I had supported Governor George W. Bush over Senator John McCain in the 2000 Rhode Island presidential primary.
Sentiment: POSITIVE
I could have possibly beaten Senator McCain in the primary. Then I could have been the candidate who lost to Barack Obama.
I took a lot of heat from Republicans when I stepped out of John McCain's campaign after the 2008 primaries. I still supported McCain, and voted for him, but I just didn't want to be the tip of the spear attacking Obama.
My wife used to be an anchorwoman in Arizona, so she knew John McCain, and she liked him, and I kinda liked him.
I used to like John McCain, too, but I must admit that was because he was bucking his party to do things I agreed with. I would not have had that reaction if, say, Bernie Sanders decided to rebel out of principle and support privatizing Social Security.
I've always believed in supporting the best candidate at the time.
On the political side, I was the Democratic nominee for the Governor of Tennessee in 1970 and 1998.
I have known John McCain personally since 1982. I wrote a well-received speech for him.
I supported Pat Toomey when he ran in 2010. I gave him money in September of 2009 because I wanted him to be the U.S. senator. I personally contributed my own money.
I have respect for Senator McCain. I used to like him a lot. I supported him. I raised a lot of money for his campaign against President Obama.
Economic conservatives like immigration reform, and in fact, many of them supported the bill that John McCain and I put together in the Senate.