McCain: Straight talk or cross talk?

by James Oliphant

TIME magazine has posted an interview with John McCain in which the candidate, by the magazine's measure, comes off as "prickly" and "abrasive."

Much of McCain's displeasure comes at the suggestion that he has abandoned his former approach as conductor of the "Straight-Talk Express," replacing freewheeling access to the media with super-structured talking points.

Here is some of the exchange:

TIME: There's a theme that recurs in your books and your speeches, both about putting country first but also about honor. I wonder if you could define honor for us?

McCain: Read it in my books.

TIME: I've read your books.

McCain: No, I'm not going to define it.

TIME: But honor in politics?

McCain: I defined it in five books. Read my books.

TIME: [Your] campaign today is more disciplined, more traditional, more aggressive. From your point of view, why the change?

McCain: I will do as much as we possibly can do to provide as much access to the press as possible.

TIME: But beyond the press, sir, just in terms of ...

McCain: I think we're running a fine campaign, and this is where we are.

TIME: Do you miss the old way of doing it?

McCain: I don't know what you're talking about.

* * * *

TIME: In 2000, after the primaries, you went back to South Carolina to talk about what you felt was a mistake you had made on the Confederate flag. Is there anything so far about this campaign that you wish you could take back or you might revisit when it's over?

McCain: [Does not answer.]

TIME: Do I know you? [Says with a laugh.]

McCain: [Long pause.] I'm very happy with the way our campaign has been conducted, and I am very pleased and humbled to have the nomination of the Republican Party.

TIME:You do acknowledge there was a change in the campaign, in the way you had run the campaign?

McCain: [Shakes his head.]

TIME: You don't acknowledge that? O.K., when your aides came to you and you decided, having been attacked by Barack Obama, to run some of those ads, was there a debate?

McCain: The campaign responded as planned.

Read the rest of the TIME interview here.