McCain: "I will not discuss the campaign"

McCain was in Iowa on Sunday

URBANDALE, Iowa (CNN)–At a press conference at his Iowa headquarters Sunday, John McCain told supporters and the press, as he's done before, that he is done discussing the campaign.

"I will answer any question except that," the GOP presidential candidate told a group of reporters. "I am happy about the state of our campaign. We will do fine... I will not discuss it any further as much as you want me to."

McCain said he was in the Hawkeye state to thank his supporters for their help and to tell them the campaign is doing 'great.'

"I'm very happy as to how we're going to do, and I'm very confident that we will win in Iowa."

McCain has come under some criticism for not spending enough time in the early caucus state of Iowa. Senior adviser to the campaign Chuck Larson said the last time the Arizona senator made a stop in the state was early June.
He told reporters he expects another stop Iowa in early August.

"Our organization in the state is very, very strong," Larson told CNN. When asked if he expects the staff that's in place now to remain with the campaign for good, Larson said, "I do yeah. Oh yeah."

Currently, there are six full-time McCain staff members in Iowa, down from what used to be 15. Almost all of the communications staff left the campaign in early July.

Before McCain opened the event up to reporters, he began by commenting on Tuesday's all-night debate over troop withdrawal from Iraq, something he likely knew would not be the subject of many questions.

"It was a joke and waste of the taxpayers' money," he said. "We can not set a date for withdrawal, and if we do, it will guarantee failure and it will guarantee the loss of additional brave young Americans' lives. I will hold that stand no matter what, and that is the correct stand for the future of this mission."

- CNN Iowa Producer Chris Welch