McCain holds town-meeting in Springfield

SPRINGFIELD-Del., Pa.- March 14, 2008 McCain's supporters crowded around the candidate, as McCain worked the meeting as a theater in the round.

The Senator touched on many bases from concerns that al-Qaida in /*Iraq*/ might mount some terror blitz in October in an effort to sway the November election to how he joked about helping the Philadelphia economy in his days as a midshipman, spending all his pay in the city during Army-Navy games.

McCain's supporters crowded around the candidate, as /*McCain*/ worked the meeting as a theater in the round.

When focusing on the Iraq war, he conceded that it has been mishandled for four years and argued the surge continues to work.

"We are succeeding, but we have a way to go. If we set a date for withdrawal the way Senator /*Obama*/ and Senator /*Clinton*/ want us to do, it will be surrender. That means al-Qaida will say they have beaten the United States of America, we will be back for more sacrifice of American blood," McCain said.

McCain had sharp words for congressional spending. He borrowed a line from Ronald Reagan about the congressional habits of drunken sailors.

"Some months ago, I received an e-mail from a guy that said as a former drunken sailor I resent being compared to members of Congress and you can't blame him at all for that," McCain said.

The Senator also touched upon the low approval rating of the administration.

"We should not be surprised in Washington at the low approval ratings. We should not be surprised when we are spending 3 million of your tax dollars to study the DNA of bears in Montana. I don't know if that's a paternity issue or a criminal issue, but it needs to stop," McCain said.

Senator McCain spoke for a little over an hour before leaving for his next stop.

Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton will be stumping in Pittsburgh later this afternoon.