PHOENIX: Republican presidential hopeful John McCain said he was "feeling confident" about his election battle with Barack Obama on Tuesday in a brief statement to reporters traveling on his plane.
McCain, 72, ventured into the press seating of "Straight Talk Air" for the first time in months to offer his thanks to journalists who have covered his rollercoaster campaign for nearly two years.
The Arizona senator, who was returning to Phoenix from his final campaign event in New Mexico, did not take questions as he described his campaign as a "great ride."
"Well my friends, this is our last flight on this airplane together and so I just wanted to stop back," he told a scrum of reporters.
"We had a great ride and we're looking forward to the election results tonight. Feelin' good, feelin' confident about the way things have turned out.
"We've had a great ride, a great experience and it's full of memories that we will always treasure," McCain said.
His campaign had appeared to be over last year, when at one stage McCain was so low on funds he was left traveling the country on commercial flights and gathering his own luggage.
"We've spent a lot of time together. Some have been together for almost two years.... I wish you all every success and look forward to being with you in the future. Thanks very much."
McCain also paid tribute to the thousands of supporters who have attended his campaign events.
"The enthusiasm as you have seen in rallies has really been quite remarkable and quite heartwarming," he said.
McCain snatched the early election lead Tuesday in US media first results projections which showed him winning Kentucky, with eight electoral votes, and Obama claiming Vermont and its three electoral votes.
