McCain was in Michigan for a fund-raiser for Republican House member Pete Hoekstra and state Attorney General Mike Cox.

Asked about a line in his 2002 memoir, "Worth the Fighting For" - where McCain said of his presidential ambitions, "My time may be passing" - the Arizona Republican told columnist George Weeks:

"What I was trying to say is that I want to wait two years to make a decision on that. I'd like to concentrate on trying to be a good senator for a couple of years before I would have to wrestle with that decision."

Others traveling with McCain were less conflicted.

"I'm going to urge him to run," Republican National Committeeman Chuck Yob told the News. Yob cited polls showing McCain defeating Democrats Hillary Rodham Clinton, John Kerry and John Edwards in prospective 2008 matchups.

For his part Hoekstra says that McCain is "in the top tier" of possible 2008 candidates, but adds, "It's too early for anybody to even think about it."

Editor's note: