JERSEY CITY, N.J. (AP) -- John McCain calls it "nonsense." The likely Republican presidential nominee is disputing blogger Arianna Huffington's claim that she heard McCain say he did not vote for President Bush in the 2000 presidential election.

Huffington insists McCain made the comment at a Los Angeles dinner party after the election.

Two other guests at the party say they heard it too. Huffington asked former "West Wing" actors Bradley Whitford and Richard Schiff to speak to The New York Times and The Washington Post about it yesterday.

McCain's campaign says Huffington is making up the story to promote a book.

McCain dismisses it as a "silly season" story. He says the record is very clear: he voted, campaigned and worked as hard as he could for Bush in both 2000 and 2004.

McCain lost a bitter presidential primary race in 2000 to Bush.

(Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)