Senator McCain gives support to McMahon

DANBURY, Conn. (WTNH) -- Former Republican Presidential candidate John McCain says Washington needs more people who know what it means to be a fiscal conservative. He made those comments in Danbury Monday, while throwing his support behind senate candidate Linda McMahon.

A big crowd gathered at the Disabled American Vets Post in Danbury to see the Arizona Senator who says he came Monday because he believes Connecticut's Senate seat could tip the balance to the Republicans.

"This is a very winnable and important race," said Sen. John McCain, "we also need more women in the Republican Senate who understand our economy and the free enterprise system."

"We're pushing back against Linda's lies..."

While the McCain event was going on, a group of seniors was protesting outside McMahon headquarters in North Haven. Protesting against her remarks made at a Tea Party forum earlier this year in Waterford.

"There are ways to look at, you know, what we were trying to do when we put Social Security in place," McMahon said in a video. "We didn't go back and review it. In other words, I believe in sunset provisions when we pass this kind of legislation, so that you take a look at it 10, 15 years down the road to make sure that it's still going to fund itself."

Critics say by using 'sunset' and 'Social Security' in the same sentence means she wants to end it.

"Linda McMahon couldn't have been clearer," said Chris Murphy, "she said that she thinks Social Security should go away."

"No way would I ever recommend that we discontinue Social Security or Medicare," McMahon said, "that's absolutely false."

However, Murphy says the appearance of a Republican superstar like McCain indicates the party feels McMahon would be a reliable vote for the Romney/Ryan budget plans.

"They know that Linda McMahon is going to be a really strong vote for the Republican plans to privatize Social Security and privatize Medicare," Murphy said.

"What I do think we ought to have are provisions that we re-examine to make sure we're properly funded for those programs, as that kind of legislation moves forward," McMahon said.