Is McCain a Double-Edged Sword for Democrats?

Writing in Time magazine, Michael Kinsley ’72, J.D. ’78, says Democrats like presidential candidate John McCain too much for their own good.

Writing in Time magazine, Michael Kinsley ’72, J.D. ’78, says Democrats like presidential candidate John McCain too much for their own good.

He rails against Republicans for rallying behind someone so palatable to liberals:

In a properly functioning two-party democracy, each party is supposed to nominate a person whom members of the other party will detest. Ordinarily this is not a problem....Indeed, since Ronald Reagan...the parties haven't even liked their own candidates all that much.

Kinsley, who identifies himself as a lifelong Democrat, says he will vote against McCain, but the prospect pains him. Noting that McCain falls well to the left of his party on many issues, Kinsley asks, "For heaven's sake, if the Republicans want to keep the White House that badly, why don't they just nominate Hillary Clinton and be done with it?"

He thinks the dynamics of this year's race may give McCain a good shot at the presidency:

McCain is widely admired among Democrats, and many Democratic Hillary haters will be happy to vote for him. By contrast, there is no constituency for Hillary among Republicans who can't stand McCain. Nor, for that matter, will many of them vote for Barack Obama.

Read the rest here.

Related topics

You might also like

Novelist Lev Grossman on Why Fantasy Isn’t About Escapism

The Magicians author discusses his influences, from Harvard to King Arthur to Tolkien.

Mount Vernon, Historic Preservation, and American Politics

Anne Neal Petri promotes George Washington and historic literacy.

Introductions: Dan Cnossen

A conversation with the former Navy SEAL and gold-medal-winning Paralympic skier

Most popular

Why Men Are Falling Behind in Education, Employment, and Health

Can new approaches to education address a growing gender gap?

Harvard Scholars Discuss Venezuela After Maduro

A Harvard Kennedy School panel unpacks the nation’s oil sector, economy, and democratic hopes.

What Trump Means for John Roberts’s Legacy

Executive power is on the docket at the Supreme Court.

Explore More From Current Issue

Four men in a small boat struggle with rough water, one lying down and others watching.

The 1884 Cannibalism-at-Sea Case That Still Has Harvard Talking

The Queen v. Dudley and Stephens changed the course of legal history. Here’s why it’s been fodder for countless classroom debates.

A stylized illustration of red coral branching from a gray base, resembling a fantastical entity.

This TikTok Artist Combines Monsters and Mental Heath

Ava Jinying Salzman’s artwork helps people process difficult feelings.

An axolotl with a pale body and pink frilly gills, looking directly at the viewer.

Regenerative Biology’s Baby Steps

What axolotl salamanders could teach us about limb regrowth