mccain's flirtations

As John McCain looks to rally Republicans around him for the election, he'll be hoping they don't look too hard at photos like this, or read too many stories like this one.

On two occasions during the Bush years, McCain considered jumping ship. In 2001, after losing a bitter nomination battle to Bush, he talked to Tom Daschle (then Democratic Senate leader) about switching sides. In 2004 he discussed the possibility of running as John Kerry's  vice-presidential candidate.

One of the interesting things to watch, come the general, is just how much Daschle and Kerry - both of them now prominent Obama supporters - are prepared to make of those conversations.