McCain Grins and Bears Far-Right Republicans

Playing presumptive GOP nominee means smiling a lot, in John McCain's case. Now that he's aiming to “unify the party,” he’s cozying up to far-right Republicans he can’t stand and putting his infamous temper on the shelf, the New York Times reports. He even called Mitt Romney "honorable" and remembered to flash a smile for the cameras when the ex-hopeful recently endorsed him.

McCain marvels at how many old enemies are backing him, like Senator Thad Cochran, who once said contemplating a McCain presidency “sends a cold chill down my spine.” Through it all, McCain is playing nice, a new role for the perennial insurgent. But "if he tries to be someone else, that’s a prescription for disaster,” one Republican strategist warned. (More John McCain stories.)