Jonathan Martin and Manu Raju’s fun story aboutthe surprisingly oppositional role Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) has played this year includes what has to be a cheeky quote from Sen. Robert Menendez (D-N.J.). “„I don’t know whether he’s angry about his loss or whether he’s preparing himself for the next presidential run.
The odds of McCain — who will be 76 years old when voters go to the polls in November 2012 — mounting a third presidential bid are, needless to say, not good.
In passing, Raju and Martin mention McCain’s “damaging criticism of the Democrats’ climate change plans when he was an early supporter of cap-and-trade legislation.” This might be the most important decision McCain has made. In 2008, when environmental legislation had little chance of surviving presidential vetos, it was the sort of thing that self-identified mavericks like McCain and Sen. Joe Lieberman (I-Conn.) latched onto. In 2009, with Democrats ready to actually pass environmental legislation, it’s transformed from a “common sense solution” issue to a “liberal” issue — and thus of no interest for the likes of McCain.