A Punchy McCain Mocks the Media

John McCain campaigned in N.H. today. (Getty Images).

By Juliet Eilperin
NASHUA, N.H. -- Arizona Sen. John McCain must be feeling a little punchy on the campaign trail nowadays, because he was happy to tweak one of his campaign's most valuable assets today: the media.

When asked by a reporter whether he felt the ever-burgeoning press pack following him indicated his campaign was gaining momentum, the maverick presidential candidate couldn't resist taking a shot.

"There's a lot of vultures who are here," he said, ticking off some of the top journalists in the field. "Bob Schieffer [from CBS], Dan Balz [from The Washington Post], a lot of the aging, senile side of the press corps. Tom Brokaw." McCain, 71, launched into a mock snore.

An hour earlier, McCain cracked jokes with an audience of employees at BAE Systems, Inc., a defense and aerospace company, noting that even the snobby French now recognize the greatness of America.

"You may have noticed the president of France is pro-America," he said, referring to Nicolas Sarkozy, "which shows if you live long enough, anything can happen."

And with the Granite State's primary just a few days away, McCain couldn't resist currying favor with the audience by noting, "And by the way, he's a man of great taste and discernment because he vacations in New Hampshire."