Outspoken conservatives such as media personalities Rush Limbaugh and Ann Coulter have accused the Arizona senator of being less conservative than other Republicans. But McCain took time during a "Face the Nation" to stack up his conservative credentials against those of his top electoral rival, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney.

"Well, first of all, if you examine my record, it's more conservative than Gov. Romney's is," McCain said.

The presidential hopeful also spoke about proposed tax cuts and again the senator pointed out his long history of supporting such measures.

"I have a clear record of supporting tax cuts going back to the Reagan revolution. I supported those tax cuts, but it had restraint of spending," he said. "I have voted twice to keep those tax cuts permanent, and we need to do it, otherwise the American families and businesses will experience a tax increase. "