GOP Leader Losing Patience With Iraqi Government

He went on to praise the credentials of the three frontrunners, including his occasional nemesis John McCain (R-Ariz.). McConnell said while he and McCain disagreed pointedly about campaign finance reform, he considered the Arizona senator a friend.

As for candidates like former Sen. Fred Thompson (Tenn.) and former House Speaker Newt Gingrich (Ga.) who continue to consider national bids, McConnell said time is running out due to the sheer logistical challenge of raising $100 million and building the organizations in early states necessary to compete with McCain, former Gov. Mitt Romney (Mass.) and former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani.

Asked how long Thompson and Gingrich can wait before getting into the race, he said "not very long."

McConnell acknowledged that the makeup of the 2008 Senate playing field -- 21 Republicans are up for re-election compared to just 12 Democrats -- makes regaining the majority an extremely difficult proposition. "Realistically, to get the Senate back we would have to have a heck of a day," he said.

Even so, he insisted that the power of incumbency should assert itself in a "normal" political cycle and expressed confidence in the chances of Sens. Gordon Smith (Ore.), John Sununu (N.H.), Susan Collins (Maine) and Norm Coleman (Minn.) -- all of whom will be running in states carried by Sen. John Kerry (D-Mass.) in 2004.

McConnell took issue with former Wisconsin governor and current presidential candidate Tommy Thompson, who said Republicans came to power to change Washington but instead saw Washington change the party. McConnell said Republicans achieved major successes while in power in Congress and in workling with the Bush White House.

Asked why the party still suffers from erosion in support, he said, "The war is an albatross around the president's neck."

But he predicted that the political environment will change significantly between now and November 2008 and that Iraq will not be the only issue on the minds of voters at that time.

McConnell said he believes the Democratic majorities in the House and Senate are already making major mistakes -- specifically mentioning a proposal to eliminate secret ballots in union elections that he said is widely unpopular with the public -- that will accrue to his party's benefit in 2008.

Noting that in past years, divided government has produced agreements on major issues such as welfare reform and Social Security reform, he said Democrats have mostly engaged in "small ball" since taking power in January. He said he still believed there is a chance for comprehensive immigration reform in this Congress.

washingtonpost.com's Eric Pianin contributed to this report.