McCain: Health Care Will Pass With No GOP Input Or Support

Senator John McCain predicted on Thursday that health care reform legislation would pass Congress without GOP input or support, insisting that the partisan warfare erupting over the issue would benefit neither Republicans nor Democrats and could end up moving the country to "a new political era."

The Arizona Republican and 2008 presidential candidate said that Democrats would simply forge a consensus amongst themselves while in conference committee before unilaterally sending a bill to the White House.

But in an appearance at The Atlantic's First Draft of History conference in Washington D.C., the senator's biggest lament was saved for the squalor in the current political dialogue.

"There's something going on out there," McCain said. "I've been back in Arizona and 2000 people come to a town hall meeting. Many of them had never been before. The tea parties. But they're growing in America. And it's great dissatisfaction. It hasn't been channeled yet. It hasn't helped Republicans in the opinion polls. And it certainly hasn't helped the President. I think Americans are concerned about the debt and the deficit... I think this could transfer into a new political era."

Later in his session, which was moderated by Meet the Press's David Gregory, McCain was pressed about the forthcoming book by his vice-presidential candidate, Sarah Palin.

"The part I'm looking to most is the part where it energized our campaign and put us ahead in the polls," he said. "The part I'm looking to least [are] some of the disagreements that took place within the campaign."