McCain Arrives Home to Protestors

TEMPE, Ariz., April 29, 2007 — -- John McCain came home to Arizona on Saturday, to the site where he launched his campaign for a seat in the House of Representatives in 1981, and to the biggest group of anti-war protestors he has seen in his four-day, five-state presidential announcement tour.

Between 30 and 40 people gathered outside the rally for the Republican senator, waving signs and shouting slogans such as, "One, two, three, four, we don't want McCain's war."

Their chants were loud and could be clearly heard throughout McCain's speech. The senator himself acknowledged the protestors during his remarks.

"I'd also like to talk to you about freedom of speech, which unfortunately, you know," McCain said, as the crowd started laughing. "My message to them is get a life, obviously. But it's a free country."

McCain has been urging many of his critics to "get a life" over the past few weeks.

Earlier this month, McCain was criticized for singing about bombing Iran to the tune of the Beach Boys surfer classic "Barbara Ann." This week, McCain was criticized for a joke he made about improvised explosive devices, or IEDs, on "The Daily Show" with Jon Stewart. IEDs have been one of the major causes of U.S. causalities in the current war in Iraq.

"I intend to use jokes wherever I can, and use humor wherever I can, and to those who don't like it I say lighten up and get a life," McCain said at a press conference after Saturday's rally. He has said virtually the same thing each time he is asked about his controversial remarks.

McCain's rally in front of the Tempe City Hall was intended to be a homecoming and celebration of his four-day, five-state presidential campaign kick-off this week. McCain made his widely-known intention to run for president official Wednesday at a rally in Portsmouth, N.H., and traveled to South Carolina, Iowa and Nevada before arriving Saturday in Arizona.

McCain has appeared relaxed and comfortable throughout much of the announcement tour, but Saturday's protest seemed dampen some of his enthusiasm, and his speech was not as energetic as it had been in previous days.

"The war is very emotional, and people feel strongly about it," McCain said after the rally. "I think you've got to expect [protests] given the intensity of feeling about the war."

In Manchester, N.H., on Wednesday, a smaller crowd of protesters demonstrated during McCain's rally there; afterward he went over and shook their hands.

After holding rallies in New Hampshire and South Carolina on Wednesday and Thursday, McCain used Friday to hold two town hall meetings in Des Moines and Sioux City, Iowa, where he took questions from members of the audience ranging from health care coverage to education to how he would improve America's standing abroad.

"I'd be a little more humble," McCain said in Des Moines on Friday. "I think I'd be a little more considerate."

Before coming to Arizona on Saturday, McCain spoke at a rally in the remote mining town of Elko, Nev.