McCain Delicately Courts the Right

ABC News’ Tahman Bradley Reports: Though not having officially declared his candidacy, in a highly publicized address, Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) started down the path of balancing his maverick and independent reputation with his efforts to build conservative support as he prepares to battle for the 2008 Republican Presidential nomination. 

Speaking before the conservative Federalist Society, McCain declared that the U.S. is "in one heck of a mess in Iraq" and that the American people showed their displeasure with the war in the November 7th midterm election.  But McCain did not lay out a specific plan for Iraq nor did he reassert his recent call for more U.S. troops in Iraq.

McCain did however express his support for limited government and the rule of law, traditional conservative ideas that played well with his audience, "We are a nation that limits government so that government cannot limit us," he said.   

The Senator also praised many of President Bush’s conservative appointments to the federal bench — many of whom are more socially conservative than McCain.  McCain said that he was proud of the president’s two Supreme Court appointments, Chief Justice John Roberts and Associate Justice Samuel Alito.   

Very delicately McCain tried to position himself as the best person to lead the GOP to a comeback in 2008 saying that he thought that Republicans had a rough election because they strayed from conservative principles. "I think (voters) rejected us because they believed government changes us. We must spend the next two years reacquainting the public and ourselves with the reason we came to office in the first place: to serve a cause greater than our self-interest." 

Tonight, McCain speaks at the GOPAC Charter Members dinner in Washington, DC.