McCain asks supporters to help troops

John McCain will make his support for the troops in Iraq a little more personal when his presidential campaign returns to New Hampshire on Thursday.

The Republican senator from Arizona and Vietnam War hero wants supporters to bring care packages filled with snacks, candy, toiletries, DVDs, phone cards, and handwritten letters of support. The items should be put in a shoebox or similar sized container, and will be sent to nonprofit groups aiding servicemen and women in Iraq and Afghanistan, McCain's campaign said today.

He plans to be in East Rochester, Franklin, Concord, and Hudson on Thursday and in Londonderry on Friday, before moving on to South Carolina.

McCain, who has been rebounding in the polls since his performance in last week's debate in New Hampshire, launched his "No Surrender" tour (referring to his stand on Iraq, not his not-so-long-ago floundering campaign) Tuesday night in Iowa.

His campaign, meanwhile, added a feature to its website that chronicles McCain's various pronouncements on Iraq for the last four years.