In exile from the McCain campaign since calling the U.S. "a nation of whiners," former Sen. Phil Gramm appears to be back in John McCain's good graces.

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McCain singled out Gramm, among others, at a dinner Thursday night in Aspen, Colo., honoring more than 200 people who have raised at least $100,000 for his campaign.

"Thank you, Phil, for all your friendship and support," McCain said.

Interviewed before McCain addressed about 800 people during a forum at the Aspen Institute earlier in the day, Gramm said he had not spoken lately with the Republican presidential candidate.

"I'm just a grass-roots supporter," Gramm said, "a private in the army."

During the forum, Gramm sat directly in front of McCain.

The former senator from Texas, who taught economics in college before beginning a political career, had been a top economic adviser to McCain. Then, in early July, Gramm told The Washington Times that the United States consisted of "a nation of whiners" stuck in a "mental recession" that overstated economic woes.

"You've heard of mental depression; this is a mental recession," Gramm said.

"We have sort of become a nation of whiners," he said. "You just hear this constant whining, complaining about a loss of competitiveness, America in decline."

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"We've never been more dominant. We've never had more natural advantages than we have today," he told the newspaper, adding that the country has benefitted from globalization. A recession might be coming, but the country hasn't "had one yet."

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"I strongly disagree" with Gramm's remarks, McCain told reporters later in Belleville, Mich., during a campaign stop. "Phil Gramm does not speak for me. I speak for me."

A person who just lost a job "isn't suffering from a mental recession," McCain said. "America is in great difficulty. And we are experiencing enormous economic challenges as well as others."

After a week of criticism that Gramm's remarks showed McCain was out of touch with voters, Gramm resigned from his role as McCain's campaign co-chairman, saying he was stepping down to "end this distraction."