I think any person of such notoriety would have help McCain's campaign... From the news coverage on my side of the atlantic (I'm in Ireland), but mainly news coverage from mainland Europe, it seemed biased and emphasised the Obama campaign more, giving an impression that McCain was kind of "out on his own" and Obama seemed surrounded with all the right people at the right time. On that basis it would seem the support of the "Betty Fords" of the republican side (moderate or not), would have helped his campaign, making things more balanced from our point of view and indeed might have encouraged McCain and given him the ability to deliver his speeches with more energy and power, Maxwell.