Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama says he is “disappointed” that rival Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) would say the Illinois senator would rather “lose the war” than the presidential campaign.

“John McCain and I disagree on policy. You know, we disagreed on going into the war in Iraq. We disagreed, until recently, about the need to get more troops into Afghanistan,” Obama said during an interview on NBC that will air Thursday night.

“But I’ve never questioned that he wants to make America safer. And for him to suggest that I don’t — for him to suggest that somehow I’m less concerned about the safety of my wife and daughter than he is, I think was — was unfortunate,” Obama said.

“I was disappointed by that language.”

McCain made the remark during a town hall Tuesday in New Hampshire.

Obama also said he understands that more Americans see him as a “riskier” choice than McCain, responding to an NBC News poll showing 55 percent of voters see him that way compared to 35 percent for McCain.

“John McCain’s been around 25, 30 years in public life. I have just recently emerged in terms of our national politics,” Obama said. “And so it’s not surprising that people would say that the guy we’re more familiar with is the less riskier choice.”