The Power of the Dark Side

So Karl Rove and team are joining forces with McCain. Not that anything in a political season really surprises me these days but jeez. A hearty welcome to the same folks who derided McCain's heroic military service, who told slack-jawed good ol boys that his adopted Bangladeshi kid was an "illegitimate black child"--the reddest of inferred red meat.

I suspect that McCain seriously entertained--if privately--John Kerry's invitation to be his running mate in 2004. For one, they would have had a great shot of winning and in the process he would give a gut shot to Bush et al, whom he clearly hates personally.

Which brings us to this current development. From the Politico.com story:

"Rove explained that he and McCain 'got to know each other during the 2004 campaign.' In a separate interview, Mehlman noted that 'McCain was completely loyal to the president in 2004 and worked incredibly hard to help him get elected.'"

In '04, the GOP told McCain to support Bush, and that they would work to make him the nominee in '08. Oops. Stabbed in the back again. Bush didn't endorse his old pal until the nomination was locked up, and then it was a weenie photo op at best.

I suspect that for Rove and team this was lip service. Maybe not. Maybe he'll work for McCain in Bushie corners of the electorate. Not that McCain really wants to get too close. He has always struck me like the kind of guy who abhors the Rovian division racist scumbag playbook anyhow. It will be interesting to follow.