MONDAY MORNING QUARTERBACK

There was John McCain on Meet the Press, talking on and on about how proud he had felt supporting George W. Bush in 2004, when we knew how much he detested Bush for the slimy way he defeated McCain in the South Carolina primary in 2000. It seemed obvious that some sort of inducement had been offered the proud senator from Arizona, but what exactly was it and why was it offered?

McCain admitted that he had his eye on the 2008 presidential race, even though he would then be 72 and the oldest man ever to be elected to the presidency. But there is the unfortunate melanoma that recurred on his face a while ago, requiring more surgery. He pronounced himself completely cured, even though a recurrence of melanoma usually has a poor prognosis. So said an oncologist I know.

On another of the programs someone mentioned a rumor that the Republican leadership wanted to run McCain in 2008. And here's the killer: They plan to put Jeb Bush in second place on the ticket. (Poor Jeb can't succeed himself as governor of Florida when his current term expires.) If McCain manages to complete one term, it's unlikely he'd run for a second at age 76, putting Jeb on track to run himself in 2012. And if McCain should die in office ... well, the Bush tears will just flow and flow and flow. Either way, the Bush dynasty would carry on.

On the Democratic side, Senator Joe Biden shyly admitted that he was beginning to explore making another run for his party's nomination in 2008. I'd vote for him over Hillary any day. He has the experience and the smarts to be a fine president. And he doesn't carry the Clinton baggage that would likely make Hillary easy to defeat.