In a report, Huffington insisted she heard McCain say, at a Los Angeles dinner party after the 2000 election, he had not voted for Bush.

Two other guests at the party, former "West Wing" actors Bradley Whitford and Richard Schiff, said they heard McCain say the same thing; they were asked by Huffington to speak Thursday to The New York Times and The Washington Post.

McCain's campaign said Thursday she was making up the story to promote a book, and McCain disputed the story.

"I voted, campaigned for, worked as hard as I could for President Bush's election in 2000 and 2004," McCain told reporters. "I voted for President Bush, I said so at the time. I know we're already in silly season, but my record stands very clearly of campaigning all over this nation on behalf of the candidacy of President Bush.

"It's nonsense," he said.

McCain, now the likely GOP nominee, lost a bitter presidential primary race in 2000 to Bush.

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