McCAIN on MEET the PRESS- ABRIDGED

[A-Schwarzenegger]

ON THE POLLS:

We're doing fine.

I choose to trust my senses as well as polls.

Zogby.

I've been in a lot of presidential campaigns, usually as the warm-up act or, you know, one of those things.

Zogby.

I don't agree with their, with their conclusion that I'm a, quote, 11 or 12 or 14 point, whatever it is.

So if you want to continue to referring to a poll that I disagree with, I have to start out our conversation I don't agree with that.

Zogby.


ON BEING AHEAD OF OBAMA ON ONE ISSUE: HANDLING IRAQ:

We finally found a pony.


HEALTH PLANS:

I will stand before the American people with my view that, that I think that we don't, we cannot fine small business people and their, you know, or their employ--small business people who have employees without health insurance, that he's going to fine them if they don't have, have the insurance policy that they want, that Senator Obama wants them to have.


ON PALIN:

I don't, I don't defend her. I praise her. I don't defend her. And she needs no defense.

She has 24,000 people underneath her.

It sounds like I'm, I'm "defending" her, but the fact is she is a dynamic person with executive experience, leadership, reform.

I could not be more proud of her.

She lives a frugal life.


ON ENDORSEMENTS:

SEN. McCAIN: No. I'm disappointed in General Powell, but I'm very, very happy to know that five former secretaries of state who I admire enormously--Henry Kissinger, Jim Baker, Larry Eagleburger, Al Hague--Jim Baker, Henry Kissinger, Al Hague, Larry Eagleburger and one other, and over 200 retired flag general--generals and admirals are supporting my campaign. I'm very proud of their support.

MR. BROKAW: Senator, we opened today with a--how you're doing in Iowa. The Des Moines Register has endorsed...

SEN. McCAIN: George Shultz. George Shultz is the other one.

MR. BROKAW: George Shultz, right.

SEN. McCAIN: George, I'm sorry I left you out to start with. George Shultz, the great--one of the great secretaries of state in history. Anyway, go ahead. I'm sorry.


ON THE CAMPAIGN & THE FUTURE:

There's so many Americans who believe that I can give them the future for themselves and their children and their grandchildren that we all aspire to.