Sen. Jay Rockefeller, D-W.Va., apologized Tuesday for any misunderstanding from comments he made about Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., during a Monday interview with the Gazette.

"I have deep respect for John McCain's honorable and noble service to our country. I made an inaccurate and wrong analogy and I have extended my sincere apology to him.

"While we differ a great deal on policy issues, I profoundly respect and appreciate his dedication to our country, and I regret my very poor choice of words," Rockefeller said on Tuesday.

A transcript of the interview, provided by Rockefeller's office, records him as stating, "Frankly, other than hot-button issues like campaign finance reform ... he [McCain] isn't grounded in issues that affect people. All of a sudden he's for all the tax cuts he was against, and wants to make them permanent ...

"He's a fighter pilot. He flies at 35,000 feet and drops laser-guided bombs, missiles. He was long gone when they hit. What happened down there, he doesn't know.

"That's unkind, because that's fighting for your nation and that's honorable. But you sort of have to care what goes on in the lives of people. ... and he never gets into those subjects," the transcript continued.

A news release from Rockefeller's office said that, during the Monday interview, "he was attempting to make the point that the next president must focus on the needs of everyday people.

"He is concerned that Senator McCain's policies regarding access to health care, education, the economy and retirement security don't put real people front and center."

Early Tuesday afternoon, McCain's presidential campaign office in Arlington, Va., issued a statement asking Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., to denounce Rockefeller.

Rockefeller is supporting Obama for the Democratic nomination for president.

Tommy Vietor, a spokesman for Obama's campaign, said Obama "has a deep respect for Senator McCain's service to this country and he does not agree with what Senator Rockefeller said."

To contact staff writer Paul J. Nyden, use e-mail or call 348-5164.

"I have deep respect for John McCain's honorable and noble service to our country. I made an inaccurate and wrong analogy and I have extended my sincere apology to him.

"While we differ a great deal on policy issues, I profoundly respect and appreciate his dedication to our country, and I regret my very poor choice of words," Rockefeller said on Tuesday.

A transcript of the interview, provided by Rockefeller's office, records him as stating, "Frankly, other than hot-button issues like campaign finance reform ... he [McCain] isn't grounded in issues that affect people. All of a sudden he's for all the tax cuts he was against, and wants to make them permanent ...

"He's a fighter pilot. He flies at 35,000 feet and drops laser-guided bombs, missiles. He was long gone when they hit. What happened down there, he doesn't know.

"That's unkind, because that's fighting for your nation and that's honorable. But you sort of have to care what goes on in the lives of people. ... and he never gets into those subjects," the transcript continued.

A news release from Rockefeller's office said that, during the Monday interview, "he was attempting to make the point that the next president must focus on the needs of everyday people.

"He is concerned that Senator McCain's policies regarding access to health care, education, the economy and retirement security don't put real people front and center."

Early Tuesday afternoon, McCain's presidential campaign office in Arlington, Va., issued a statement asking Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., to denounce Rockefeller.

Rockefeller is supporting Obama for the Democratic nomination for president.

Tommy Vietor, a spokesman for Obama's campaign, said Obama "has a deep respect for Senator McCain's service to this country and he does not agree with what Senator Rockefeller said."

To contact staff writer Paul J. Nyden, use e-mail or call 348-5164.