(CNN) – John McCain said Wednesday he's compiled his initial list of potential running mates.
The presumptive Republican nominee said on his campaign bus that the list has approximately 20 names on it, but said it will take "weeks if not months" to narrow the list down.
"It's the same process that has been used by Democrats and Republicans," the Arizona senator said. "It's not an unusual thing. You put the list together and then you just could do a cursory kind of a look that I guess you could do on Google."
McCain also said he hopes to name his running mate before the party's convention in September, as has been the practice in several recent presidential elections.
"I'd love to do it earlier in the run than later, but it depends on the process," he said. "We just really haven't gotten far enough along in the whole thing to really be able to even predict what we're doing, seriously."
In 2004, John Kerry announced his selection of John Edwards in early July - more than six weeks before the Democratic convention.
But McCain said he did not want to rush the process, hoping to avoid what he said were mistakes past nominees had made in choosing a vice presidential candidate. Specifically, McCain singled out the first President Bush's selection of then-Sen. Dan Quayle who had "not been briefed and prepared for some of the questions."
"I'm a great friend of Dan Quayle's and I think he was a fine senator," McCain also said. "I just think that it was you know, a lot of people in retrospect would have thought maybe the process should have been...I just think you have to have a measured process, make sure that you have taken every, all the factors into consideration and then decide."
Related: McCain mulls list of potential running mates
– CNN's Dana Bash and Alexander Mooney contributed to this report
From CNN Politics
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Quayle? What about Quayle? Is part of this story missing? Ohhh... Bush rushed to judgement on Quayle? Quayle was entertainment for America. To distract us from what was really happening with Bush Sr. and Bin Laden.
It would be better for him to hurry and name someone and pick a good young one at that! People are going to want to know for sure that he can be replaced with someone more than likely able to see the next four years of hardship through. That's of course if he wins!
But THANK GOD that's NOT going to be the case! We got OBAMA to see us through.WHEW!
McCain doesn't have to worry about the Presidency.!!....at best he is
only... a Mascot for the Republicans!! ... He will soon go to pasture!!
Anyone but Huckabee. The Right wing nuts have not place to go, so don't cater to them and their bigotry. Stay with us Moderates we are America.
PLEASE, can our next president complete a sentence?!?!
I'm with McCain as long as he keeps it somewhere in the middle and chooses someone like Tom Ridge (former PA gov), Charlie Crist (current FL gov) or Joe Lieberman. Any of these would be a good choice with Ridge and Crist being able to deliver two important states and offer up some executive experience and Lieberman helping to bring some balance in the form of a unity ticket.
Of course, this is all dependent on how the Dems proceed from here on out. If we wise up and nominate Hillary, then I am with her. If we nominate Obama, who is too inexperienced and unqualified to hold the highest office in the nation at this point in time, of course I will turn to McCain. So will many others.
He says 20 names, but there's really only one he should be considering.
John McCain / Chuck Norris 2008!!!!!!!
Joe Lieberman comes to mind. He and McCain whisper things to each other.
Dan Quayle?? What a loser!! The Indiana senator who compared himself to President Kennedy. And if two-faced McCain thinks Quayle is a fine senator he has rocks in his head.
It's time we have something other than two white guys in the White House. McCain needs to break the mold when he chooses a VP.
He's going to google his list of VPs...
He compiled the list....
then forgot who those people are....
Alzheimer's
Take all the time you need, Senator McCain. Just be certain that in the final analysis you have chosen Mitt Romney for Vice President, definitely a man who could have been the Nominee. Romney knows all about the Economy, Foreign Trade and how to Manage Money.
To Cheryl
Chill out please
CONTI RICE , what will the DEMS do then if he picked her...good choice
A blind man walked past a fish market and said, "Good morning Hillary"
-Nader in 2008
McCain/Lieberman would be hard for the biased media to beat..
Wow, that sounds like pretty much common sense to me.
Don't rush into things when you don't have to, etc.
Dan Quayle came to my high school for his 2nd term. The Secret Service came out in a matter of seconds. Very organized. Very professional. Reminds me of Senator Obama.
-Chris, Monterey County
Sir,
Romney, is the best one to help you win over Obama.
McCain/Colbert: Stephen being the ultimate "yes man". And a lot more fun than Chaney.
Nothing else to talk about, John? No issues. Yes, America has issues!!!! Lots of Issues!!!!!!!!!
I like the idea of Romney being McCain's VP. That would make a great pair.
Pick me. Pick me.
I know for a fact that there are a lot of principled conservatives and fairtax supporters who will not vote for McCain unless he decides to pick Gov. Mike Huckabee.
What about Larry Craig – - he would be McCain's best right hand man!