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WASHINGTON (CNN) - Former Republican presidential candidate Sen. John McCain has no illusions about the 2008 White House race. "God bless them," McCain said Thursday at the Heritage Foundation when reminded of the tens of millions of people who voted for him last year. "Over 50 million people voted for me and Sarah Palin - mostly for Sarah Palin," McCain said to an eruption of laughter. But "there was a sizable majority of the other party returned to Congress. And, elections have consequences. Elections have consequences. And these consequences we are seeing now in full display."

Despite the fact that he might have wished he had been the man who just finished his first address to a joint session of Congress as president, Sen. John McCain had kind words for President Obama's address this evening. "The president gave a very effective speech," McCain told Katie Couric on CBSNews.com's presidential webcast following Mr. Obama’s address. "His delivery and the theme of the speech was excellent."Still, McCain said, "now I would like to know how we are going to implement it." "I don't know where Social Security was,” McCain said. “I don't know how you increase all of...

* Willing to work with Obama on health care. * Talked about Palin: "I think the world of Sarah." * Admitted rushing into TARP.

And if there's any GOP governor who plans to refuse federal aid, he said he'd be happy to take it on behalf of California. BY ARI B. BLOOMEKATZ Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger on Sunday defended his decision to raise taxes as a necessary step to stem California's staggering economic crisis. During appearances on morning news shows in Washington, D.C., Schwarzenegger said he would gladly accept money from the federal stimulus package approved by Congress last week even though some fellow Republican governors had balked at the program. And he predicted that although California's economy would begin rebounding next year, it would...

America recently reaffirmed its proud history as we inaugurated our 44th president. A huge crowd withstood bitter cold to be part of this landmark ceremony. I was struck by how well the musical performers reflected the diversity that is America's strength. President Obama's inaugural address was at once an uplifting tribute to the American spirit and a sobering reminder of the challenges confronting our nation. These are challenges that we must meet together. No challenge is more urgent than the current economic crisis. I am honored that my Senate colleagues have chosen me to serve on the Appropriations Committee, which...

Here is video of Sen. John McCain yesterday, telling Fox News' Chris Wallace that he views himself as the "loyal opposition" to President Barack Obama. McCain said he will continue to stand firm for the principles he ran his Presidential Campaign on. . . . . . . (watch video)

WASHINGTON (AP) — Sen. John McCain said Sunday the confirmation of President Barack Obama's choice for deputy defense secretary should move forward despite concerns about the nominee's role as a former defense lobbyist. The Obama administration considers William J. Lynn, Obama's pick for the No. 2 job at the Pentagon, to be an exception from its own ban on hiring lobbyists. As a lobbyist for Raytheon, one of the military's top contractors, Lynn worked on matters with far reach across the Pentagon. White House press secretary Robert Gibbs has said that even the toughest rules require "reasonable exceptions" for "uniquely...

GOP Sen. John McCain is positioning himself to be one of President Barack Obama’s strongest supporters, effectively giving Democrats the votes they need to override any GOP attempt to block the new administration’s legislative agenda. Obama heaped warm praise on his GOP rival during a dinner held in McCain’s honor the day before the inauguration, calling him a hero. Insiders duly noted McCain was granted a prime spot on the dais at the inauguration, sandwiched in a seat between White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel and Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg. The day after the inauguration, Obama and...

BY SHAILAGH MURRAYThe Washington Post WASHINGTON - A joke made its way around the Capitol Thursday: How do you know the 2008 election is really over? Because John McCain is causing trouble for Republicans again. Two and a half months removed from his defeat in the race for the presidency, colleagues say, McCain bears more resemblance to the unpredictable and frequently bipartisan colleague they have served with for decades then the man who ran an often scathing campaign against Barack Obama. In some instances, he's even carrying water for his former rival. . . . . . Sen. Lindsey Graham,...

Just in case you were wondering what kind of President he would have been...

<snip> Still, there were signs that people hope for change. Lindsey Graham, a Republican senator from South Carolina, told NBC that "the Republican Party needs to reach out in a serious way to our Democratic colleagues. We will gain nothing by saying no just blindly."</snip>

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President-elect Barack Obama honored his vanquished Republican rival John McCain on Monday, describing the Arizona senator as an "American hero" while the Democrat prepared to assume the office that both men fought bitterly to attain. Obama and McCain clashed repeatedly on the campaign trail over foreign and domestic policy in sometimes heated exchanges that occasionally veered into the personal. But Obama made clear that period had passed even as he predicted the two would not always get along in the future. "John is not known to bite his tongue and if I'm screwing up, he's going to...

BY DAVID D. KIRKPATRICK WASHINGTON — Not long after Senator John McCain returned last month from an official trip to Iraq and Pakistan, he received a phone call from President-elect Barack Obama. As contenders for the presidency, the two had hammered each other for much of 2008 over their conflicting approaches to foreign policy, especially in Iraq. (He’d lose a war! He’d stay a hundred years!) Now, however, Mr. Obama said he wanted Mr. McCain’s advice, people in each camp briefed on the conversation said. What did he see on the trip? What did he learn? It was just one...

WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. Sen. Olympia Snowe of Maine told President-elect Barack Obama's nominee to head the Department of Health and Human Services that Americans don't get their money's worth in health care. In her meeting with Tom Daschle on Tuesday, Snowe said Americans spend $2.2 trillion per year on healthcare. Snowe says that's nearly 17 percent of the gross domestic product. But the Republican says America still lags behind other countries in quality of care and effectiveness of treatment. Snowe says she wants to work with the Obama administration to achieve universal health coverage.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Republican senator Mel Martinez of Florida says he will support Attorney General-nominee Eric Holder, putting him a big step closer to confirmation. Holder met with Martinez morning Friday while the Senate Judiciary Committee held a second day of hearings on his nomination. Martinez said in a statement that he believes Holder understands the unique role of the nation's top law enforcement official and intends to vote to confirm him.

WASHINGTON (AP) — A confidant of the man Barack Obama defeated in November said Wednesday that the president-elect has earned enormous global good will and "a moment in time" to re-engage other nations with the United States. The assessment by Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., was noteworthy because he is a conservative Republican and one of Sen. John McCain's closest friends. Graham campaigned vigorously against Obama in last year's presidential race. Noting himself that he had been "one of the chief opponents" of Obama, Graham pronounced himself now "very pleased" with the president-elect's attitude and policies toward the countries they visited....

After returning from a world trip with Vice President-elect Joe Biden, Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) is now coming to the defense of the new administration’s pick for Tresurer Secretary, even in the face of criticism from fellow GOP members like, oh, Sen. Jim DeMint (R-S.C.). “These are not the times to think in small political terms,” said Senator Lindsey Graham, Republican of South Carolina, who … briefly met with reporters on Wednesday alongside Mr. Obama. “I think he is the right guy.” Mr. Graham thereby validated what the president-elect had just said: That Mr. Geithner, by bipartisan agreement, is “uniquely...