The findings aside, some analysts predicted that if lawmakers acted swiftly in devising new ethics rules, the Keating affair would have a pronounced effect.

After initially exploding in anger at a few Arizona reporters and columnists, he held a 70-minute news conference and promised to answer any questions about the Keating affair.

When pressed about the effect the Keating affair has had on him, he is unflappable, saying only that "well, it's obviously a real downer."

The potentially damaging episodes of the senator's past - his involvement in the Keating Five affair, the reports of his angry outbursts - have been widely reported.

A strong McCain booster earlier in his career, he had been taking the Senator to task over the Keating affair.

If the number and tenor of questions about the Keating affair are any guide, the response outside the Phoenix area has been generally positive.

The exchanges were a rare occurrence for the Senator, who has generally declined interviews about his role in the Keating affair.

Senator Riegle has had a hard time putting the Keating affair behind him.

Although Mecham garnered some hard-core conservative support, Sargent's campaign never gathered momentum and the Keating Five affair did not dominate discussion.

One thing I learned from the Keating affair," he said, "was that this could all end tomorrow.