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Voters may want a candidate who does not exist, but for now they'll take him, or her, or him, or some of each | Jamie Dean

Sen. John McCain may be a decorated Vietnam War veteran, but the Republican presidential candidate is also legendary for his arsenal of corny jokes.

McCain likes to tell audiences that Congress spends money "like a drunken sailor," and then quips about a drunken sailor who took offense at being compared to Congress. He addresses curiosity about his age (71) and his facial scars (from skin cancer) by telling crowds: "I'm older than dirt and have more scars than Frankenstein."

Corny jokes and self-deprecating humor may not be the heartbeat of presidential campaigns, but in the early weeks of a freewheeling primary season, they worked for McCain. The Arizona senator upset Republican opponent and one-time front-runner Mitt Romney in the New Hampshire primary on Jan. 8 before losing to Romney in the Michigan primary on Jan. 15.