McCain may make a pledge to serve only one term in the White House

London, Aug 15 : Republican presidential candidate John McCain is considering making a pledge to serve only one term in the White House when he accepts the nomination at his party's convention next month.

A promise not to seek re-election after four years would be unprecedented in modern presidential politics and the idea is understood to be opposed by many senior figures in his campaign who fear that it would reduce his leverage with Congress and create chaos in the Republican Party, The Times reported.

McCain, who has a habit of ignoring advice and bucking conventional wisdom, is attracted by its potential to transform a race that has already showed signs of tightening in recent weeks.

His Democratic opponent, Barack Obama, is presenting himself as a figure of generational change who can unite America by reaching out to independent and even Republican voters.

McCain, who will celebrate his 72nd birthday while the Democratic convention is held this month, would be the oldest first-term US President ever.

A pledge to limit himself to four years in office might go some way to assuaging concerns about his age. erhaps even more importantly it could help McCain - who has his own strong appeal to independent voters - to distance himself farther from the partisan political divisions that have made Washington a byword for inaction and self-serving interests in recent years.

A one-term President would be able to devote all his time to tackling problems - including an ailing economy and two unfinished wars - rather than planning a re-election campaign.

Supporters of Hillary Clinton, about a fifth of whom are already backing McCain, could vote for him knowing that their candidate might run again in 2012.

ANI