Straight Talk Express keeps on chugging:

Sen. John McCain, R-Arizona, told CNN Wednesday he agrees with President Bush's veto of legislation expanding a children's health insurance program, saying the bill provided a "phony smoke and mirrors way of paying for it."

"Right call by the president," the Republican White House hopeful told CNN's John King.

McCain went on to rail against the bill as "out of control spending" despite the fact that the bill has a funding provision in the form of a rise in the cigarette tax of $.61 per pack, something that can not be said of the war supplementals McCain continues to vote for.

What's most telling about McCain's response, though, is that it reflects his deluded thinking that the Republicans lost in 2006 pretty much entirely because they let spending get out of control. What's more, McCain completely ignores polling that confirms people's belief that government in fact should be in the business of providing social services to Americans, including quite specifically, healthcare for children.

You've already seen the ABC News/WaPo poll that showed support for the SCHIP reauthorization at 72% with 25% opposed. The latest Democracy Corps Poll (pdf) (September 16-18, 2007, 1000 LVs) also polled SCHIP, both specifically and in more general terms.

The first question polled the opposing arguments of the SCHIP debate, framing it as Bush v. Democrats. Guess who wins.

Now let me read you two statements about the children's health care. After I read them, please tell me which statement comes closest to your own thinking, even if neither is exactly right.

The Democrat says, we have a chance to ensure that all children in the country have health care. The Congress is going to pass an expansion of the existing children's health care program, administered by each state, to insure 3 million more children in working families. It is paid for by increasing the tax on a pack of cigarettes.

OR

President Bush says, he would veto an expansion of the S-CHIP program because it is a form of socialized medicine that will encourage people to drop their private insurance and join a government insurance plan. That's the wrong approach.

Democrat 60
Bush 35

Gee there's that magic 35% we keep seeing that pretty closely tracks with the Bush deadenders club, of which McCain is a founding member.

The next question (asked of only 500 LVs) polled the issue more generally in the context of the presidential election:

Regardless of which candidate you currently support for President, how important is it that a candidate posses each of the following characteristics - is it very important, somewhat important, not too important, or not important at all?

Very important 50
Somewhat important 27
Not too important 12
Not important at all 10

77% believe the presidential candidates should have a plan for universal healthcare for children. Where's your healthcare plan, Senator McCain? [crickets chirp]

DemFromCT has more on where the Republican presidential candidates stand on SCHIP (hint: they're opposed to the bill) although they'll only whisper it to you when no one's looking. Looks like McCain's the first to go on the record supporting the veto. But he won't be the last.