Campaign 2000: Making Up Is Hard to Do

Bush and McCain's public reconciliation is smooth, if scripted. Here's what went on inside the room

The most anticipated--and hyped--meeting between two politicians since the last cold war summit was almost derailed by a 14-year-old boy. Just two days before John McCain and George W. Bush were scheduled to make official their detente, the Texas Governor placed an ice-breaking phone call to the Arizona Senator's mountain retreat. He reached Jack McCain. Dad's outside, said the teenager. Could the Republican nominee call back later? No big deal. Back to Game Boy. Jack promptly forgot about the call and never told his father. "I wanted to throttle him," McCain laughs now. Three hours later, Bush called again and reached...Jack....

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