The following exchange is between John McCain and CNN's John Roberts -- it comes from an interview McCain gave Roberts on Thursday:

ROBERTS: Senator, I want to switch gears here and talk about the gas tax holiday. It's kind of the conversation of the morning. Tom Friedman in the New York Times a couple of days ago wrote this about your plan -- he said, quote, "This is money laundering. We borrow money from China and ship it to Saudi Arabia and take a little cut for ourselves as it goes through gas tanks. What a way to build a country." What do you say to that idea? Because it's estimated it will cost about $9 billion or $10 billion for this gas tax holiday, and many people believe that the oil companies would never fully pass on that savings to the American people?

MCCAIN:Well, first of all, obviously they would have to. But second of all, I respect Tom Friedman. He's one of the brightest and most intelligent individuals in America. But, Tom, let's give low-income Americans just a little break this summer. That's all this is about...

And I understand in New York City that you don't really drive a long way most of the time. But -- and then maybe you're chauffeured.

Yes, folks, it's true: Unlike those people who have someone driving them everywhere, John McCain understands the plight of average Americans. Why, I can't even count the number of times I've seen him behind the wheel of the "Straight Talk Express."