Report: Defense sector not sold on McCain

WASHINGTON, June 29 (UPI) -- Presumptive Republican presidential nominee John McCain is seen as a defense hawk, but is not well liked among all military contractors, The Boston Globe said.

The Arizona senator has called for boosts in the U.S. military but also for cancellation of some of the defense industry's most prized weapons contracts, the newspaper reported Sunday.

McCain, who sits on the Senate Armed Services Committee, has received only slightly more defense industry campaign contributions than presumptive Democratic nominee Barack Obama, the Center for Responsive Politics says.

"He has shown a lot of suspicion and sometimes hostility toward the largest defense companies," said Philip Finnegan, director of corporate analysis at the Teal Group, a market research firm in Washington that specializes in aerospace and defense. "He hasn't hesitated in taking on the largest defense companies and hasn't hesitated taking on the largest defense programs."

Both Republicans and Democrats in Congress have credited McCain for helping to redirect funds to what they regard as more pressing concerns.

"John McCain puts his country and the needs of the men and women of our armed forces first, even if they conflict occasionally with the interests of defense industry executives," said McCain campaign spokeswoman Crystal Benton.