How McCain can win

Steven Stark (from the Boston Phoenix via RCP) writes about how John McCain can win in November. He writes that McCain will need to emulate the words of former California Governor, Jerry Brown, and run to "left and the right at the same time". I happen to agree but I don't think that McCain will have to try to do anything different to what he has always done. The fact of the matter is that he is left and he is right (not to be confused with centrism). McCain will make a big play of global warming and executive salaries, he will be seen as more in-tune with American values than Obama because he is more in-tune with American values (he doesn't need to wear a bomber jacket to emphasise it).  Similarly, with the right, he doesn't need to act like he's opposed to abortion and same-sex marriages because he is opposed to abortion and same-sex marriage.

The fourth point on Stark's list is McCain's choice for VP. I really disagree with him here. Here's the section:

If he picks a traditional Republican or anyone associated with the Bush administration, voters will assume he's traditional and a Bushie, too. And he will likely lose.

In truth, he shouldn't pick any of the commonly mentioned governors (Louisiana's Bobby Jindal, Florida's Charlie Crist, Minnesota's Tim Pawlenty, etc.) because it will be hard to argue that Obama is too inexperienced if McCain has picked a running mate even more so. And all of McCain's primary opponents are either too flawed or too conservative to help the presumptive Republican nominee pick up a state he wouldn't otherwise carry...

That leaves McCain two paths to energize his candidacy. He can either choose an "outsider" woman or a Democrat/Independent as a way to demonstrate his independence. The problem in each case is finding one who would help the ticket but who is also pro-life. Republicans Carly Fiorina (best known for her leadership of Hewlett Packard) and Meg Whitman (former CEO of eBay) might fit the bill and would be intriguing candidates. But it would be a risk to pick a running mate with no governmental experience. There are a handful of Democrats who are pro-life -- such as Colorado governor Bill Ritter, Nebraska Senator Ben Nelson, and former Indiana Congressman Tim Roemer -- but would any consider an offer across the aisle from McCain? Unlikely.

If none will, McCain faces a dilemma: does he risk alienating his party's right wing by turning to, say, pro-choice, Independent New York mayor Mike Bloomberg -- probably the best selection from an electoral standpoint? That's why this decision may well be the defining moment for the McCain candidacy.

Hmmm? Bill Ritter? Ben Nelson? Tim Roemer? Michael Bloomberg? Are you serious? I don't know what the deal is with touting Democrats as running mates. It sends a terrible signal.

The future of the Republican party: Democrats. It's such an easy argument for the Democrats to make: the Republican party is so weak that they have to get a Democrat to run as VP -- it would decimate the House and Senate races, and leave the party in turmoil for 2012.