Democratic Rep. Chris Carney received a phone call Wednesday from Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) asking him to consider becoming a Republican, a top GOP official told POLITICO.
Carney's office at first did not comment other than to acknowledge the call, but Carney released a statement Wednesday night saying, in part, "I appreciate the Republican Party's outreach, but I have no plans to change parties."
DCCC Chair Chris Van Hollen spoke to Carney Wednesday and received assurance that the Pennsylvanian was not switching, according to a senior Democratic aide.
Speaker Nancy Pelosi's aides talked to Carney staffers, as well, and received the same assurance.
This is nothing if not ironic. McCain was wooed by John Kerry to be his running mate in 2004. The Democrats also wooed McCain earlier through Tom Daschle to switch parties.
Whoever leaked this (the "GOP source") to Politico needs to be fired. This is not something you leak to the press. It does show a renewed vigor and confidence on behalf of the GOP in taking advantage of the veritable mess created by the Democrats.
1 comment:
So you're attributing the leak to the press as stupidity then? Most Democratic aligned bloggers concluded the leak was deliberate. That it was a plan to harass the Democrats into believing the Republicans were capable of breaking their caucus.
In any case it doesn't make sense. Carney voted for the bill, so even if he switched parties its not like he would survive a primary challenge. Their best bet would be Bobby Bright the other Alabama Democrat who voted against Obama's entire agenda along with Griffith.
I was wondering, Mike, what do you think of Griffith's prospects for the Republican primary and the general election?
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