It was a big uh oh for McCain.  Gramm's comments that we are in a "mental recession", resulting from us being a "nation of whiners".  The first McCain campaign response...

But in an initial statement published by Politico and then, seemingly, removed from its site, a McCain campaign aide actually stood by Gramm's remarks, saying the interview as a whole was merely meant as a preview of the Senator's economic agenda.

"Mr. Gramm was simply saying that we are laying out the economic plan this week," the piece quoted a "McCain official" as saying. "The plan is comprehensive, providing immediate near-term relief for Americans hurting today as well as longer-term solutions to get our economy back on track, secure our energy future and deliver jobs, prosperity and opportunity for the next generation. We're laying out that plan this week with an emphasis on the critical importance of job creation, and it's been a great success so far."

Then that initial statement disappeared.

Only after the fallout from Gramm's statement did the McCain campaign fully backtrack.

"Phil Gramm's comments are not representative of John McCain's views," read a campaign statement. "John McCain travels the country every day talking to Americans who are hurting, feeling pain at the pump and worrying about how they'll pay their mortgage. That's why he has a realistic plan to deliver immediate relief at the gas pump, grow our economy and put Americans back to work."

The two statements - the first one issued to Politico and the one offered to the press list this morning - are diametrically different. And they seem to reflect recognition, by the McCain camp, that Gramm's remark on the economy is simply un-spinnable.

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