"I said, 'Look, hang on, things are bad,' " Mr. McCain said. "I said, 'I'm proud of the job you are doing, and I wanted you to know that I will continue to do what I can to help.'

"I've tried, when his numbers went down, to be more supportive and outspoken, because I'd love to pick him up," Mr. McCain said.

The senator showed that again on Sunday in an interview on the ABC program "This Week," saying he was "proud" of the president's leadership on immigration and emphasizing cooperation with the administration on a former issue of serious contention, the treatment of American-held prisoners of war.

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McCain is no maverick, he's no outsider sent here to heal the wounds of the last 6 years of the Bush Administration. Don't let him sweet talk you into believing he is a compassionate conservative who can reach across the aisle. McCain built up this persona over the years and had all of us snowballed into believing that we could trust him. Well within a years time he has taken all that good will and thrown it out the window. He took up the Bush cause, pandered to the American Taliban and sold his soul to become the next president. The far right is leary of him, the left has seen his transformation and now its time to get the independents and middle on board. The SNL with him was still one of the funniest ones I have ever seen but making me laugh is not enough to get my vote.