As exit polls roll in, McCain strategist talks about the 'difficult circumstances'

John McCain's chief strategist, Steve Schmidt, opened up to reporters this afternoon, telling them that his candidate did the best job he could given "really difficult circumstances."

Although polls had not yet closed when Schmidt spoke, he did not sound particularly hopeful.

"I think we did our absolute best in this campaign in really difficult circumstances.... We had some tough cards to play all the way through, and we hung in there all the way," said Schmidt, who ran the war room for George W. Bush's 2004 presidential campaign.

"It is highly doubtful that anyone will ever have to run in a worse political climate than the one John McCain had to run in this year," Schmidt added.

He said Bush's low approval ratings hurt McCain. "The party’s been very unpopular," Schmidt said. "The president’s approval numbers, you know, were not helpful in the race, but the party as a whole is unpopular with the American people and that was a big albatross."

Schmidt talked to reporters as they flew from Albuquerque to Phoenix, where McCain is watching returns roll in with supporters.

Interestingly, Schmidt would not talk about Sarah Palin, McCain's running mate. When asked whether the campaign was happy with what Palin had done for the ticket, Schmidt demurred.

"I think we’ll know in a few hours what the results are ... and there’ll be a time for all the postmortem parts of it," he said.

On the same flight, McCain came to the press section of the plane and gave a statement to reporters, many of whom have been traveling with him for months. Reporters sat on the floor as he stood at the curtain dividing the staff cabin from the press cabin. He took no questions.

Here is the transcript of what he said:

“Well, my friends, this is our last flight on this airplane together, and so I just wanted to stop back.  Yesterday, I know, was really a fun day, starting out at the crack of dawn and ending up at 2 a.m.  We went 3,700 miles yesterday.  We had a great ride and we’re looking forward to the election results tonight. 

Feeling good, feeling confident about the way things have turned out. We’ve had a great ride, a great experience and it’s full of memories that we will always treasure, including the last one up there in Colorado where people were so warm.  And the enthusiasm as you have seen in rallies has really been quite remarkable and quite heart-warming.

So we’ve spent a lot of time together. Some have been together for almost two years, others most of the ones that rode around in the van with us and on the 3999 flight to Manchester. So anyway, we’ve had a great time.  I wish you all every success and look forward to being with you in the future. Thanks very much.”

-- Kate Linthicum

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Photo: John McCain talks to reporters with senior advisor Steve Schmidt, right, in flight from Houston to Appleton, Wis., in February. With them is Cindy McCain. (Gerald Herbert/Associated Press)