Sen. John McCain just wrapped up a speech before newspaper editors in Orlando in which he sounded a hopeful message about the economy, railed against budget earmarks and reaffirmed his support of the war. He also tried to blunt criticism about his environmental record.

"I can look you in the eye and tell you it’s long and it's hard and it's tough and there are a lot of hurdles to overcome, but we are winning in Iraq now ," McCain said before a packed audience at a Disney hotel.

The Arizona Republican said the excessive use of earmarks -- funding for home base projects that are commonly derided as "pork" -- have created a cynical public and undercut attempts to overhaul Medicare and Social Security. "If we don’t go to them with clean hands ... and we've haven't been very careful in the use of every single one of their tax dollars, then they are not going to be willing to join in those much needed reforms."

McCain was asked about opposition to a bill that, among many other things, provided $2-billion for Everglades restoration. "I do not and will not and have been proud not to have voted for omnibus spending bills in which many cases there is no authorization nor is there hearings or scrutiny. I am committed to saving the Everglades. I will do whatever is necessary to do so."

McCain took few overt swipes at Sen. Barack Obama, saying he thinks the
farm bill his Democratic challenger voted for recently was a handout to
agribusiness. But mostly McCain touted his experience.

Responding to a question about what he would do to prevent the sexism and
racism that tinged the Democratic primary, McCain said Obama had
"inspired people in American in a very, very impressive way."

He added:
"I will do everything I can to keep that kind of ugliness out of this
political campaign."

Republican presidential candidate Sen. John McCain R-Ariz. speaks at the Florida Society of Newspaper Editors & Florida Press Association convention in Lake Buena Vista, Florida. [AP Photo]