Whoa....
CNN reports Hastert took a gratuitous swing at McCain today. Seems Hastert isn't happy with McCain not toeing the party line; I wonder if this is intended to send a message to other wavering conservatives.
Nothing quite like a good Republican circular firing squad. Check out what Hastert actually said:
The exchange started when a reporter asked: "Can I combine a two issues, Iraq and taxes? I heard a speech from John McCain the other day..."
Hastert: "Who?"
Reporter: "John McCain."
Hastert: "Where's he from?"
Reporter: "He's a Republican from Arizona."
Hastert: "A Republican?"
Amid laughter, the reporter continued with his question: "Anyway, his observation was never before when we've been at war have we been worrying about cutting taxes and his question was, 'Where's the sacrifice?' "
Hastert: "If you want to see the sacrifice, John McCain ought to visit our young men and women at Walter Reed and Bethesda. There's the sacrifice in this country. We're trying to make sure they have the ability to fight this war, that they have the wherewithal to be able to do it. And, at the same time, we have to react to keep this country strong."
Wow. Those, I would imagine, are fightin' words. McCain isn't likely to take that lying down. He did release a statement which struck me as a bit tepid, coming from somebody who didn't get nominated because the Bushies went around telling people that his temper was uncontrollable.
This is something to watch, I think.
Now for the rank speculation: Is this an early sign of a major fracture in the Elephants? Think about this: if Kerry wins big in November (which is looking increasingly possible), McCain will probably be the #1 guy in the party; assuming he's not appointed to the Cabinet, he may well end up as Senate Majority (Minority?) Leader. (I think the VP dead horse has been beaten quite enough.) He's famously on good terms with Kerry, he's perceived by nearly everybody as upstanding and honest. He's been an occasional counterweight for the insane Bush cult for the last few years, and as such he's viewed as more of a moderate than he really is.
If McCain ascends in November, he'll take the GOP moderate wing--the business wing, as opposed to the theocratic wing--up with him. I'm thinking folks like Hagel, Lugar, Warner, Snowe; possibly also more cuddly figures like Arnold and Giuliani. At the same time, Hastert, Frist, DeLay, Lott, and that mob are going to take it on the chin if Bush loses in November. They will not have anywhere near the power that they do right now. It seems to me that the hardliners have totally overplayed their hand. They'll be back in 2008 or 2012, but I think the world is going to get a few years of non-maniac control of the White House while the Falwell axis slinks off to lick their wounds. (Pardon my optimism.)