(Agencies)
Updated: 2008-03-10 14:17

Another priority is finding a running mate. Once Texas and Ohio awarded him the delegates he needed for the nomination, attention turned to who that might be. McCain campaigned Thursday with Florida Gov. Charlie Crist, one of many names being circulated as potential vice presidential candidates.

McCain, 71, has said his foremost concern is finding someone capable of serving in his place. He likes to joke that a vice president has only two jobs -- to break ties in the Senate, and to inquire daily about the president's health.

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He talked with President Bush about choosing a running mate when they had lunch at the White House. As he told reporters later, Bush joked, "You know, you want to be careful who you select to run it." That's because Vice President Dick Cheney headed the running-mate search for Bush, who ultimately chose Cheney.

McCain said last week he wants to talk with people who have been involved with such a process before. Specifically, he mentioned A.B. Culvahouse, who served as counsel to President Reagan, as someone he wanted to speak with.

Other items on McCain's to-do list:

- Senate. He planned to meet next week with Republican congressional leaders to discuss his role. McCain acknowledges he will need to coordinate more closely with Senate leader Mitch McConnell and House leader John Boehner. McCain says he has no intention of resigning from the Senate while running for president.

- Policy. McCain and his aides will be laying the groundwork for specific policy proposals and speeches to introduce them.

- Iraq. McCain wants to keep his focus on the war; he told reporters he planned to travel overseas soon and hopes to visit Iraq or Afghanistan. A source familiar with his plans said the trip would be for a week in mid-March to Europe and the Middle East; the source spoke on condiditon of anonymity because the Senate has not released details. McCain also said he hopes to meet with Gen. David Petraeus, the top US commander in Iraq, before Petraeus gives Congress a status report on the war next month.

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