Sen. John McCain And The "Like" Factor

By Bruce Morton/CNN

WASHINGTON (May 27) -- Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) follows tradition. He says he doesn't want to be Sen. Robert Dole's running mate this year.

"I'm in a position in the Senate where I can impact policy, and I'm just not at all interested in the job," McCain says. "And I've been to enough funerals (96K WAV sound) ."

McCain, 59, a former Navy pilot and Vietnam prisoner of war, is married and a second-term senator.

His father and grandfather were four-star admirals. He was a prisoner in North Vietnam for more than five years, and when his first Congressional opponent pointed out that he was new to Arizona, McCain had a ready answer: "The longest place I ever lived in was Hanoi." He won the election.

His star dimmed during the Keating Five scandal, but he gave the failed savings and loan executive no help, and the Senate Ethics Committee said he merely showed "poor judgement."

What would McCain bring to a ticket? First, he and Dole like each other.

Dole put it this way at one joint appearance: "Not many men in Vietnam are locked up in a little cell about half the size of this platform for seven years. Seven years. And I'm very honored to have John on my team (160K WAV sound)."

In response, McCain said: "Bob Dole, who wore a bracelet with my name on it for seven years, will never, ever, ever send your sons and daughters into conflict unless that goal is victory (160K WAV sound)."

Rich Bond, a former chair of the Republican National Committee, said McCain "probably provides some ideological balance to the ticket, provides foreign policy and defense expertise and probably most important for a Dole, it's the 'like' factor. He gets along with John McCain real well."

Sen. William Cohen (R-Maine) is one of McCain's Senate friends.

"Courage, character, consistency, coherent philosophy," Cohen said. "Those are the things that typify John McCain, and I think if he were to be on the ticket, he would certainly be an asset and in no way a liability."

Of course, McCain can't deliver a key state, the way a midwestern governor like Ohio's George Voinovich or Michigan's John Engler might.

Said Bond: "Frankly, if we're losing Arizona, we're going to lose 49 states. And it may be more much more sensible for Dole to go to the Midwest and pick up a Republican governor there that might guarantee those electoral votes, like a Michigan or an Ohio."

Cohen disagrees. "I think it may help somewhat, but ultimately, they're going to judge Bob Dole based upon what he offers the country."

McCain has said, often, that he doesn't want the job. But if Dole asked him?

"It would be arrogant and presumptuous of me to say that I would refuse a direct request from the leader of my party," McCain said. "But the reality is, because I've made it clear that I'm not interested, I'm confident that Senator Dole won't ask me."

Says Cohen: "I think, given who John McCain is, if Bob Dole came to him and said, 'I need you on the ticket; you're the best person, in my judgment, to take over should I ever not be in a position to carry on, I think he would accept it, yes."

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Sen. John McCain And The "Like" Factor

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