Top McCain adviser Charlie Black is now backpedaling hard from his claim in an interview that a terror attack on the United States would help McCain in political terms, though he is acknowledging that he did say this.

Black was quoted by Fortune magazine that should another terror attack hit, "certainly it would be a big advantage" to McCain.

I asked the McCain campaign if this was their view of things. Here's the statement they sent me, from McCain spokesperson Tucker Bounds:

"Charlie deeply regrets his comments. They were inappropriate and he recognizes that the candidate we work for has devoted his entire adult life to protecting his country and placing its security before every other consideration."

Earlier today McCain himself said that he disagreed with the comment. But he added the caveat that he wasn't sure that Black had said this.

Now we know from Black himself, via the campaign, that he did indeed say it.