STILL SWEATIN' THE TECHNIQUE McCain (Photos: Getty Images)
Has John McCain powered through a snag in his campaign and emerged with upticking poll numbers and a defiant return to "gay sweaters"?

Things looked grim when the from-the-hip former POW lost his top dogs John Weaver and Terry Nelson and his campaign was found to be bleeding cash. Privately, he even blamed his woes on homosexual-tinged outerwear, but on Saturday in New Hampshire, McCain sported a dark crew neck sweater with a blazer.

On the way to his third and last event of the day, his daughter/blogger Meghan graciously scored Radar a seat on the Straight Talk Express (the New York Times and CNN were stuck in the separate Winnebago bringing up the rear of the convoy). The senator was headed to Dartmouth for an oversize town hall meeting, taking the stage just hours after the student production of Hair wrapped. On the 15-minute jaunt to Hanover, McCain slurped from a KFC cup, watched basketball highlights, continually answered his gold Razr, and ruminated on everything from journo David Halberstam and unionizing boxing to black sheep candidate Ron Paul's "fanatics, err, devoted supporters."

But did he really think his choice in pullovers had an impact? We asked. The press corps giggled. And the senator danced around the question with the twinkly precision of Michael Flatley "I usually blame my staff," he told Radar. "They're on a work release program," he quipped.

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• McCain Unraveled by 'Gay Sweaters'?