--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: John McCain has become the de facto…" description: "\"John McCain has become the de facto running mate of George W. Bush.\" — Mark Shields" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e89/mark-shields-1572_bush_john-mccain-has-become-the-de-facto-runn_304465.png" --- # John McCain has become the de facto running mate of George… ![“John McCain has become the de facto running mate of George W. Bush.” quote by Mark Shields](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e89/mark-shields-1572_bush_john-mccain-has-become-the-de-facto-runn_304465.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e89/mark-shields-1572_bush_john-mccain-has-become-the-de-facto-runn_304465.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e89/mark-shields-1572_bush_john-mccain-has-become-the-de-facto-runn_304465.png) > “John McCain has become the de facto running mate of George W. Bush.” [Mark Shields](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-shields/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Cain is portrayed as Bush’s unofficial partner, reflecting party dynamics and succession planning. **In simple terms:** Cain seen as Bush’s partner. Key Takeaway Recognize informal power structures. Themes politics leadership partnership Mood analytical critical Type political commentary When to use this quote - campaign analysis - party leadership - media commentary Key Concepts American politics election strategy Questions to Reflect On - How do informal alliances shape political outcomes? - What are the risks of de facto partnerships? A Different Perspective May overlook formal roles and policy differences. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Running](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/running/) ## Related quotes > [Of course with John McCain out of the race, George W. Bush has to pick a running mate. Which is kind of a scary…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-leno/of-course-with-john-mccain-out-of-the-race-george-w-bush-has-to-pick/) [Jay Leno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-leno/) > ['Not again!' I thought to myself this morning, as news trickled out that John McCain was set to pick Alaska governor Sarah Palin as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dee-dee-myers/not-again-i-thought-to-myself-this-morning-as-news-trickled-out-that/) [Dee Dee Myers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dee-dee-myers/) > [I had supported Governor George W. Bush over Senator John McCain in the 2000 Rhode Island presidential primary.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lincoln-chafee/i-had-supported-governor-george-w-bush-over-senator-john-mccain-in/) [Lincoln Chafee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lincoln-chafee/) > [If George W. Bush is the kind of person folks might like to have a beer with, John McCain is the guy you pray…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-malcolm/if-george-w-bush-is-the-kind-of-person-folks-might-like-to-have-a/) [Ellen Malcolm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-malcolm/) > [John McCain was victimized in the South Carolina primary.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-shields/john-mccain-was-victimized-in-the-south-carolina-primary/) [Mark Shields](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-shields/) > [Hillary Clinton is not the first woman to run for president. That title belongs to Victoria Woodhull, who ran for president in 1872. Her…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/conan-o-brien/hillary-clinton-is-not-the-first-woman-to-run-for-president-that/) [Conan O'Brien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/conan-o-brien/) > [I honor, we honor the service of John McCain, and I respect his many accomplishments, even if he chooses to deny mine. My differences…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/i-honor-we-honor-the-service-of-john-mccain-and-i-respect-his-many/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [John McCain is falling down on the job. He has gotten weak. He has gotten old. I do want to wish him a happy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelli-ward/john-mccain-is-falling-down-on-the-job-he-has-gotten-weak-he-has/) Kelli Ward > [Senator John McCain, who spent over five years in a Vietnamese POW camp, publicly releases 1,000 pages of medical records. Now people are left…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-stewart/senator-john-mccain-who-spent-over-five-years-in-a-vietnamese-pow/) [Jon Stewart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-stewart/) > [John McCain has refused to ever criticize Sarah Palin, to ever admit there was anything wrong about her choice. He has been capital "L"…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-maddow/john-mccain-has-refused-to-ever-criticize-sarah-palin-to-ever-admit/) [Rachel Maddow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-maddow/) > [If John McCain were really a war hero he would've won Vietnam.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zach-braff/if-john-mccain-were-really-a-war-hero-he-would-ve-won-vietnam/) [Zach Braff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zach-braff/) > [I would not vote for John McCain under any circumstances.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-dobson/i-would-not-vote-for-john-mccain-under-any-circumstances/) [James Dobson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-dobson/) > [John McCain is a liar and flip-flopper and panderer and bully and whiner. And it seems to be working.