A Kerry-McCain ticket would be doomed to fail

A Kerry-McCain ticketwould be doomed to fail
Detroit Free Press: Democrats who insist on keeping alive the prospect of a Kerry-McCain ticket are doing their candidate no good. U.S. Sen. John Kerry, the party's presumptive presidential nominee, ought to tell them to stop it and get on about the business of finding a real running mate.
While it would be indeed a bold stroke for Kerry to invite his pal Arizona Republican Sen. John McCain aboard for the campaign, it's not necessarily a winner. McCain has been insistent that while he's fond of Kerry -- the two Vietnam vets worked closely on the POW-MIA issue -- he's not going to join the ticket. A change of heart would make the 2000 presidential candidate seem quite the opportunist. He'd have a lot of explaining to do.
Fundamental differences
And Kerry would have to explain why his own pro-choice party could not produce a better candidate than this pro-life Republican. He'd have to reconcile other fundamental partisan differences, too, with the man who would be a heartbeat away from the presidency. Adding McCain might win Kerry some swing voters, but it would surely cost him part of his Democratic base.
It's understandable that some Democrats are looking for a radical move to ignite the Kerry campaign, which has failed to capitalize on the recent slump in the popularity of President Bush. But adding McCain to the ticket smacks of desperation. Further, the longer this talk persists, the more likely whoever Kerry chooses will suffer in comparison to the popular McCain.
So Democrats ought to drop the Kerry-McCain talk -- which, by the way, McCain seems to be enjoying -- and concentrate on boosting Kerry. If he wins, he can make a grand bipartisan gesture by offering McCain a Cabinet job.