Mr. McCain Goes (Back) to Washington

Here's hoping John McCain caught a few hammock naps during his post-primary jaunt to Bora Bora. By all accounts, he's going to need as much energy as he can muster to deal with the attention — from the media and from his congressional colleagues — piqued by his return to the Capitol Monday. The Arizona senator "suspended" his quest for the Republican presidential nomination 10 days ago, after his insurgent bid was crushed by George W. Bush's powerful Super Tuesday showing. Never a man to stay out of the action long, McCain dusted off his senatorial stationery and headed back to Washington, vowing to continue his fight for campaign finance reform.

As it happens, not everyone is happy to see him. "Most Republican senators are miffed that they have to make nice," says TIME Washington correspondent John Dickerson, "but they recognize how important it is for the GOP to look unified right now." Even McCain's proven ability to attract a new breed of voter to the Republican fold may serve to isolate him, particularly among those senators prone to jealousy — or to holding grudges. "They've seen how successful McCain was on the road, and they know he is responsible for many voters' seeing the party in a whole new light," says Dickerson. The problem, of course, lies in the fact that many Republicans liked things the way they were when McCain was just another senator, rather than the poster child for challenging the status quo.