He appears to be telling you what he really thinks. Recently, I watched McCain, who s seeking the Republican presidential nomination, work a reporters lunch that two weeks earlier had hosted Sen. Dianne Feinstein, the California Democrat. An hour with McCain is actually entertaining. As soon as he sat down before these journalists most of whom represent media based in California McCain declared his intense dislike of California. The state, he said jocularly, steals Arizona s water, and to make matters worse each summer he is forced to trek to San Diego to visit his constituents, all those Arizonans who flee to Southern California to escape the oppressive heat of the Grand Canyon State.
Reporters eat up such frank talk.
The usual script would call for a pol to begin by saying how much he loves the Golden State, which is all-important in both the primary and general elections. Instead, McCain dumps on it before getting around to the obvious tribute. Granted, it s a sad statement on Washington that such behavior so distinguishes McCain from the pack. I commend them. Of course, McCain is ducking a fight he most likely would not win.