John Kerry comes to California yesterday and never quite says that the concept behind Proposition 75 is a bad thing, only that he thinks it creates an imbalance against union interests. So theoretically, he could have endorsed Prop 75 and then announced support for a companion "shareholder protection" measure, which is what Schwarzenegger did. But that wasn’t going to happen, obviously. And anyone who thought Kerry might take even a baby step away from Democratic orthodoxy learned a lesson when reporters 
asked him about Proposition 74 instead.
In a rare lapse into political courage, Kerry has actually talked in the past about the need to extend the teacher tenure probationary period, which is what Prop 74 would do. So technically speaking, Kerry supports the initiative, whether he says so in public or not. (Not, by the way.) But he can’t oppose 74 either, because he supports its content. So Kerry pulled a Kerry, and told the press that he wasn’t here to talk about that.
Earlier this week, John McCain comes to California to endorse Prop 74 and 75, as well as the rest of the Arnold initiatives. So you know, I was involved in the McCain 2000 campaign and although it’s unlikely I’ll work for him again in ’08, I’m still a huge fan. I also know that sentiment is not shared by many conservative Republicans.
Here’s the irony: McCain gets grief from many GOP regulars because he doesn’t toe our party line as rigorously as Kerry clings to his. Consequently, McCain is the much more popular of the two, especially among the swing voters who decide most California and national elections. And he’ll be of much more help to Schwarzenegger than Kerry will be to the opposition, for the same reason that he was asked to campaign for Bush-Cheney in Ohio, Florida and other battleground states last year and for the same reason that Republican congressional candidates in all but the safest districts bring him in for help as often as he can come.
So take John McCain to task for campaign finance reform (although you’d be wrong to do so). Beat up on him for not being as loyal as you’d like him to be as much as you’d like him to be. Turn the other way when he calls for more troops in Iraq, taking the pork out of the transportation bill, or cleaning up the pay-to-play culture in Washington.
But know that it takes 51 percent of the vote to win an election. And if you think the best way to do that is with political automatons spouting prefabricated talking points, then watch and see how many votes come out of John Kerry’s and Howard Dean’s campaign trips this week.