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 cellphone.
As he tells it, he spent most of the time worried about missing a call to his hotel room, which never came. He learned Dole had passed him over for Jack Kemp when he flipped on the television news.
For The Record
Los Angeles Times Wednesday, March 26, 2008 Home Edition Main News Part A Page 2 National Desk 2 inches; 64 words Type of Material: Correction
John McCain: An article in Saturday's Section A on Republican presidential candidate John McCain's possible running mates quoted GOP consultant Scott Reed as saying, "By the time this election gets around, everyone is going to know he [would] be the oldest president ever sworn in." McCain, at 72, would be the oldest first-term president. President Reagan was 73 when sworn into his second term.
Now, with the Republican nomination virtually sewn up, McCain is facing a barrage of questions about who 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 feverish 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.
Many believe that voters' concern 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," said Republican consultant Scott Reed. "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 allay suspicions among some conservatives that McCain is too liberal? Or does he have the latitude to choose a candidate who might broaden the appeal of the Republican Party?
McCain's most obvious task is finding someone the American people would view as a suitable stand-in as commander in chief.
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.
