I spent 15 minutes on the phone with Sen. John McCain this afternoon, while he made his way from his airplane at the John Wayne airport, got into his SUV and headed off. Among his stops: a Newport Beach fundraiser co-hosted predominantly by New Majority members, with an estimated $1 million expected to be brought in for the presumptive GOP nominee.

McCain has been talking about his energy policy in the past two days, including during a meeting today with Arnold Schwarzenegger. We went over that, his admiration for the California governor, immigration, Latino voters and some other things - including a couple of the questions Total Buzz readers suggested yesterday.

If you don’t see the transcript of the interview below, click on the following link. It’s slightly - very slightly - edited for clarity.

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Thanks for taking the time to talk to me. Where are you right now?

We just landed in Orange County. We just left the Inland Empire and we’re in Orange County where we’re doing various stuff, including a fundraiser.

I understand that you’re going to Newport Beach for the fundraiser.

At George Argyros’.

A lot of Republicans here think of Orange County as the most important GOP donor hub in the country. Is it really all that? How important is Orange County to your campaign?

I think it’s very important. Electorally, Orange County has always been a bastion of Republican support. Obviously, that has been diluted somewhat by the dynamic growth of Orange County, but it’s still a very important place. It’s also a very important place for fundraising.

I intend to compete and win in California, so it’s an important area for me to come back to. I’ve been here for many, many years, on many occasions, for different candidates, going back 20 years or more, so it’s always good to be back.

So we’re going to see you in California some more before the election.

I don’t think anyone who’s running for president of the United States can write off the most populous and, in many ways, the most important state in America.

A lot of people, obviously, say the state is safe for Barack Obama. What’s it going to take for you to win here?

I’m a Western senator. I understand the issues. I understand the challenges, ranging from public lands to native Americans to immigration to many other issues. I understand the issues. I’ve been involved with the issues. I’m a Western senator from a neighboring state. And I’m sure people will look to that kind of leadership, particularly in these challenging times.

(Background noise.) Am I getting you in your limo as you’re leaving the airport?

No, actually I just got off the airplane. I’m in an SUV. We now have Secret Service. I was just walking off the airplane, my friend, and we’re getting ready to head on in to town here.

Immigration, as you mentioned, is big issue for both sides, especially in Orange County. Let me read you a quote from Rep. Linda Sanchez – not Loretta, who’s from Orange County, but her sister. “There is this myth floating around out there that John McCain might have inroads with the Hispanic community because of his prior positions. (But) he said (at a debate) that he wouldn’t even vote for the immigration bill he sponsored.”

How are you going to be able to appeal to both pro-immigration Latinos and anti-illegal immigration activists, both of which have reservations about your immigration positions?

First of all, I’ve been involved with and I’ve led on immigration. Sen. Obama proposed an amendment during the debate on the immigration issue which would have ended the temporary worker program – which would have killed the legislation. So I’ve led - he has not - on the issue.

I’ve reached across the aisle to Sen. Kennedy and we worked together. I still think we need a comprehensive approach to the issue. Americans, including Hispanics, want the borders secured. We have to secure the border first. We failed in Congress because people want the border secured. And I understand that and we have to do that first. We have to address the issue in a comprehensive fashion.

I’m proud to have gotten over 70 percent of the Hispanic vote in my last reelection. I know the Hispanic community very well. I know their issues and I understand them. And I am confident of getting significant support because of my record.

You don’t think that you’re going to lose some of that because of you’re no longer supporting an amnesty of some sort?

I don’t think they want a quote ‘amnesty.’ I think they want people to earn citizenship. I think we have to have secure borders. They understand that very well, that it’s a national security issue. I have had intensive communications and discussions with leaders of the Hispanic community over the years over this and many other issues.

My credentials and record, including my support of the military – including the fact that there is pro-life, small-business, pro-military sentiment in the Hispanic community – I’m confident I will do very well with the Hispanic vote. As I say, Sen. Obama has not been involved in their issues. He attempted to kill the entire immigration bill at the request of the labor unions.

So I don’t think there’s any doubt that the Hispanic community will express strong support for me. Including my relations with the countries in the hemisphere.

It sounds as though you believe that there is a good, practical compromise strategy that can be reached.

There has to be. It’s a federal responsibility. I don’t think there can be – I know there must be. Because it’s a federal responsibility. We’re now seeing sanctuary cities and crowded emergency rooms and sheriffs going around, rounding up people, and all kinds of problems, because we’ve failed in our federal responsibilities. And we will act. And carry out our responsibilities. That’s our job.

That’s why you just saw a 12-percent approval rating of Congress. We’re not working together. I’ve worked across the aisle. I’ve worked effectively across the aisle, whether it be immigration reform, campaign-finance reform, many other issues – including pursuing corruption that put people in federal prison.

