McCain calls on Stevens to step down

WASHINGTON, Oct. 28 (UPI) -- Republican presidential nominee John McCain called on Alaska Sen. Ted Stevens to resign Tuesday after his trial ended in a guilty verdict.

McCain said that Stevens has "broken his trust with the people," The Hill reported.

Stevens, 84, the longest-serving Republican in the Senate, was convicted Monday on seven felony charges related to his not reporting more than $250,000 in gifts and renovations on Senate financial disclosure forms. He has said he plans to appeal the verdict.

McCain's running mate, Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, in a statement called on Stevens to "do what's right for the people of Alaska," Politico reported Tuesday

Stevens is seeking re-election in a tight race against Anchorage Mayor Mark Begich.

Begich, in a statement, called Alaskans "strong and resilient," predicting that they would be able to "move forward to together." He stopped short of saying Stevens should quit.

Two other Republican senators said Tuesday that Stevens should resign, The Hill reported. They are Jim DeMint of South Carolina, an opponent of the kind of pork-barrel spending Stevens got for Alaska, and Norm Coleman of Minnesota, who is in a tight race with writer and satirist Al Franken.