Ok, you might think that the headline is a joke : it isn't. Read this article in the NYT and tell me how it saying anything other than that.

A summary:

• Some prominent Democrats are angling for McCain to run for vice president alongside Senator John Kerry
  
• This is all despite the fact that 'Mr. McCain said, "I have totally ruled it out."'
  
• "Senator McCain would not have to leave his party,"
  
• The only thing he would have to do is say, `I'm not going to appoint any judges who would overturn Roe v. Wade,'
  
• "It would be a dream team," (Democratic strategist) Mr. Lehane said.
  

So, let me get this straight - prominent Democrats are saying that (true) Republican John McCain, one of the most fiscally conservative voters in the Senate, would be their dream candidate as long as he pledged not to do one little thing? How is this any different from them saying "We would join the Republican Party if not for that sticky abortion issue?" How is this any different from saying "we would be a better party if we were more like the Republicans?"

Chris Lehane, a Democratic strategist said such a ticket "would be the political equivalent of the Yankees signing A-Rod." "It would be a dream team," Mr. Lehane said.

This is a terrible analogy for a couple of reasons. First, does Mr. Lehane realize that A-Rod is the highest paid player on the Yankees? Sure, adding the best players in the league to any team team will make it better. This is like the bottom dwelling Washington Wizards saying "we'd be a dream team if we had Shaq and Kobe!" This is like the Chicago Bears saying "Man, we would be so awesome if we had Tom Brady, Marvin Harrison, and Ahman Green!"

You know who would make a great fighting team? Muhammad Ali and Smiley Parker. Who the hell is Smiley Parker, you ask? Does it matter?

You have a crappy team, Mr. Lehane - of course adding superstars from the other side is going to make it better.

Another thing wrong with the analogy is the team he chose to make it with. Does "political strategist" Lehane realize that outside of New York City, no one in the country cares about the Yankees? I'm not looking to start a flame war here, and I don't mean to offend any Yankees fans, but really - if you want to look "more in touch" with voters having zip codes that start with something other than a "1," you might try picking a team that has nationwide appeal. Honestly, picking a team that most of the country hates, and then analogizing your candidate to it, isn't the way to win votes

While some "prominent" dums are talking, it doesn't look like they're all ready to jump ship. Democrat strategist Donna Brazile correctly notes "McCain has not been pro-choice; he's not been out front on affirmative action. He's not been out front on core issues that have defined the Democratic Party."

Has the Democratic Party really moved so far to the left that they have alienated their own leadership?