McCain met by protesters

By Bryan Bender
Globe Staff

SALEM, N.H. - John McCain's town hall meeting in the Woodbury Junior High gymnasium was briefly interrupted by protesters in the front row shouting "people with AIDS are dying and you're not even trying."

McCain, locked in a dead heat with Mitt Romney in the GOP primary in several new polls, took the incident in stride. The demonstrators were escorted out by McCain aides while the candidate waited silently. But after they left the gym, McCain admonished the protesters - holding "$50 billion for global AIDS" signs - for not waiting their turn to ask a question.

Another group of anti-illegal immigration protesters awaited him as he arrived for the packed event, some holding placards saying "Stop Mccain's Amnesty" and "McCain=Amnesty." Also outside was a third group, from the American Friends Service Committee, holding anti-war banners noting that the cost of one day in Iraq equals health care for 163,525 Americans.

Inside, the standing room only crowd was pumped up by the school's jazz band, and chanted "Mac is back."

"We are winning this campaign," McCain told the crowd.