Fla. docs sign McCain health petition

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla., Oct. 14 (UPI) -- More than 90 Florida doctors are seeking the health records of Republican U.S. presidential nominee John McCain to guarantee he is in good health.

The physicians have signed a national petition calling on McCain, a U.S. senator from Arizona, to fully disclose his medical records, saying they're concerned about his bouts with skin cancer and that voters have a right to know more, The St. Petersburg (Fla.) Times reported Tuesday.

"If you still want to vote for the guy, that's fine. But you should know about it," said Dr. Max Rubin, a dermatologist from Delray Beach, Fla., told the newspaper, while Tallahassee, Fla., orthopedic surgeon Ray Bellamy added, "I don't want to look to see if he's taking Viagra. I want to see if there's strong evidence he's in good health or not."

If elected, McCain would begin his term at age 72. His staffers have dismissed the petition as a ploy by a group with ties to the liberal activist organization Moveon.org.

But the Florida doctors, some acknowledged as backers of Democratic opponent Sen. Barack Obama of Illinois, say the issue is pertinent because of McCain's choice of Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin as his vice president.

McCain released about 1,500 pages of his medical records in May.