MANCHESTER, N.H. - John McCain stormed New Hampshire on Wednesday, hoping to spark his stalled presidential campaign and regain the momentum that helped him win the state's Republican primary seven years ago.

Though stumping for months, McCain officially entered the 2008 White House race with a noontime speech and rally set against a backdrop of docks in the picturesque seacoast city of Portsmouth.

McCain, a four-term senator from Arizona, stressed his lawmaking and military background and emphasized opportunity and the promise of government and political reform.

"You can't sell me on hopelessness," McCain told the supporters and casual observers at Portsmouth's Prescott Park. "Don't tell me what we can't do. Don't tell me we can't make our country stronger and the world safer. We can, we must and, when I'm president, we will."

McCain said he is running for president "to do something," not "to be somebody." He vowed to crack down on problems such as congressional overspending.

McCain, 70, also alluded to his age, which some political analysts have suggested could be a problem for him.

"I'm not the youngest candidate, but I am the most experienced," McCain said to the applause of his fans.

Later in the day, he acknowledged to reporters that his age is an issue.

"I've got to show the energy and vitality and strength that is necessary to convince people that I'm ready to go, that I'm ready to serve," McCain said during a discussion on his Straight Talk Express campaign bus as it rolled from Concord to Manchester for a rainy stop in the late afternoon.

At this point, it is McCain's campaign that needs to demonstrate some stamina.

Early on, McCain was poised as the presumptive GOP front-runner, but he has run into political obstacles.

He consistently finishes second to former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani in national polls. McCain's fundraising for the first three months of 2007 trailed the other leading Republican and Democratic contenders. And, against the tide of popular American opinion, he steadfastly supports the goals of the Iraq war and President Bush's new surge strategy.

Starting over in N.H.

McCain formally launched his 2008 bid in the state of the greatest triumph of his maverick 2000 campaign. He upset his front-running rival, George W. Bush, in the New Hampshire primary by nearly 20 percentage points.

But McCain is no longer a GOP insurgent. He is the establishment candidate.

"Most people in New Hampshire view this very appropriately as a brand-new ballgame," McCain said on the bus. "I think they're going to examine all of the candidates."

And it's still early.

"In 1999 at this time, we had a 3 percent approval," McCain told reporters. "I always joke about the fact that we had a 5 percent margin of error, so we could have been at minus 2. So we've got a very interesting time ahead of us."

Iraq war dominates

The Iraq war continues to haunt McCain's candidacy.

"He has become a quasi-incumbent with the worst of both worlds," said John Geer, who teaches politics at Vanderbilt University. "He is being held responsible for the Iraq war but not getting the support of the (Republican Party) base that President Bush still enjoys. He needs to find a way out of this dilemma."

In his Portsmouth speech, McCain staked out some distance with Bush. He acknowledged that "the war in Iraq has not gone well" and that "we have paid grievously" for mistakes.

"America should never undertake a war unless we are prepared to do everything necessary to succeed, unless we have a realistic and comprehensive plan for success, and unless all relevant agencies of government are committed to that success," McCain said. "We did not meet this responsibility initially."

In another subtle jab at the Bush administration's diplomatic reputation, McCain added: "We need to strengthen our alliances and build support in other nations. We must preserve our moral credibility and remember that our security and the global progress of our ideals are inextricably linked."

McCain also took what was perceived by some as a swipe at Giuliani, who was mayor during the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attack on New York's World Trade Center. McCain blasted the fact that some emergency responders to the disaster were unable to communicate with each other via radio, a complaint that critics also have leveled against Giuliani.

Mixed response to war

A small group of protesters demonstrated outside the Portsmouth rally with anti-war banners and signs. One placard said, "John McCain: War is no joke," a reference to his controversial crooning of anti-Iran lyrics to the tune of the Beach Boys' Barbara Ann.

"The message that we are particularly wanting to convey to the senator today is that a majority of people in New Hampshire want the U.S. out of Iraq, an end to the war," said Amy Antonucci, spokeswoman for the area group Seacoast Peace Response. "And we don't support any military action against Iran and do not support him joking about it."

Phil Sturk, a Portsmouth Republican, dropped by the rally to listen to McCain's pitch.

"I like McCain, and, depending on how it goes, I'm going to vote for him," said Sturk, a veteran who used to work for the defense contractor Raytheon but is now retired.

Sturk supports McCain's Iraq war stance.

"When you start something, you've got to finish it," he said. "Anytime you're in a conflict, you're going to lose lives, which is sad, but you just can't say, 'Hey, we don't like it now, so let's get out.' "

But McCain's advocacy of the Iraq war could hurt him with Eleonora Bohenko, a Portsmouth Democrat. She said she doesn't always vote for Democrats and "can go either way."

"He's too much for the war, which I'm deadly against," Bohenko said. "Look at the men who are dying over there. And it's a losing proposition, I think, just like Vietnam was."

On to South Carolina

The McCain announcement tour resumes today in South Carolina, which like New Hampshire is a crucial early primary state. Then it is off to Iowa, Nevada and, on Saturday, Tempe.

McCain hinted to reporters that he'll make news today with regard to embattled Attorney General Alberto Gonzales, who is under fire in connection with the ousters of eight federal prosecutors, including Paul Charlton of Arizona.

During an appearance late Wednesday on CNN, he told Larry King that he thought Gonzales should resign.

McCain's announcement tour also could conflict with this week's expected key vote on the Iraq war-funding bill, which he opposes. His vote would not change the outcome.

"I missed a lot of votes in 2000," McCain said. "The voters of Arizona obviously understood that, since I was re-elected with 77 percent of the vote."


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