Political Play: McCain visits NYC fire station

Jeff Chiu

Republican presidential candidate, Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., center, holds up a t-shirt given to him by fire fighters, while visiting the Engine 54 Ladder 4 fire house on Thursday, May 8, 2008 in New York.

John McCain offered to hand out a few New York slices as he visited a fire station on a light day of campaigning Thursday.

"Can I distribute?" the expected Republican presidential nominee asked the firefighter holding a stack of pizza boxes at the midtown Manhattan station.

McCain also paused in front of a memorial to firefighters who died in the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.

He sat down for a brief chat in the station's break room, asking a rapid-fire succession of questions: "What do you need, some equipment? What have you got? So what else do you need? Newer equipment? How's recruitment going? You got enough people? How's retention?"

Before leaving, McCain posed in front of two fire trucks with several firefighters holding a T-shirt from the station.

McCain was on a fundraising swing and media blitz in New York. The Arizona senator netted $7 million at an event Wednesday night and had another fundraiser scheduled Thursday afternoon in New Jersey.

McCain also taped interviews on Comedy Central's "The Daily Show with Jon Stewart," Fox News' "The O'Reilly Factor" and "Live with Regis and Kelly." His wife, Cindy, was interviewed by NBC's "Today" show.

Compiled by Libby Quaid