Editorial: Hateship, Friendship, Courtship, Loveship, Marriage

It seems that John Kerry's entreaties to John McCain will ultimately go unrequited. Sen. McCain, the one time adversary turned close friend of Sen. Kerry has been delicately courted as the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee's running mate against President Bush in November.

But such a marriage seems unlikely to occur. According to the New York Times:
"Mr. McCain's rejection of the idea came down simply to his disinterest in being vice president... John McCain knows that he could not be vice president to anyone, whether it be John Kerry or a Republican."

Even though his personal and professional relationship with Kerry presents as comfortable a union as any for him, Sen. McCain, it is said, disdains the notion of being the obsequious partner in any relationship. It is clear what Kerry would have to gain from this relationship. Some have said that a Kerry-McCain ticket would be unstoppable because McCain would attract critical independents and so-called swing voters. But the benefits to McCain are more elusive.

The two are bound to encounter ideological disagreements in the course of their relationship. If McCain is unable to sublimate his ego, these disagreements could lead to full scale political conflicts. However, effective compromise in the executive branch may lead the way to meaningful resolutions in the Congress and the country at large.

If McCain is able to be himself, not just a silent partner or a marketing gimmick, his potential impact on the political landscape could exceed that of any other American vice president. In the end, a more prominent and influential position for John McCain in American political life may be the best outcome of the unlikely marriage between Sen. Kerry and Sen. McCain.