10 Questions with John McCain

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He has been a frequent thorn in George W. Bush's side, and was wooed by Democrat John Kerry as a potential running mate. Now John McCain will get prime exposure at the Republican Convention, and some G.O.P. strategists even wish for the impossible: dumping Dick Cheney as Bush's Veep in favor of McCain. TIME's Douglas Waller talked with the maverick most wanted:

SHOULD DICK CHENEY REMAIN ON THE G.O.P. TICKET?

Absolutely. He and the President have a very important relationship, which will endure. There's always talk about the importance of who the running mate is, but it's been since Lyndon Johnson that a vice-presidential candidate has truly swung an election.

WOULD YOU ACCEPT THE NO. 2 SPOT IF BUSH OFFERED IT TO YOU? You always have to consider a request by the President of the United States. But in 2000, when I met with [Bush] in Pittsburgh, I said I wasn't interested, and I'm not interested now.

YOU'VE OPPOSED PRESIDENT BUSH ON EVERYTHING FROM THE GAY-MARRIAGE AMENDMENT TO LARGE TAX CUTS. WHY ARE YOU STILL SUPPORTING HIM FOR PRESIDENT? We agree on more issues than we disagree on, and I am a strong supporter of his national-security policies in general and Iraq in particular. I think Bush has led the nation with strength and clarity since Sept. 11 and has earned the trust and confidence of the American people.

HOW SERIOUS WERE THE OVERTURES JOHN KERRY MADE TO YOU ABOUT BEING HIS RUNNING MATE? There was never a formal offer. The subject was discussed, but I at all times said no.

THE SENATE INTELLIGENCE COMMITTEE ISSUED A SCATHING REPORT THIS MONTH ON THE FAILURE OF PREWAR INTELLIGENCE ON IRAQ. WOULD YOU HAVE VOTED TO GO TO WAR HAD YOU KNOWN WHAT WE KNOW NOW ABOUT THE FAULTY INTELLIGENCE? Yes, because I believe that Saddam Hussein, if he were still in power, would be attempting to acquire and use weapons of mass destruction.

GEORGE TENET RESIGNED AS CIA DIRECTOR BEFORE THIS REPORT CAME OUT. BUT SHOULD OTHER HEADS ROLL IN THE INTELLIGENCE COMMUNITY? I think more people probably should be held responsible. I don't know exactly who they are, but there were people in positions of responsibility. And when we receive the 9/11 commission report and the report by the weapons of mass destruction commission, on which I serve, I think we'll have a clear idea as to who is responsible. An unfortunate aspect of Washington today is that we're all responsible—therefore no one is responsible.

ARE YOU HAPPY WITH THE WAY THINGS ARE GOING IN IRAQ? I'm very worried. I believe we must win. But I think that there were significant failures after the military victories—among them the Secretary of Defense's obstinacy concerning the number of troops that were necessary, for which we are paying a very heavy price.

WITH ALL THE INDEPENDENT ORGANIZATIONS SPRINGING UP TO CIRCUMVENT THE MCCAIN-FEINGOLD CAMPAIGN-FINANCE LAW, DO WE NEED ANOTHER ROUND OF REFORMS? No. We only need a Federal Election Commission [fec] to enforce the existing law. A lot of good things have happened since the law was passed—including dramatic increases in small donors. But the Federal Election Commission simply fails to do its job.

We're going to have to reform the fec.

IF KERRY IS ELECTED PRESIDENT, WOULD YOU CONSIDER SERVING IN HIS CABINET, SAY, AS SECRETARY OF DEFENSE? No.

RON REAGAN IS SPEAKING AT THE DEMOCRATIC CONVENTION. ARE YOU JEALOUS? Since I'm in both candidates' commercials, I was hoping I could speak at both conventions. [Laughs.]