John McCain called for Sen. Ted Stevens to step down today after the Alaska politician was convicted yesterday on seven felony counts.

Stevens was convicted on charges that he lied about gifts from an oil contractor, but he refused to drop out of his re-election race.

"It is clear that Sen. Stevens has broken his trust with the people and that he should now step down," McCain said in a statement this morning. "I hope that my colleagues in the Senate will be spurred by these events to redouble their efforts to end this kind of corruption once and for all."

Update: McCain's running mate Sarah Palin also called for Stevens' resignation.

Posted by Sarah Pulliam Bailey on October 28, 2008 9:28AM