Gramm Leaves McCain Campaign Over ‘Whiners’ Comments

Fox News

Former U.S. Sen. Phil Gramm, a top adviser to John McCain, resigned Friday from McCain’s presidential campaign after he was criticized recently for describing America as a “nation of whiners” and as suffering from a “mental recession.”

“It is clear to me that Democrats want to attack me rather than debate Senator McCain on important economic issues facing the county,” Gramm, McCain’s campaign co-chairman, said in a written statement. “That kind of distraction hurts not only Senator McCain’s ability to present concrete programs to deal with the country’s problems, it hurts the country.”

He added that though he is leaving the campaign, he is joining the “growing number of rank-and-file McCain supporters.”