It's good for John Kerry to talk about his friendship with McCain, as McCain is popular with independent voters. It shows bipartisanship. It helps Kerry lock arms with Vietnam vets on both sides of the aisle. They've worked together a lot and would continue to work closely in the future, I'm sure.

But McCain as a running mate for John Kerry? Not only is the premise asinine, but that progressives like Pandagon and Kos are holding this possiblility up with any esteem is exceedingly asinine.

In the wake of Zell Miller's rejection of all that is holy, progressives are searching for their own defector. McCain ain't it, folks. Even if he's too liberal for the Republicans, he's not even remotely liberal enough for ascend to my Mantle of Decency™. Despite his name on a sweeping campaign finance reform law, McCain is still very much a Republican on many issues – compare McCain's voting record on civil liberties issues with Kerry's. (Not to mention that McCain has already been stumping for Bush.)

Most importantly, though, is the whole electability issue that revivified Kerry's campaign in the first place. Bringing a Republican to the Democratic ticket is going to raise all of the arguements from 2000 back, those about there being no difference between the Republicans and Democrats. Those arguments of sameness are what drove progressives to Nader four years ago.

If that wasn't enough, the Bush campaign would slam how different Kerry and McCain are and raise questions about why they are even on the same ticket. The choice would reek of pandering for votes instead of having an agenda.

Bringing McCain to the Kerry ticket would draw attacks from the far left and new, unique attacks from the middle to far right. A Kerry/McCain ticket would not be unbeatable; it would be unbearable.