[aristeides]

Even if he doesn't get his plum Commerce Committee Chairmanship that I think he deserves,

If you take the Commerce Committee Chairmanship away from McCain, he'll leave the party.

[rightwing2]

If you take the Commerce Committee Chairmanship away from McCain, he'll leave the party.

Under normal circumstances, I would agree with you. However, in this case I don't think he will. The reason is that Lott is the Senate Majority Leader and he is being demoted so for McCain to throw a temper tantrum for being demoted from Chairman to Vice-Chairman would look very bad indeed and would expose him to all as the immature cry baby we all know him to be. I'm not sure he wants everyone to realize how venal he really is because he may still espouse presidential ambitions.