McCain is his feisty self today. He led off by criticizing Romney’s ask the lawyers remark saying ” Governor Romney is just inexperienced” and for emphasis, saying his comment ” was just a product of inexperience.” He last said the line item veto could be rewritten to pass constitutional muster and provide presidents with a valuable tool.

Highlights of questions:

I asked about Thompson proposal to index social security to prices instead of wages. He said that one thing he learned was that if you come up with specific proposals others will shoot it down and he favors the Reagan approach of a commission with everything on the table, although he “is opposed” to tax increases.

On health care: A fundamental difference between him and Hillary. He accused Hillary of proposing a big government, single payer system.

On the Armenian Genocide: “I don’t think there is any doubt” it occurred but expressed significant reservations about its affect on our relations with Turkey and acknowledged it is a different government than that in power in 1915. He would like to see some “acknowledgement” by the Turkish government. This is unlike Burma which is an ongoing human rights atrocity.

On Iran: We shouldn’t telegraph all our options.

Romney again: He said with his qualifications and background he never would have answered that way. On the follow up he repeated that he never would have said to go ask the lawyers and said it was a sign of inexperience in dealing with international matters.

On line item veto again: It was wrong to bring the lawsuit. It shows a fundamental philosophical difference. He says the line item veto was “written wrong”

He’s on the bus in Iowa(and lost cell phone connection at one point and headed to New Hampshire). In New Hamphire this type of talk will make him highly competitive.