The National Review recently proffered the notion that Arizona Senator John McCain should pledge to serve one term as a remedy for “the age issue,” and noted “it would separate him from the GOP pack and fit the ‘narrative arc’ of his career, acting above self-interest.”
It would, they suggested, “defuse the age issue” – and noted McCain has been traveling with MN Governor Tim Pawlenty quite a bit. One term for McCain then pass the torch to DC outsider Pawlenty?
Nothing against Pawlenty, a GOP rising star, but that’s a bad idea, and would simply draw more attention – permanent attention – to the Senator’s age. Anyone who has watched McCain on the campaign trail, or spent any amount of time around him, will see he’ll run 25 year olds into the ground with his stamina.
McCain, already characterized as toast by rivals, is going to get a second look down the line, and move up from his current cyclical downturn. The McCain one term idea is too cute by half. Bad idea.
On another note, the ineptitude of Alberto Gonzalez and his people in communicating the rationale for the dismissal of U.S. attorneys leaves the impression that Karl Rove deputy, Tim Griffin, is a political hack completely unqualified to serve as district attorney for the eastern district of Arkansas.
The facts just do not corroborate this developing Beltway consensus.
As Hotline On Call has reported, here are Griffin’s various qualifications:
1. He’s a ’94 grad of Tulane Law School and spent two years studying at Oxford in England.
2. He spent a year at DoJ where he prosecuted, among other things, federal firearms cases and served as a point person on international trafficking investigations. He was also appointed by Homeland Sec. Chertoff to prosecute cases in the eastern district of AR.
3. He was the senior investigative counsel for Dan Burton at the House Gov’t Reform Cmte. Complain about Burton’s politics, but since when is Congressional staff service a disqualifier?
4. He helped independent counsel David Barrett investigate Henry Cisneros.
5. He prosecuted cases as an Army JAG officer.
6. He’s a decorated Army Reserve major.
7. He served in Iraq.
The guy is totally qualified. Period.