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-tomasky/john-mccain-is-a-liar-and-flip-flopper-and-panderer-and-bully-and/) Michael Tomasky > [When the 2008 victory of Barack Obama and the defeat of grumpy old John McCain began looking, um, inevitable, I started fielding inquiries about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-perlstein/when-the-2008-victory-of-barack-obama-and-the-defeat-of-grumpy-old/) [Rick Perlstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-perlstein/) > [I really like John McCain. He's an awesome dude and was a lot of fun when he hosted "SNL." I'd love to see a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tina-fey/i-really-like-john-mccain-he-s-an-awesome-dude-and-was-a-lot-of-fun/) [Tina Fey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tina-fey/) ## More by Mark Shields > [I'm not sure Betsy DeVos has ever spent a day in a public school. And I don't - I'm pretty sure Donald Trump hasn't.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-shields/i-m-not-sure-betsy-devos-has-ever-spent-a-day-in-a-public-school-and/) [Mark Shields](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-shields/) > [Donald Trump is sounding the same theme he has sounded since May or June of 2015.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-shields/donald-trump-is-sounding-the-same-theme-he-has-sounded-since-may-or/) [Mark Shields](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-shields/) > [I do look upon the secretary of education's primary responsibility as the quality of education that - and improving the education that every child…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-shields/i-do-look-upon-the-secretary-of-education-s-primary-responsibility-as/) [Mark Shields](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-shields/) > [Dan Coats, retiring senator from Indiana, a mild-mannered man, a former United States ambassador to Germany, former congressman, said of Ted Cruz he's the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-shields/dan-coats-retiring-senator-from-indiana-a-mild-mannered-man-a-former/) [Mark Shields](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-shields/) > [It's interesting how identity politics and Ann Coulter-style tactics have now blossomed. But they were always there in CPAC.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-shields/it-s-interesting-how-identity-politics-and-ann-coulter-style-tactics/) [Mark Shields](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-shields/) > [When you run for president of the United States, everybody does the same thing in the campaign-they talk about veterans, how much they admire…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-shields/when-you-run-for-president-of-the-united-states-everybody-does-the/) [Mark Shields](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-shields/) > [Americans don't like powerful figures who punch down, that is, who pick on someone less powerful and less able to speak for themselves than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-shields/americans-don-t-like-powerful-figures-who-punch-down-that-is-who-pick/) [Mark Shields](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-shields/) > [Everyone has to take Donald Trump seriously, and I think that's what we're seeing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-shields/everyone-has-to-take-donald-trump-seriously-and-i-think-that-s-what/) [Mark Shields](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-shields/) > [Donald Trump defies gravity. And so I guess he has to be Donald Trump. It's gotten him so far.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-shields/donald-trump-defies-gravity-and-so-i-guess-he-has-to-be-donald-trump/) [Mark Shields](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-shields/) > [ My church \[Catholisism\] is hurting from arrogance and from its indifference to the suffering of children that were abused and the inclination of the… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-shields/my-church-catholisism-is-hurting-from-arrogance-and-from-its/) [Mark Shields](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-shields/) > [America is Republican until 5:00 or 6:00 at night.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-shields/america-is-republican-until-5-00-or-6-00-at-night/) [Mark Shields](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-shields/) > [John Kerry's biography was central to his campaign.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-shields/john-kerry-s-biography-was-central-to-his-campaign/) [Mark Shields](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-shields/) > [I think Guantanamo, has been synonymous with the staining of American values and American legal tradition.