McCain acknowledged having said intemperate things in years past, though he also said that many stories have been exaggerated. One psychoanalytic comparison suggested that McCain was not the first presidential candidate to have a temper, and cultural critic Julia Keller argued that voters want leaders who are passionate, engaged, fiery, and feisty. McCain employed both profanity and shouting on occasion, although such incidents became less frequent over the years. Lieberman made this observation: "It is not the kind of anger that is a loss of control. He is a very controlled person." Senator Thad Cochran, who knew McCain for decades and had battled him over earmarks, expressed concern about a McCain presidency: "He is erratic. He is hotheaded. He loses his temper and he worries me." Yet Cochran supported McCain for president when it was clear he would win the nomination. The "Chicago Tribune" editorial board called McCain a patriot, who although sometimes wrong was fearless, and that he deserves to be thought of among the few US senators in history, whose names are more recognizable than some presidents.