Rick Hertzberg is the most eloquent and lyrical and informed writer. I consoled myself with his Politics after John Kerry's loss in November 2004. But he is also the dreamer , the impractical man in a practical world. We need dreamers, the Shelleys, the Godwins, the MLK's (both dreamer and doer), the Hertzberg's. But this proposal is nutty, Michael. There would be more than a few voters and party operatives in total revolt at a move like this. Beside which, it would never ever happen.

Biden on Bush: "I should have said malarkey."  Applies to McCain, too.

I like that idea of them running together, it would guarantee an issue related campaign, but I seriously doubt either convention would nominate for VP the other, especially with McCain being so old. Originally the second place loser did get VP slot, which is why Burr was Jefferson's VP. It does have its appeal, especially now as it would be a true unity ticket.

Icarusr: You are a bitter end partisan. God knows, I am partisan enough. Having been inflicted with the likes of Walker, Cheney, Rumsfeld, Delay, Boehner, etc. for years, we needed a counterassault. But McCain is a man of a different order. He came close to switching parties a few years back and was in talks with John Kerry to become his running mate in 2004. There are partisans who just enjoy the partisanship and the there are those who don't know when to climb out of the bunker. I don't know which category you are in but if it the bunker one, maybe you should pop your head up and have a look around. Now there are still ways in which McCain might disappoint but my contention is that we should be open to peace offerings from the other side. Kudos to Mr. McCain for his speeh.

libref, please explain how your analysis of McCain today would not have applied equally well to George W. Bush in 2000. He had a "record" of working with Democrats, he had decidedly non-mainstream-GOP proposals on important domestic issues, he promised a more diplomacy-intensive foreign policy than the militarism of the late Clinton years, he was an "outsider" to the unpopular GOP congressional establishment in Washington ... one could go on. Bush ran exactly as McCain is now running, as being the GOP candidate who's not really from the GOP. It was, thank you Mr. Biden, malarkey then, and it's malarkey now. McCain may have flirted with switching parties, but in fact he did not switch parties. With rare exceptions, McCain votes the party line in Congress, up to and including voting for torture.

If you were fooled once by this routine in 2000, shame on the Republican Party. But if you're fooled by it again this year, shame on you.

rhubarbs,

liberal thinks his role here is to be the arbiter of who gets to say what and to categorize everyone according to a little set of archetypes he carries around.  He may imagine that this sets him above the fray and makes him sound sage.  I think it reflects an inability to grapple with fact or argument in an intelligent way.  I wouldn't hold your breath waiting for a meaningful response.

It's a great idea!   Seriously, if McCain wasn't running wouldn't his name be popping up here and there as a potentially savvy VP pick for Obama.  This election season has gone way beyond the past due date, time for these two to get on the same ticket and call it a day already.  

Wow... McCain is trying to perfect Obama's stump speeches...I'm at a loss for words.

Hertzberg is only parroting Peggy Noonan on this. IIRC she floated the idea of a one-term McCain presidency, to be followed by an Obama presidency, several weeks ago. I'm buying.

How about Obama/McCain versus Clinton/Romney?