McCain: Economic Crisis Too Important to Consider 'Political Fortunes'

JM: Well as you know the House of Representatives has a religious holiday, and I will take the advice and counsel of leaders Boehner, Mitch McConnell and others as to how I can be most effective. I did go back and I helped get the Republicans, the House Republicans to the table, which they were not at, we did increase the all of us working together. By the way, I'll give everybody else credit. But I did work and we did receive some positive results. I'll do whatever is necessary. I don't know that that necessarily means go back to Washington, but I know it's a top priority

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RC: But you judged that it did last week, how is this week different?

JM: Well it depends on where we are and what needs to be done, and again I'm, I'll rely on the advice of some of my colleagues as to how I can be most effective. The last thing I want to do is go in and harm the process. I think I made a contribution, credit goes to everybody else. I'm not seeking credit. I'm doing what I think is best for this country. When I thought, when American public opinion was against it, I said we needed 30 thousand more troops in Iraq. And I will do whatever is necessary and my presidential campaign is second to the crisis that is affecting America today.

RC: Senator, you said that now is not the time to fix blame, but to fix the problem, but you said almost in the same breath that the democrats, including Senator Obama are responsible for the, the rescue plan falling apart.

JM: No, actually I said yesterday very clearly right before the media said it's time not to fix the blame, but to fix the problem. We need to sit down together republican and democrat. We don't have inflame the situation today. History will judge who was to blame, and who wasn't, whether Speaker Pelosi's speech which was totally unnecessary, that should not have been the reason for someone to vote against legislation that's going to help so many millions of Americans. I want to move forward. I want to be a bipartisan debate, have a bipartisan approach to this because it's a national crisis.