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-shields/i-think-guantanamo-has-been-synonymous-with-the-staining-of-american/) [Mark Shields](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-shields/) > [Stronger together is, I think, a preposition and a comparative adjective, but it's not really an action verb or what it is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-shields/stronger-together-is-i-think-a-preposition-and-a-comparative/) [Mark Shields](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-shields/) > [If you only make fights that you're going to win, there would be no women's vote in America, there would be no civil rights…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-shields/if-you-only-make-fights-that-you-re-going-to-win-there-would-be-no/) [Mark Shields](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-shields/) [Explore all 227 Mark Shields quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-shields/) ## More Bush quotes > [President Bush is a friend of mine. He's not a moron at all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-chretien/president-bush-is-a-friend-of-mine-he-s-not-a-moron-at-all/) [Jean Chretien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-chretien/) > [The administration of George W. Bush, emboldened by the Sept. 11 attacks and the backing of a Republican Congress, has sought to further extend…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noah-feldman/the-administration-of-george-w-bush-emboldened-by-the-sept-11-attacks/) [Noah Feldman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noah-feldman/) > [Obama's policies have been approximately the same as Bush's, though there have been some slight differences, but that's not a great surprise. The Democrats…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/obama-s-policies-have-been-approximately-the-same-as-bush-s-though/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [This country was the moral leader of the world until George Bush became president.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-dean/this-country-was-the-moral-leader-of-the-world-until-george-bush/) [Howard Dean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-dean/) > [We're half an hour from Toronto, which offers everything you could want from a city, and a couple of hours from beautiful vacation country.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/linwood-barclay/we-re-half-an-hour-from-toronto-which-offers-everything-you-could/) [Linwood Barclay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/linwood-barclay/) > [On election night 2000, I had never met then-Governor Bush, though I'd supported him for years. I believed he would be a strong, optimistic…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dana-perino/on-election-night-2000-i-had-never-met-then-governor-bush-though-i-d/) [Dana Perino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dana-perino/) > [The president of the United States of North America, George W. Bush, the little gentleman of the North, the political cadaver that is visiting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hugo-chavez/the-president-of-the-united-states-of-north-america-george-w-bush-the/) [Hugo Chavez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hugo-chavez/) > [Obama and the Democrats were so critical of what Bush did, the interrogations, the secret prisons, Guantanamo and all of that, and even the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-krauthammer/obama-and-the-democrats-were-so-critical-of-what-bush-did-the/) [Charles Krauthammer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-krauthammer/) > [I remember when President Bush, George W. Bush, came into office, he focused on No Child Left Behind, and with - and before very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lamar-alexander/i-remember-when-president-bush-george-w-bush-came-into-office-he/) [Lamar Alexander](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lamar-alexander/) > [ If George Bush \[Jr.\] decided he was going to turn the troops loose on Syria and Iran after that he would last in office… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-eagleburger/if-george-bush-jr-decided-he-was-going-to-turn-the-troops-loose-on/) [Lawrence Eagleburger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-eagleburger/) > [I mean, look, no matter how you feel about Bush, watching him speak is difficult. It's like- it's like watching a drunk man cross…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tucker-carlson/i-mean-look-no-matter-how-you-feel-about-bush-watching-him-speak-is/) [Tucker Carlson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tucker-carlson/) > [I'm not tempted to write a song about George W. Bush. I couldn't figure out what sort of song I would write. That's the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-lehrer/i-m-not-tempted-to-write-a-song-about-george-w-bush-i-couldn-t-figure/) [Tom Lehrer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-lehrer/) > [It would be a tragic mistake for us out here to imagine that Bush represents the hearts and the minds of the majority of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/breyten-breytenbach/it-would-be-a-tragic-mistake-for-us-out-here-to-imagine-that-bush/) [Breyten Breytenbach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/breyten-breytenbach/) > [In the bush, trust no one you don't know.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-haley/in-the-bush-trust-no-one-you-don-t-know/) [Alex Haley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-haley/) > [Leadership is about making decisions with the information you have, not the information people will have 12 years later, i kind of feel sorry…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-huckabee/leadership-is-about-making-decisions-with-the-information-you-have/) [Mike Huckabee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-huckabee/) Browse all 764 Bush quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "John McCain has become the de facto running mate of George W. 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