John McCain spoke to staff and advisers working in the campaign War Room at the Minneapolis Hilton this afternoon, and forcefully vowed to fight hard to defend his running mate Sarah Palin against attacks from the media and Democrats. “They’re not doing right by our vice president, they’re not doing right by the American people,” McCain said, according to a source in the room. “We’re gonna fight back, we’re gonna get ’em.” McCain pounded his fist into his hand as he spoke, the source said, and made clear that he would be aggressively challenging those who are attacking Palin.

McCain advisers expect that he will address the issue in his speech to the convention tomorrow evening. McCain’s campaign has increasingly turned its sights on the media in recent days as journalists continue to probe Palin’s personal life and discuss her performance as a mother. McCain is personally offended by the controversy.