McCain Addresses Charlotte Chamber of Commerce

A day before North Carolinians head to the polls, Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) addressed Charlotte's Chamber of Commerce on slew of business-oriented issues.

Because McCain isn't worried about Tuesday's primary -- he has secured enough delegates for the GOP nomination and faces just one last opponent, Rep. Ron Paul (Tex.) -- he focused on staking out his general election positions on immigration, health care and energy.

"I'm willing to put my knowledge and experience and judgment up against Senators Obama and Clinton's any day of the week," he told the group of roughly 150. "I look forward to that campaign, and I look forward to that discussion, and I'm confident I'll win it. I want to win it right here in North Carolina."

Unlike most of McCain's audiences, which are generally filled with supporters, this group was friendly but not explicitly partisan. Members of the crowd laughed at his jokes and most of them applauded when he declared his determination to win the election, but they did not hail all of his lines with acclaim.

When the senator trotted out his proposal to provide a federal gas tax holiday for the summer, saying the recent rise in gas prices "is hurting people on fixed income. Why not give them a little break for the summer?" the audience remained silent.

He spoke at length about energy and the environment, saying he was confident an investment in environmentally friendly technologies would both wean the U.S. off foreign oil and help improve the climate.

Read full story [Washington Post]