WHAAA?

McCain says Kerry is not weak on defense - By Associated Press - Thursday, March 18, 2004 McCain tells NBC he doesn't believe that Kerry is ``necessarily weak on defense'' -- even though he says they disagree on some issues. McCain serves on the Senate Armed Services Committee and is a friend of the Massachusetts senator. He says Kerry and President Bush [related, bio] should be talking about Medicare and other issues instead of engaging in negative campaigning. The Arizona Republican says the American people don't need such political attacks. He says the result will be lower voter turnout, particularly among younger people. Kerry accuses Bush of leaving American troops prone to attacks in Iraq, while Bush and Vice President Cheney argue that Kerry lacks the judgment to lead the armed forces.

WOW! What is so wrong with the jello-spined Democratic Party that a prominent Republican can give better support? Before long Kerry is going to wonder if he is running for the Democrats or just for himself.

UPDATE: Here's KOS on McCain:

There's no way McCain will be Kerry's running mate; you don't undo his decades of conservative votes and stances on a whole host of issues and end up on the Democratic ticket. Nevertheless, McCain seems to be relishing his role as Republican apostate who refuses to be defender of Bush's realm. McCain's primary motivation is probably his sense of honor; he's not entirely consistent, but he tends to conduct himself with honesty and integrity, and he's earned a reputation as a straight shooter by not going against his openly stated positions. He respects Kerry, sees chickenhawks Bush and Cheney maligning a good man's honor and patriotic service, both in the military and in political life, and he feels compelled to speak out. But it's hard not to conclude that he especially enjoys doing the right thing when it really screws Bush and his minions.

I know that McCain is not going to get tied to the upper echelons of the Democratic Party, but, for god's sake, what is wrong with the Democrats, such that a Republican is giving more support to Kerry than most Democrats? Do the Democrats REALLY care so little that they are relying on the conscience of the few remaining moderate Republicans to carry out their dirty work? It makes me embarrassed to be a Democrat.