McCain Likes His Chances

Senator John McCain believes he's got a good chance to capture the Republican presidential nomination, he told CBS News Face the Nation Anchor Bob Shieffer. Though his poll numbers still lag far behind George W. Bush's, they have tripled in New Hampshire and, some say, now stand at 20 percent.

"I think I'm going to do extremely well there and in South Carolina. We're very encouraged at the progress that's been made." McCain said. He attributes his surge to the novel nature of his campaign.

"This is a bottom-up campaign, where people all over are becoming attracted to it because we need to reformÂ… we need to close the gap between the government and the American people, which exists today," McCain said.

When asked if he thought he could win without participating in the Iowa Caucuses, McCain offered an uncharacteristic boast: "I may say with some display of ego, there's not been a campaign run like our campaign is being run beforeÂ… we're going to the grass roots. We're motivating independents as well as Republicans."

McCain was cautious in assessing his chances against either Al Gore or Bill Bradley, the two current leading contenders for the Democratic nomination. "Both would be very formidable opponents. And to underestimate either one of them would be a serious error," he said.

The Arizona senator was more outspoken when asked about Republican rival Steve Forbes, whose blitz of negative TV advertising in 1996 still rankles many Republicans.

"I dislike the very much what he did in 1996, especially here in Arizona, to my good and dear friend Bob Dole. He has not disappeared though. He worked very hard in the intervening four years working in the republican party. He is a very legitimate candidate. We'll know if he launches a negative attack assault. It's like pornography. You know it when you see it," he said. "But a negative campaign, I think would earn the condemnation of all of usÂ…"