McCain at Columbia Forum

This McCain line truly irked me the other night while I was watching the Presidential National Forum at Columbia University at Columbia University on Sept. 11th (see bold):

MCCAIN: I think a small-town mayor has very great responsibilities. They have a responsibility for the budget. They have hiring and firing of people. They have great responsibilities. They have to stand for election. I admire mayors.

I'm -- listen, mayors have the toughest job, I think, in America. It's easy for me to go to Washington and, frankly, be somewhat divorced from the day-to-day challenges people have.

Understandably, McCain is sticking up for his VP choice Sarah Palin. However what struck me about this line, is it almost McCain admitting he is detached from his constituiency and wrapped up in his Washington bubble--presumably the same Washington he is running a campaign -in vain- to distance himself from. This line lends itself more to video, when he was saying it I was struck by the shear truth of it.

Here is the Link to Part 1 of McCain at the Forum