ASPEN, Colo.—Former Senator Phil Gramm appears to be back in John McCain’s good graces after Gramm’s exile from his campaign since calling the U.S. “a nation of whiners.”
McCain singled out Gramm and others at a dinner last night honoring more than 200 people who have raised at least $100,000 for his campaign.
McCain thanked Gramm for his “friendship and support.”
Gramm said in an interview before McCain addressed people during a forum at the Aspen Institute earlier in the day that he had not spoken lately with the Republican presidential candidate.
Gramm sat directly in front of McCain during the forum.
The former senator from Texas had been a top economic adviser to McCain. Gramm told The Washington Times that the United States consisted of “a nation of whiners” stuck in a “mental recession” that overstated economic woes. McCain promptly rebuked him, saying “Phil Gramm doesn’t speak for me.”
Gramm later resigned from McCain’s campaign.
