Sen. John McCain, today, from The Politico: [1]

Asking for a dose of straight talk, AP's Liz Sidoti asked McCain if the country had entered recession.

"I certainly think so," McCain replied.

John McCain, January 10, 2008, at a GOP presidential debate: [2]

And by the way, I don't believe we're headed into a recession. I believe the fundamentals of this economy are strong, and I believe they will remain strong. This is a rough patch, but I think America's greatness lies ahead of us.

When speaking to conservative leaders, McCain ignored the economic stress middle-class Americans have suffered throughout in the last several years. Now that he has to speak to a broader electorate, he has to drop the delusion and get back to reality. The Politico also reports that McCain said "there is a role for government" in improving the economy, furthering his rhetorical shift away from anti-government conservatism. [3]

But it is nothing new for conservatives to mask their conservatism [4] to an American electorate that is fundamentally progressive. [5] Voters will have to decide in the end if McCain does talk straight when it comes to the economy.