I don’t think there’s any doubt about my record and my abilities. Sen. Obama is new to the Senate. He’s inexperienced. And whether the issue be immigration reform or Iraq, he has not shown the kind of experience that leads to good judgement.

Let’s change the subject. Yesterday in Fresno, you laid out some ideas for addressing the energy crisis. You noted that we subsidize corn-based ethanol while taxing imported sugarcane-based ethanol. Do you think you can gain Congressional support to end to both the subsidy and the tariff?

Sure.

A short answer for what seems to me to be a tall order.

Americans are very aware of this special-interest influence in our nation’s capital. They want change that’s the right kind of change, not the wrong kind of change that Sen. Obama represents. He voted for the subsidies, he support the farm bill. I opposed it. He voted for the energy bill that was a grab bag of goodies for the special interests. I voted against it.

I’m sure. I’m very confident.

What’s it going to take for Congress to come around to share your view?

Leadership. Leadership. And the results. The results of ethanol subsidies have distorted the market, as I predicted it would. They see the results of that everytime they go to the grocery store.

You also talked about fuel efficiency standards. Do you want to increase fines and accelerating the timetable for higher standards?

I think we have to have higher standards and I think we have to provide the proper incentives to do so. And I’m confident that our auto makers are capable of doing it.

Do you have any specifics in mind in terms of what kinds of fines should be levied…

No.

Or when they should be meeting what benchmarks?

No. That’ll be (developed). But we certainly need increased incentives and I’ve worked for those for a long period of time.

When you talk about lifting the ban on offshore drilling, do you include California in that?

Sure. Surely you don’t think I would exempt California. But I’ve made it very clear that it’s up to the states. States will make decisions. Texas and Louisiana made the decisions that they did. The governor of Florida, and recent polling, show that the people of Florida support such a move.
I don’t know about the people of the state of California. It will be up to them. That’s why I’m a states’ rights federalist. But I want them to be able to make the decision. Gov. Schwarzenegger does not support such a move and I respect that. I also respect (Florida) Gov. (Charlie) Crist’s position.

There is technology today that makes it very safe. Hurricane Katrina did not cause an oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. Neither did the previous natural disasters off the coast of Texas.

Under your presidency, can you offer any ideas on what we’ll be paying for gas in two years?

It’ll be less because we will have been moving forward with measures to become oil independent – independent of foreign oil. I’m very confident that the American people can do it.
We didn’t get into this situation we’re in yesterday. So we’re not going to get out of it tomorrow. But Americans want a little relief. That’s why I support a gas-tax holiday. And if you don’t think it’s important to some people, ask someone who owns a couple of trucks and is paying 24½ cents tax on every gallon of gas.

The point is that we need to have clear plan of action and we will have a clear plan of action. We will become energy independent.

I’d like to ask you a couple questions suggested by voters here. They’re not reporter-type questions.

Sure. It’d be a pleasure.

When was the last time you pumped your own gas and how much did it cost?
Oh, I don’t remember. Now there’s Secret Service protection. But I’ve done it for many, many years. I don’t recall and frankly, I don’t see how it matters.

I’ve had hundreds and hundreds of town hall meetings, many as short a time ago as yesterday. I communicate with the people and they communicate with me very effectively.

Next one from a voter: What will make you different from George W. Bush?

My vision for America.

Name a couple specific things that will distinguish you.

Climate change. Spending. The torture of prisoners. There are numerous other issues that we’ve been in disagreement on in the past. Spending is one of the fundamental one. Torture of prisoners. Addressing climate change effectively. Just to name a few.

The last question on my list is about Gov. Schwarzenegger, whom you spent some time with today. Do you think he’s doing a good job here?

Well, I admire him and respect him. From everything I can tell, he’s doing a good job. I admire his ability to reach across the aisle and work in a bipartisan fashion. From the viewpoint of a citizen of Arizona, it certainly seems to me like he’s doing a good job.

You have campaigned as someone who’s a straight talker, not playing games, trying to get things done and …

No, has gotten things done.

And Gov. Schwarzenegger has used similar language when he’s presented himself to the public. Do you see similarities?

Well, I hope so, because I’m an admirer of his. I think he’s been an effective governor and I think he does a very a good job in a very difficult state to cover because, as we all know, it’s a very large and diverse state.

I admire and respect him, and I certainly would like to emulate very many of his characteristics and his success.

Thank you very much for taking the time to talk with me.

Thank you. It’s a pleasure…. Hang on just one second. I think the last time that I … I’ve been on the campaign trail for so long I don’t remember when I last filled up my own gas tank, but I certainly did for many, many, many years and I understand the difficulties and challenges that it poses for the people of California and my home state of Arizona.

I thank you, my friend.

Posted in: Candidates' OC visits • Gov. Schwarzenegger • McCain • Republican Party • Total Buzz interviews • Gas prices |

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