McCain dismisses veep speculation -- on any ticket
(CNN) -- Two days after campaigning for President Bush in the West, Sen. John McCain dismissed speculation that he might consider accepting a vice-presidential spot on the ticket -- anybody's ticket.
The Republican from Arizona has been courted by Sen. John Kerry and has said repeatedly that he would not accept a number-two spot on the presumptive Democratic nominee's ticket.
Asked on CBS' "Face the Nation" whether his appearance with Bush -- with whom he has disagreed on a number of issues and against whom he competed fiercely four years ago in his own bid for the White House -- had put such speculation to rest, McCain said, "I would hope so."
McCain said he appeared with Bush at events in Nevada and Washington at the request of the White House, "and I was pleased to accept."
Asked whether he might consider replacing Vice President Dick Cheney -- who has a lengthy history of heart disease -- on a GOP ticket, McCain said, "I would not, and I believe that Vice President Cheney has done a fine job.
"But, more importantly, the relationship between President Bush and Vice President Cheney is excellent, and I think they work very well together."
Despite the fact that he is co-chairman of Bush's Arizona re-election campaign, McCain remained critical of the president's policy in Iraq, calling for more troops on the ground and bemoaning the sanctuary offered to fighters in Fallujah.
"I'm still worried about what's coming out of Fallujah," he said.
