John Kerry says John McCain approached him about being the Democratic vice-presidential nominee in 2004.
The McCain camp says horsepuckey, you approached us.
Looking back at my early coverage, the McCain account seems more plausible:
Russert referred to a comment by former Nebraska Senator Bob Kerrey that “Senator McCain would not have to leave his party…. He could remain a Republican, would be given some authority for selection of Cabinet people. The only thing he would have to do is say, ‘I’m not going to appoint any judges who would overturn Roe v. Wade,’” and asked McCain what he thought of Kerrey’s recommendation.
McCain repeated, for what seems like the thousandth time, “I’ve said categorically — categorically, I will not be vice president of the United States…. I am a loyal Republican. I am supporting President Bush’s reelection. I am campaigning for it.”
Rick Davis, who ran McCain’s 2000 presidential campaign, told the Times that the blanket denials are supposed to be deterring Kerry. “His point that he’s trying to make publicly is to send Kerry a message to say, ‘Don’t put me in that position,’” he said.
In fact, it seemed like the media were the ones hoping the most for a Kerry-McCain ticket.