McCain on "a Small Price"

Ana, on the McCain bus (it's hard to blog from your Treo), sends this in:

On the bus, McCain responded to John Boehner's remark that American lives were a "small price" to pay for a victory in Iraq.

Asked about it on the heels of his demanding that Democratic candidates "repudiate" the MoveOn.org Petreaus/Betray Us ad, he grimaced: "He misspoke. With all due respect, every American wounded or sacrificed is the greatest possible price to pay," and we should all be grateful, "particularly those of us who sit in relative safety while those young men and women are fighting."

Asked if Boehner's comments deserve the same level of condemnation as the Petraeus ad, McCain said no. "He misspoke, he didn't take out an ad... I'm not excusing him, I just think it's a different level."

Meanwhile, over at Think Progress, they have Boehner's response to the criticism he is getting, as well as the full question he was asked. Looking at the transcript, it appears this is one where it's going to be hard to take a mulligan.

UPDATE: Speaking of taking a mulligan, Ana now says she missed an important part of the McCain quote. She writes from the road:

I missed this: "He ought to retract it.'"

It's significant he's not just excusing "misspeaking." I apologize for not including it in my original write up.

Ana got this from the NYT's Michael Cooper, whom she notes had the presence of mind to have his recorder running. As for me, I'll just blame it on the Treo.