Getting in at the tail end of McCain’s opening. He sounds very, very tired.
Jennifer Rubin asks about Sens. Lugar and Warner re-authorizing the war under different conditions. McCain says that once you authorize a war, you either win the war or lose it. Says we can still win.
James Joyner asks why McCain has any optimism at all about Iraq. McCain is very disappointed, but says that they still have an opportunity to move forward. Joyner follows up and McCain says that there are no good options. However, he agrees that the political situation is very bad.
AmSpec’s Phil Klein asks about debt. McCain says that there will be debt but that the doesn’t have the numbers.
Michael Goldfarb comes on. McCain says it is always darkest before the black. Goldfarb asks about the Senate bill and the legislation. McCain says that the real test is next week with the Levin and Reid amendments.
Jim Addison asks about Sen. Domenici’s shift in position on Iraq. McCain says he wants more people like Domenici to go over to Iraq. He thinks that Domenici would have a different perspective if he would go to Iraq. "Guardedly optimistic that we can maintain 41 votes."
Hinderocker asks about the September cut-off. McCain says that timeframes are bad. For example, the bad guys could start dropping bombs at the beginning of September.
Jeff Emanuel, who is going to Iraq next week, from Redstate asks if McCain would take time off from his campaign. McCain asks for an update from the trip. And he says that the war is his highest priority.
Jim Geraghty. Asks if there are any issues on which McCain would be to the right of this administration. Spending, spending, spending. Dispirited the base with spending and corruption.
Ana Marie Cox asks about Iraq. What happens if the other three candidates back off Iraq? McCain says that immigration and the war have damaged his campaign. And McCain says that Iraq is his highest priority.
