CONCORD, N.H. -- John McCain likes to portray himself as one tough guy. He vows to win the war in Iraq, saying that if congressional Democrats had their way six months ago, "al-Qaida would be bragging to the world that they beat the United States of America."

He denounces Iran for shipping explosive devices to Iraq and threatening Israel, saying confidently, "I know how to handle the Iranians."

He assails Russian President Vladimir Putin by saying, "I know Mr. Putin. I've looked into his eyes, and I saw three letters -- KGB."

He pledges to veto bills that include the pet projects of both Democrats and Republicans on Capitol Hill. And then, just in case you missed the point, he will say, "I was not elected Miss Congeniality in the United States Senate again this year, I'm happy to report."

In a year in which both political parties are looking for the fresh face with the new ideas, the 71-year-old Republican senator from Arizona is gambling that Americans would rather trust their national security to a crusty old Navy pilot who has made a lifetime of facing down his challengers, whether they be prison guards in Hanoi in 1972 or then-Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld in 2006.

"My friends, I am asking for your vote because I believe I can lead this nation in difficult times," McCain told an enthusiastic crowd yesterday on the steps of the New Hampshire state Capitol. "It requires leadership that doesn't need any on-the-job training."

Just months after most political analysts deemed McCain a relic whose presidential campaign was near collapse, his damn-the-torpedoes style has caught on again in New Hampshire. Polls show him narrowly leading former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney in today's presidential primary.

He is not selling himself as a brand-new box of cornflakes, but instead as the same insurgent who has irritated both Republicans and Democrats since his election to the Senate in 1986.

"I am running for president of the United States because I believe there are two major issues that I have as president," McCain said Sunday morning at a town-hall meeting in Salem, N.H. "One is to restore trust and confidence in government, the other is to face and beat back the transcendental challenge of the 21st century, which is radical Islamic extremists."

McCain reminds his audiences that in 2006, when a majority of Americans were disillusioned with the war in Iraq and wanted U.S. troops removed, he urged President Bush to follow the advice of Gen. David Petraeus and send more troops to the country.

Now, a year later, Iraqi and American casualties have plummeted and, in McCain's words, "al-Qaida is on the run, they are not defeated. If we set a date for withdrawal, the way that the Democrats want us to do, we could blow this whole thing."

But even though McCain talks the talk of a conservative -- he opposes tax increases and abortion rights, favors a stronger military and wants to control federal spending -- he has had difficulty winning the hearts of Republicans here.

Among Republican voters in New Hampshire, Romney holds a narrow lead. By contrast, independents favor McCain over Romney 2-to-1, according to a USA Today/Gallup survey released yesterday.

But McCain is in a tug of war with Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., for the votes of those independents, who can vote in either the Democratic or Republican primary today. If too many independents vote for Obama, McCain could lose.

A sign that independents are disenchanted with McCain came in the town-hall meeting in Salem. A self-described independent voter who backed McCain in 2000 in New Hampshire is undecided this time. The reason? McCain in 2000 vowed fiscal responsibility and said he would oppose major tax cuts that were not matched by spending cuts.

McCain did vote against Bush's tax cuts in 2001 but now favors making them permanent instead of letting them expire at the end of the decade. The voter said solemnly that he had made up his mind whom to vote for, adding, "You're in purgatory right now."

"Well, thank you very much," McCain replied. Then he quipped, "It's a step up."

jtorry@dispatch.com