Sen. McCain: LIers have something to tell you

Long Island political and community leaders hit back at Arizona Sen. John McCain Wednesday for his razz on the region being "regrettably part of the United States."

"I don't hear him complaining when we send a lot of tax dollars to Washington," said Suffolk County Democratic chairman Richard Schaffer. "I don't think he has much regret when we continue to pay our federal taxes. A lot of times, we end up funding crazy projects in the middle of the desert in Arizona."

Schaffer all but tsk-tsked the former presidential nominee, saying that was no way to joke: "That was a joke? When you're a former presidential candidates, those are not the type of jokes you tell. We expect more from someone like John McCain."

For Suffolk County Executive Steve Levy, an apology was not enough: "If the senator regrets that Long Island is part of this nation, then we certainly would welcome back all the disproportionate tax dollars we have sent to Washington."

In Nassau, County Executive Edward Mangano honed in on McCain's history as a Vietnam War pilot and prisoner of war. "As home to millions of veterans, first responders and American patriots, Long Island earned the respect of a grateful nation," Mangano said. "I trust Senator McCain's apology is genuine."

Kevin Law, head of the Long Island Association, a business group, said he was "shocked" and had a question: "What's he smoking today?

"I think it's outrageous. It's not the first time Sen. McCain put his foot in his mouth. Long Island is the home that developed the air defense that helped win a world war, helped put the man on the moon and also helped with our Desert Storm victories," Law said.

As a parting shot, Law said Long Island gave McCain's hero, Ronald Reagan, the "largest plurality of any suburb in the entire country" in his successful run for the White House.

Suffolk's Conservative Party chairman, Edward Walsh, reserved judgment, saying he wanted to read the entire exchange and that he's heard a lot of public officials say "funky things.

"I want to see the whole context," Walsh said. "I hear political officials say a lot of bizarre things. If I had a nickel every time they did that, my head would spin."

Alfonse D'Amato, a Lido Beach resident who was in the Senate for 18 years, said he thought McCain's comment could slide. "I have known Sen. McCain for a number of years and he has always had a dry sense of humor," said D'Amato. "I'll give him a pass on this one."