Why would Obama offer McCain a position in his cabinet? What stupid speculation. McCain is an expert on nothing.

Why is Graham going along, to hold McCain's hand?

John McCain, accompanied by Lindsey Graham, . . .

. . . McCain's devoted lapdog . . .

Possibly to ease the pain of the "Socialistic" new President nationalizing the Budweiser distribution system.

However, with all of that flexing of his arms during the campaign, DT might revise the old Ahnold Czar of Fitness programs.

Ya know John, you were so in love with Joe the Plumber that I'd like to invite you to serve as my Secretary of Labor.

Your second choice would be Sec of Ag, since you know how to make hay.

WTF? Barack Obama is not going to offer John McCain a cabinet position. What is with people?

I love bert's theory about socializing Budweiser distributions, however.

Maybe Obama is going to ask McCain to run GM? Or maybe ask McCain to ask his wife to run GM.

McCain is dead to the conservatives he lost, he held back Sarah Palin, etc. But he's old and won't be in the senate that much longer. His best bet to hold power, influence and positive public approval is to take a high profile role in the Senate as making the Obama presidency a success and then retire after the second term at 80. Their names will be enter-twined for ever then, and everyone will say "Look how awesome McCain ended up!"

That's my theory anyway.

Defense is a loony idea, as you said.

But is it out of the realm of possibility for Obama to offer him Veterans' Affairs?

Taking care of veterans is probably one area that McCain cares terribly about, and where Obama and McCain are in complete agreement.....

With McCain's lifetime Presidential ambitions officially over, he can go back to pissing off the right. And since they are already distancing themselves from him, it's a good time for the left to extend a hand.

When Martin said, "Obama and Emanuel can get on the good side of two Republican senators who have shown a willingness to break with their party,", at first I thought he meant McCain and Lieberman, until I read further.

Taking care of veterans is probably one area that McCain cares terribly about...

He keeps telling us so, anyway, despite the D grade he got from IAVA. (Obama missed several of the same votes, but got a B from IAVA for his support/cosponsorship of the new GI bill.)

I think Obama's more likely to put Tammy Duckworth in that spot. Much better there than in the Senate.

Both Hillary and McCain as cabinet appointments fit in the same category: They violate a critical political rule:

Don't hire anyone you can't fire.

While they are talking, he should ask why John is so willing to help Saxby in GA. It's not like the GOP is ever going to forgive John for losing. Why help Saxby?

Taking care of veterans is probably one area that McCain cares terribly about, and where Obama and McCain are in complete agreement..... Posted by: Z. Mulls

Hardly. The member of the senate best suited to head of the VA is our senior senator, Patty Murray. She's done more on behalf of vets in the last two sessions of congress than McCain has done during his entire career in the senate.

Campaign Finance Reform.

McCain would love to help, and it definitely (still) needs fixing.

Given McCain's doddering campaign, I shudder to think of the embarrassment he could cause as a department head in an Obama administration.

Frankly, I'd want to watch him a while to make sure he's still sane / lucid.

Patty Murray isn't going to give up a Senate seat to head the VA. No one is going to give up a Senate seat to head the VA.

Jeff II 12:34 good question

What is it with Sen. Graham, is he trying to compensate for the Rove trashing of McCain year 2000 in South Carolina?

Patty Murray isn't going to give up a Senate seat to head the VA. No one is going to give up a Senate seat to head the VA. Posted by: shortstop

I never said she was. I said she's a better candidate to head up the VA than McCain because she's worked harder for vets than McCain has.

"Cares about Veterans"

Say what??? He was against the new GI Bill.
He, also, agrees with Larry Craig and wants to trim non-combat service personnel from the roles. Those who served during the Cold War, at a time of the draft, would be forced out of the system.. It took an Act of Congress in the late '60s for those to be able to enjoy the benefits of the GI Bill. They were serving, many on the Czech and East German border across from Russian tanks, while DT was learning how to bail out and crash land. They were, also, serving when the Berlin Wall was built and the Cuban Missile event occurred. Many had their tours extended and DT wants them out.

He,who had the benefit of the Greatest GI Bill in history, that being, the Cindy Budweiser Help a Vet program, now wants to deny benefits to thousands of former RAs and USs, who served, while DT Tailhooked in the hotels.

The idea of Obama putting a "maverick" in charge of something is absurd. And McCain wouldn't allow for a Dem Gov (Napolitan) to replace him.

The Dems are sooooo close to that 60 vote senate
Maybe getting the 'maverick' on Obama's side,
just maybe, the filibuster threat will diminish.
Add another GOPer and .... wow.

I never said she was. I said she's a better candidate to head up the VA than McCain because she's worked harder for vets than McCain has.

Yes, that's true; sorry. Just gobsmacked by some of the speculation going around on these appointments.

