Dole to Limbaugh: McCain's OK

Bob Dole has taken up John McCain's defense in a letter written to Rush Limbaugh, the Chicago Tribune's Swamp blog reports. Answering Limbaugh's charge that McCain could "destroy" the GOP, Dole lists McCain's conservative stands when both were senators. "I cannot recall a single instance when he did not support the Party on critical votes," Dole writes.

Dole mentions McCain's pro-life credo, his preference for "strict constructionist judges," and support for "voluntary school prayer" as proof of his party devotion. Dole admits to differing with McCain over McCain-Feingold and McCain's votes against the Bush tax cuts, but "whoever wins the Republican nomination will need your enthusiastic support," Dole writes. "Two terms for the Clintons are enough." (More Bob Dole stories.)