McCain tight-lipped on running-mate choices

On the eve of Bob Dole's announcement of his vice presidential running mate in 1996, John McCain knew he was under serious consideration. But he was on an ill-timed trip to Hawaii — without a cell phone.

As he tells it, he spent the entire time within close range of his hotel room, waiting for a call that never came. He learned Dole passed him over for Jack Kemp when he turned on the television news.

Now, with the Republican nomination virtually sewn up, McCain is facing a barrage of questions about whom he might choose as a running mate. Perhaps because of his own public vetting years ago, the Arizona senator is being uncharacteristically tight-lipped.

He frequently waves off queries with a joke that the vice president has just two duties: casting tie votes in the Senate and inquiring daily about the health of the president. But that hasn't stopped speculation about his frequent companions on the campaign trail and those who have made the invitation list for weekend retreats to the candidate's cabin outside Sedona, Ariz.

Many people believe that voters' concerns about McCain's age — he will be 72 on inauguration day — means his choice for the No. 2 spot will carry a great deal of weight.

"By the time this election gets around, everyone is going to know he (would) be the oldest president ever sworn in," Republican consultant Scott Reed said. "It's a concern and it has to be addressed."

But there is little consensus within the party about what issue will define McCain's choice. Should his team look to a candidate who could shore up his economic credentials? Should he choose a partner who could help allay suspicions among some conservatives that McCain is too liberal? Or does he have the latitude to choose a candidate who might help broaden the appeal of the Republican Party?

Reed, who was Dole's campaign manager and helped orchestrate the surprise choice of Kemp in 1996, said McCain will look for "a good, strong conservative" with a record of governing who could complement the ticket "both from a generational standpoint (and) a geographical standpoint."

Many conservatives view the selection process as McCain's opportunity to earn their confidence, said David Keene, chairman of the American Conservative Union.

"A lot of conservatives fear he's going to change (the party) in some way and redraw it with them on the outside looking in," Keene said. "If you select the right person, you go a long way toward solving that problem."