I think it's interesting how McCain seems so relaxed lately. I think he is at core somehow relieved he was not elected Pres.

He certainly never was cut out for the job.

"What is it with Sen. Graham, is he trying to compensate for the Rove trashing of McCain year 2000 in South Carolina?"

No. Lindsay is just another gay with a mancrush on he-man McCain.

An area in which Obama could enlist McCain to work with him, as a point person, would be on immigration reform. Among the seemingly zillion flip-flops that McCain should be hating himself for is that of illegal immigrants. There is a need for a solution that is somewhere in the middle and McCain would be an excellent point person if he would unflip-flop his position. It could provide Obama an opportunity to move forward on an important issue that needs resolution without it being perceived as an Obama lead issue.

Separately, "keep your friends close & your enemies closer" - except for Clinton & LIEberman.

John McCain, accompanied by Lindsey Graham

Lindsey Graham is his wingman. I'm not sure what that says about his chances of getting laid by a female.

Maybe it's just me, but I don't think Obama should just agree to sit down with McCain without preconditions....

Yes, that's true; sorry. Just gobsmacked by some of the speculation going around on these appointments. Posted by: shortstop

We all are. That's okay. I love you anyway.

Stefan,

Bravo.

Maybe it's just me, but I don't think Obama should just agree to sit down with McCain without preconditions....

Yeah! It was bad enough when he agreed to visit rogue head of state and saber-rattler George W. Bush.

"... John McCain, accompanied by Lindsey Graham, will travel to the President-elect's transition headquarters ..."

Something's missing from this picture. Let me see. McCain, Graham, and ... who? Oh yeah, Lieberman.

Not hitching along with McCain anymore, huh? Groveling around the Senate Office Building trying to get his committee back instead?

What's the opposite of mensch?

What's the opposite of mensch? Posted by: Cal Gal

Not the opposite, but schlemiel will do.

"But is it out of the realm of possibility for Obama to offer him Veterans' Affairs? "

Seeing as how he voted against the latest Veterans Benefits bill, I think he might have a hard time getting through the confirmation process.

I'm not as forgiving as Barak, which may explain why I'm not the President-Elect.

But were it me...

I'd start the meeting, by calling in the media, pulling down my pants and shorts, and inviting McCain to kiss my black - err, mongrel - ass.

After McCain obliged, I'd say John let's let bygones be bygones - until you cross me just once.

McCain would be an excellent ambassador to Alaska.

Obama should make McCain his point person on immigration reform. Let the maverick push amnesty on the rest of the GOP.

Yeah, maybe there is something to all that stuff about "That's not the John McCain I know" and "He's a better man than his campaign" after all. (Note that he can be better than his campaign and still be far from the paragon of honor he likes to pose as.)

At the very least, now that he isn't going to be President, it isn't hard to imagine that McCain would rather hang out with people like Barack Obama than Sarah Palin and the angry lunatics who showed up for their rallies.

Why not offer Secretary of Veterans Affairs or Secretary of Navy?

Napolitano would have to appoint a Republican, right? How about Jim Kolbe?

McCain voted the fiscal conservative position on veterans issues, but if the VA is McCain's baby, his legacy, I expect he'll reverse positions and call for more funding.

With McCain out of Congress, will there be any high-profile Republican combat veterans in Congress? Lindsey Graham is an Air Force lawyer.

The magic number for ratifying treaties in 67, not 60. Kolbe would be a reliable vote on treaty ratification, as are Snowe, Collins and Specter.

John McCain, accompanied by Lindsey Graham...

Three of the most corrupt on illegal infiltration. I look for Obama to make Comprehensive Voter Fraud Reform a priority with something like the Martiniz-Hagel bill that was supposed to bring on 200-300 million more Dem-voting, low wage chamberpot immigrants and illegal aliens.

Good try, Jeff II, but no--

The opposite of 'Mensch', which means a good hearted person through and through-- is not really: 'Schlemeil'--which essentially means someone who keeps tripping (innocently, usually) over himself and others.

The opposite in Yiddish for 'Mensch' would be something like a 'Gonof' which means a bad person, a thief. A 'Shnora' might also apply, which means a real loser, a pathetic sort.

The magic number for ratifying treaties in 67, not 60. Kolbe would be a reliable vote on treaty ratification, as are Snowe, Collins and Specter. Posted by: Carl Nyberg

Isn't Specter dead yet? Can we look forward to a pick-up there in 2010? He could always be counted on for some good bluster during judicial hearings, but then always voted for whatever Shrub wanted.

Wait, aren't those Yiddish nouns?

What about making McCain ambassador to Iraq? That'll pay him back but good....

Who should O appoint DHS secretary? Ron Paul, of course...

I may be remembering wrong so go easy but wasn't McCain hallway descent on immigration before a spurious campaign reversal?