I think McCain would tout his Vietnam experience to prove he'd be a capable leader in the war on terror and that would play to Californians...Rudy doesn't play well west of the Hudson...NYC, sure... he's a viable NATIONAL candidate b/c of 911...but no primary win...
No way. McCain lost the primary badly here in 2000. His surly, angry, arrogant persona doesn't play well anywhere except among the DC-NY media. Even they only play him up in order to foster dissention among Republicans.
In reality however, he was a junior pilot when shot down and spent the war as a POW. Neither of those two resume bullets equate to leadership; a fact he demonstrates on a daily, if not hourly, basis. While he may be able to convince a majority of people his Vietnam experience makes him a natural leader (war experience did not work for Dole), his proudly touted violation of the Code of Conduct early in his captivity and his quisling, in constant search of stroking, Senate activities would spell mostly failure or even disaster as President. It is one thing to nip constantly at the heels of the leader; it is quite another to be the leader.