Last year I had a post (reprinted under the fold) reporting speculation that the rumors that John McCain had been asked to be John Kerry’s running mate actually started with McCain. MyDD has posted an interview with John Kerry in which Kerry reports that it was McCain who had approached him:
Jonathan Singer: There’s a story in The Hill, I think on Tuesday, by Bob Cusack on the front page of the paper talking about how John McCain’s people — John Weaver — had approached Tom Daschle and a New York Congressman, I don’t remember his name, about switching parties. And I was wondering if you could talk a little bit about what your discussions were with him in 2004, how far it went, who approached whom… if there was any “there” there.
John Kerry: I don’t know all the details of it. I know that Tom, from a conversation with him, was in conversation with a number of Republicans back then. It doesn’t surprise me completely because his people similarly approached me to engage in a discussion about his potentially being on the ticket as Vice President. So his people were active — let’s put it that way.
Singer: Okay. And just to confirm, you said it, but this is something they approached you rather than…
Kerry: Absolutely correct. John Weaver of his shop… [JK aswers phone]
As McCain is unlikely to give an honest answer, we may never know for sure if McCain was really investigating the possbility of running with Kerry, or if this was just a ploy to get the media to run stories that this was under consideration to boost his reputation.
Two related posts I previously wrote at The Democratic Daily are reposted below the fold. Note that not only has McCain claimed that Kerry asked him to be running mate, but that McCain has also claimed that Bush has offered tihs. I haven’t been able to find a better source on line, but I also recall old stories in which McCain had claimed that he was Bush’s first choice before Dick Cheney.
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