After causing a huge stir with his comments that America is a nation of "whiners" suffering from a "mental depression," Phil Gramm, former Texas Senator and Co-Chair of John McCain's presidential campaign, has decided to call it quits. He issued the following statement last night:

"It is clear to me that Democrats want to attack me rather than debate Senator McCain on important economic issues facing the country. That kind of distraction hurts not only Senator McCain's ability to present concrete programs to deal with the country's problems, it hurts the country. To end this distraction and get on with the real debate, I hereby step down as Co-Chair of the McCain Campaign and join the growing number of rank-and-file McCain supporters."

Obama campaign spokesman Hari Sevugan responded by saying:

"The question for John McCain isn't whether Phil Gramm will continue as chairman of his campaign, but whether he will continue to keep the economic plan that Gramm authored and that represents a continuation of the polices that have failed American families for the last eight years."