HOLTZ-EAKIN: Senator McCain made it very clear that Senator McCain speaks
for Senator McCain. He doesn't endorse or in any way show any sympathy for
those comments. And he said that, you know, Senator Gramm is now high on
the list of candidates to be the ambassador to Belarus, so I think...
GERSH: That's very funny, but is he going to be talking to Senator Gramm? Is he going to have any role?
HOLTZ-EAKIN: Obviously, the senator doesn't endorse those views and he is
not going to promote anything that looks like a mindset that suggests we
don't understand that Americans are suffering. They need jobs, and the
senator is focused on those kinds of efforts.
GERSH: Is Senator Gramm still giving advice to Senator McCain?
HOLTZ-EAKIN: No.
GERSH: No.
HOLTZ-EAKIN: At -- I haven't spoken to Senator Gramm since the comments
took place, and I'm not expecting to.