(1:12 p.m. ET)

John McCain lost his cool Friday with a New York Times reporter who asked him about his 2004 conversation with John Kerry on becoming the Democratic nominee's running mate.

The Kerry-McCain encounter is an oft-told Washington snapshot, but Times reporter Elisabeth Bumiller claimed she had no hard evidence of the conversation. Yet before she even completed her query about whether Kerry had directly contacted McCain in '04, McCain interrupted her and attacked the question.

"Everybody knows that I had a private conversation. Everybody knows that. That I had a conversation. There's no living American in Washington ..." McCain said. "And you know it too. You know it. No, you know it. You know it. So I don't even know why you ask."

The testy back-and-forth took place on McCain's campaign plane. The question was spurred by McCain's comments earlier at an Atlanta town hall meeting where he was asked whether he'd return the favor and consider Kerry as his running mate.

The answer was "no."

"No, very frankly, John Kerry is a friend of mine and a close associate. We are fellow veterans, but we have very vastly different philosophical fundamental political views ," McCain said. "I respect those views ... I just totally disagree with them."

"So when ... we had that conversation back in 2004, I mean that's why I never even considered such a thing," he said.

McCain's campaign has said it will not freeze out the Times, even after the newspaper ran a story Feb. 21 suggesting he had a romantic relationship with lobbyist Vicki Iseman. McCain immediately decried the story as false.

But McCain was apparently so irritated by Bumiller's question, the reporter was compelled to ask McCain, toward the end of their conversation, why he felt like she was giving him the third degree.

"Okay, can I ask you about your ... why you're so angry?" she asked.

McCain: "Pardon me?"

"Nevermind. Nevermind."

McCain concluded, "I mean it's well known. Everybody knows. It's been well chronicled a thousand times. John Kerry asked if I would consider being his running mate ... And I categorically said 'no'."

Click here to see the full transcript of the exchange and read the blog posting.  

-- Mosheh Oinounou contributed to this report.

Rendell: "I'd Love to See a Clinton/Obama Ticket"

(11:29 a.m. ET)

Pennsylvania Gov. Ed Rendell -- whose state is the remaining marquis primary battle in the race to the Democratic nomination -- says Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama should play nicer with each other.

In an interview with Atlantic Media's Ron Brownstein, Rendell said he thinks whoever wins the nomination should extend his or her hand to the other and offer the vice presidential nomination, according to political blogger Marc Ambinder.

"That doesn't mean the loser has to accept. But I think it's important that it be offered, and if the loser doesn't accept, I think the loser can say why," Rendell said.

Rendell is backing Clinton in the race, but he added: "I'd love to see a Clinton/Obama ticket."

Pennsylvania votes April 22.

Click here to read more from Marc Ambinder's blog on TheAtlantic.com.

Compiled from staff and wire reports.