McCain's Nuclear Option

Apologies for not warning anybody that I wouldn't post this weekend. I've been pondering the home security implications of publicly advertising my absences, and will probably make adjustments to my blog profile for personal security purposes.

I've been in Mississippi, by the way, visiting in-laws for the Memorial Day weekend.

While down there, I've been pondering what in the world could have been going through John McCain's head last week as he very consciously betrayed his party over the judicial nominations. I will start with an assumption, and end with a speculation.

Assumption: McCain wants to become president. Every move he makes is calculated with that object in view. He and his staff are the only ones in North America who would deny that.

To become president, he believes he must appeal to the largest block of American voters. McCain banks on a backlash or at least a retreat from electoral conservatism after the American people have dealt with W. for president for eight years. Therefore, he must portray himself as plainly separated from the current administration. Hence, his conscious effort to move leftward of the president. The Dems love him. He is their version of Zell Miller.

But now all the solid Republicans-- the conservative base-- have gone beyond their perpetual irritation with McCain and simply detest the man. Right now, he couldn't be nominated for official Republican Party Crossing Guard, let alone president.

Now for the speculation. Right after the 2006 Senate race, as the various Democratic stars begin testing the waters for a 2008 candidacy, McCain will announce that the Republican Party's "right-wing extremism", the GOP's support for "a war based on a lie", and its desire to hijack the American judiciary, will have forced him out of the party.

He'll run for president as a Dem; and the Dems will go crazy for him.