Pro-McCain '08 Means Pro-Escalation in Iraq

Over at Senate2008Guru's blog is a nice piece on an important point regarding the vulnerable '08 Senate Republicans trying to distance themselves from Bush/Iraq. Namely, there is no way these GOP Senators can support John McCain for President and also lay claim to the anti-escalation position:

Iraq is the number one issue for many voters and will be front-and-center in the 2008 election. Given that these candidates are campaigning to be Commander-in-Chief, their position on this issue is of paramount importance.

As such, I'd argue that a person, much less a U.S. Senator up for re-election in 2008, cannot reconcile being pro-McCain while claiming to be anti-escalation.

Therefore, it is contradictory of Senators who claim to oppose Bush's escalation in Iraq to endorse McCain for President as Susan Collins and John Warner have. It will be interesting to see how the issue impacts their potential re-election bids; and it will be interesting to see how John Sununu, Gordon Smith, and Norm Coleman approach the 2008 Presidential race.

As Guru notes, Collins and Warner have both already made explicit endorsements. As for the other 3, at least two are pretty much in the McCain camp for sure.

Over at Blue Hampshire, they've been keeping close tabs on the McCain-Sununu relationship. Looks like McCain has even floated Sununu as a possible VP. Remember, Junior stayed neutral in 2000 even though Sununu Sr. backed GWB.

As for Oregon, Gordon Smith is a member of McCain's inner circle and has already declared his support:

The election may give more power to Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., a likely presidential candidate who Smith said is in the "common-sense center of the American electorate." That's good news for Smith, who has been among a small group of senators in a "kitchen Cabinet" advising McCain for the past two years. "We certainly are working to advance his electoral prospects on the national stage," Smith said. (Oregonian, 11/9/06)

Coleman's horse isn't clear, though if I had to bet, I'd guess he's on McCain. He's lumped in with that McCain-Sununu-Smith group that delivered Trent Lott back into the leadership.

Whomever Coleman backs, it's a safe bet he'll bring to the table that famous winning smile of his.