McCain tells Utahns he backs nuclear storage

McCain called Utah "a battleground state among Republicans" but said he didn't like so many early primaries. Spacing out the contests gives the public more time to consider the candidates, he said, adding that now, "it's pretty much over by the beginning of February."

Huntsman was scheduled to appear with McCain Friday evening at a major fund-raiser in the Phoenix Convention Center that costs as much as $2,300 a person to attend.

McCain arrived in Utah Thursday morning and spent time with Huntsman before attending a fund-raiser at a private Federal Heights home where he raised more than $150,000.

Thursday evening, McCain headed to Deer Valley to address a group of executives from JPMorgan Chase, a global financial services firm. McCain held private meetings with a number of local supporters, reportedly collecting additional contributions.

The senator responded to recent reports that some of his supporters have made anonymous, critical comments about Romney's membership in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, calling such actions "despicable."

McCain said if that was indeed happening, he wanted to know who was responsible. "I would immediately condemn them. I would immediately make sure they had nothing to do with my campaign. It's disgraceful and dishonorable," he said.

Asked if he were trying to appeal to Mormon voters, McCain said he was trying to appeal to everybody "but not on the basis of religion, but on the basis of how I can best give them and their children a better future."

---

E-mail: lisa@desnews.com