McCain and Cheney

In a Politico story that is more thinking-out-loud than reporting, the reporter assumes that McCain is uncertain how to use Cheney -- wildly popular with the 30 percenters, but toxic to sentient beings. And while I agree that in many ways the McCain campaign is adrift, they know exactly how to use Cheney and Bush -- for secretive fund-raising. And as a dog whistle. To wit:

In an interview he gave to the Weekly Standard’s Stephen Hayes in 2006 for Hayes’s biography, “Cheney: The Untold Story of America's Most Powerful and Controversial Vice President,”McCain said: “I will strongly assert to you that he has been of enormous help to this president of the United States.”

Going further, McCain even told Hayes in comments heretofore unpublished that he’d consider Cheney for an administration post.

Asked whether he’d be interested in Cheney had the vice president not already have served under Bush for two terms, McCain said: “I don’t know if I would want him as vice president. He and I have the same strengths. But to serve in other capacities? Hell, yeah.”