‘I Could Outcampaign Anybody’

"Mac is back! Mac is back!" his supporters shouted last Tuesday night. And how right they were: after a summer of turmoil, John McCain had won the New Hampshire primary. Two days after his victory, he talked to NEWSWEEK's Holly Bailey on the campaign trail about how he found his footing, the war in Iraq—and his lucky nickel. Excerpts:

Bailey: You must be feeling pretty good right now. Last summer, people predicted you were a goner, and now you are coming off what some have described as one of the most notable political comebacks in recent memory.
McCain: I feel great. One of the pivotal moments for me was over July 4 weekend. I was coming back from Iraq with Lindsey Graham, and I realized that I owed too much to those kids fighting over there to give up. It gave me gumption to stay in and fight for what I thought was right, no matter what political failure or defeat I might take … I said at the time I could outcampaign anybody, and I think we did that in New Hampshire. We also had some fortunate things work in our favor. The success of the surge, for instance, had a big impact on Republican voters.

So you think there's a direct connection between your movement in the campaign and the feeling that conditions on the ground in Iraq have improved?
I do. The conditions on the ground have improved. The surge is working. If it weren't, we'd be in a different place right now, no question. But I also think we have moved up as voters began paying more attention to the race. We worked hard to connect with voters, to do town halls and take questions from people.

The town halls clearly have been one of your strengths. You did more than 100 in New Hampshire, and you've spent a lot of time in South Carolina doing the same thing. But you haven't done much retail campaigning in the Super Tuesday states. Do you think you have enough time to make your case to those voters by Feb. 5?
I hope so. I am pleased with where we are. Not to bounce around, but one of the biggest differences this time around is that eight years ago, we weren't at war. I think national security will be a decisive issue for people, and I think my judgment and experience on those issues is a major strength of my campaign.

So you think the war will outweigh other issues that conservatives think about?
No doubt about it. Every town-hall meeting I have, I say, "Al Qaeda is on the run, but they are not defeated." It's the most important issue in this campaign … and I think I am the best equipped to deal with it.

Speaking of that, you often say that you are the best equipped and have the judgment it takes to handle the war. Are you saying your rivals don't have judgment when it comes to national security?
I'm not saying they don't have judgment. But I am saying they don't have the experience I do … I took the heat for challenging the Rumsfeld strategy and was called disloyal by Republicans who were sitting quiet. This week, we had Iranian boats challenging our fleet. Last [month], we had Pakistan. What's it going to be next? That's why judgment and experience is important. You have to be ready to lead.