Jon Kyl for President in 2012?

Arizona Republican Senator and former US Presidential candidate, John McCain, disclosed on Larry King Live Thursday night that he believed his colleague and "friend", fellow Arizona Senator, Jon Kyl, may be running for President in 2012.

"He's a leader in the Republican party," McCain said.

Kyl, however, has been a staunch opponent of online gambling over the last 10 years.  In 2006, Kyl co-authored legislation that holds banks responsible for blocking many forms of Internet gambling related transactions.

Kyl is the second-ranking Republican in the Senate and has vowed to stop any legislation attempting to overturn the Unlawful Internet Gaming Enforcement Act (UIGEA). 

From the onset, the Arizona Senator has come out swinging against President Barack Obama, starting with his inaugural speech.

"His speech was not high-brow, it was more low-brow and a bit surprising in that regard," said the Senate Minority Whip.

Kyl said he felt that Obama took an unfair shot at the Bush Administration and that he suggested that anyone who does not agree with his policies is unpatriotic.

"It's fine to say you're going to do your best to be a leader, you're going to do your best to deal with the problems at home, but you don't have to contrast with the previous administration," Kyl said.

He took exception to Obama's call for "an end to petty grievances" and a political truce in Washington.

"If the idea is we have to avoid controversy by getting in line behind his proposals, that's not patriotism," Kyl said. "If he is asking that everybody agree with him and thereby have a truce, that's not going to work."

The Senator also made waves Thursday by voting against the nomination of Timothy Geithner as treasury secretary.  Geithner was voted in 18-5. 

Despite his angst towards online gambling establishments, there are many operators watching closely to see if Senator Kyl joins a sportsbook in an effort to bet on his home team Arizona Cardinals to win the 2009 Super Bowl.

"We would take his bet," said one operator, who requested anonymity. 

That same operator suggested that Kyl might consider a bet with one of the many Las Vegas sportsbooks taking bets on the Super Bowl.

"He's called our industry the ‘crack cocaine" of gambling.  "Let him go to Vegas and settle for a doobie.  But to not bet on his home team...shame!"

Christopher Costigan, Gambling911.com Publisher