John McCain and his running mate Sarah Palin disagree on at least one thing: the importance of community organizers.

“Of course I respect community organizers,” said McCain, responding to a question about whether he agreed with the evisceration of community organizers at the Republican National Convention in St. Paul. (During the convention, Palin and former mayor Rudy Giuliani, among others, mocked the community organizer job, which Obama had after law school, as meaningless and without real responsibility.)

Speaking during a forum about service tonight at Columbia University, McCain added, “And Senator Obama’s record in that area is outstanding.”

McCain also blamed the poisonous tone of the presidential debate on Senator Obama’s decision not to accept his invitation to appear in town hall meetings together around the country, which he suggested would have gone a long way in keeping things civil.

He tried to defend Palin, saying her remarks were in answer to assaults on her own experience (or lack thereof). He then said, “I feel a small-town mayor has great responsibility,” and “mayors have the toughest job I think in America.”

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