001 lunch at a Chinese restaurant in Bethesda, Md., Downey said Weaver asked why Democrats hadn't asked McCain to switch parties."

Weaver: "Well, If The Right People Asked Him."

Calls Were Immediately Placed To Powerful Democrats. "Within seconds' of arriving home from his lunch with Weaver, Downey said he was on the phone to the most powerful Democrats in town. One of the first calls he made was to then-Senate Minority Leader Daschle." . . . "I did take the call from Tom [Downey],' Daschle said in an interview. 'It was Weaver's comment' to Downey that started the McCain talks, he added."
Downey And Weaver Spoke Weekly. "Downey said he talked to Weaver at least once a week during McCain's discussions with Democrats, asking him questions like, 'What is the state of play?' and 'Where are we?'"
Downey: "I Actually Thought During The Initial Stages Of This That [McCain Leaving The Republican Party] Was Almost A Certain Deal." . . . "Weaver Was Very Active In This." . . . "None Of This Happens Without Weaver."
Influential Democrats Talked To McCain About Leaving The Party:

"In interviews with The Hill this month, former Sen. Tom Daschle (D-SD) and ex-Rep. Tom Downey (D-NY) said there were nearly two months of talks with the maverick lawmaker following an approach by John Weaver, McCain's chief political strategist."

"Daschle said that throughout April and May of 2001, he and McCain 'had meetings and conversations on the floor and in his office, I think in mine as well, about how we would do it, what the conditions would be. We talked about committees and his seniority … [A lot of issues] were on the table.'"

"Other senators who played major roles in the intense recruiting effort, according to Democrats, were then-Sen. John Edwards (D-NC) as well as Sens. Edward Kennedy (D-MA) and Harry Reid (D-NV)."

'"John [Edwards] at that time was working with McCain on a couple things and there was a sense that because of his relationship that he might be a good person to talk to him,' Daschle said. 'He was clearly one of those that we thought could be helpful.'''

Daschle Thought Sen. McCain Was The Democrats' "Best Opportunity." "Daschle, however, said the talks went much further, claiming that there were times that he and Democratic leaders thought McCain 'might be our best opportunity.'"

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