On "The View", McCain Weighs in On Lipstick, Roe v. Wade

By: John Bentley
Topics: John McCain

(CBS)

From CBS News' John Bentley:

(NEW YORK) – Responding for the first time to the ads his campaign has put out about Barack Obama, John McCain told the ladies of "The View" today Obama should not have used the phrase "lipstick on a pig" in talking about McCain and Sarah Palin's policies being no different than President Bush's.

"Sen. Obama chooses his words very carefully," McCain said. "He shouldn't have said it."

McCain said that the fault lay with Obama for the negative turn both campaigns have taken because they haven't had more appearances together.

"If we had done what I asked Sen. Obama to do," McCain said, referring to his proposal to hold joint town hall meetings, "I don't think you'd see the tenor of this campaign."

He was also asked if he would work to overturn Roe v. Wade. Perhaps because of the heavily female audience of "The View", McCain did not answer directly, but instead laid out his views on appointing judges.

"What we'd be doing is nominating justices to the Supreme Court and other courts who strictly interpret Constitution," McCain said. "We would not impose a litmus test on any issue."

But on his website, McCain is much more direct.

"John McCain believes Roe v. Wade is a flawed decision that must be overturned, and as president he will nominate judges who understand that courts should not be in the business of legislating from the bench," it reads. "Constitutional balance would be restored by the reversal of Roe v. Wade, returning the abortion question to the individual states…however, the reversal of Roe v. Wade represents only one step in the long path toward ending abortion."

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by popuelitist September 15, 2008 12:24 AM EDT: People make out like the View was so harsh. If he can''t stand up to Barbara Walters, hows he going to answer REALLY tough questions? Jeez, McCain is a whiner.

Credit where credit is due:

The McCain team has been lying their pants off the whole time, and the media is (finally) starting to call them on it. Late-coming, but a welcome change. The Obama team has stretched the context here and there, in the way campaigns always have (not that I excuse that), but McCain/Palin%u2026 holy cow. So little comes out of their mouths that isn''t a gall durn LIE!!!; Reply to this comment


by toby1toby September 14, 2008 3:30 PM EDT: I challenge citizens to look at the entire footage of the Obama lipstick-pig event. You will see that the crowd apparently knew ahead what the intent was because they responded with a chant of "pit-bull, pit-bull," which was the exact reference made by Palin in her acceptance speech. The careful phrasing written for Obama was nothing more than a provision for plausible deniability. Take a look, folks. It''s clearly there for you to see. Love the Democrats.; Reply to this comment


by toby1toby September 14, 2008 3:28 PM EDT: I challenge citizens to look at the entire footage of the Obama lipstick-pig event. You will see that the crowd apparently knew ahead what the intent was because they responded with a chant of "pit-bull, pit-bull," which was the exact reference made by Palin in her acceptance speech. The careful phrasing written for Obama was nothing more than a provision for plausible deniability. Take a look, folks. It''s clearly there for you to see.; Reply to this comment


by holoscotty September 14, 2008 2:08 PM EDT: I tuned in friday to watch the interview with John McCain, though admittedly, I rarely watch the show, except for when a good guest is on. I was really dissapointed in my friend Whoopi, who I knew was Dem biased, acting quite childish when she didn''t like the answers they were getting from McCain. I guess Whoopi and Joy forgot they were on camera when they were making snide faces at each other to some of McCain''s answers. You don''t have to like his answers, and are free to disagree - but at least act like adults, ladies. The show is "supposed" to be about different views, but as soon as a view that at least half of America shares comes up, the debate goes away, and the sniping takes over. It really says something when the token young repubican acts with more dignity and grace than the so-called seasoned professionals.; Reply to this comment


by ziadora September 14, 2008 5:12 AM EDT: A lack of comprehension or did he just not know the answer to Barbara Walters'' question regarding Sarah as reformer. When John McCain was asked who Sarah would reform in Washington, he could not come up with a coherent answer. The answer he gave in fact, seemed to be to a question that he asked himself. No wonder Barbara was frustrated. No wonder she tried to restate the question several times. No wonder the Republicans are upset and once again flailing about, attempting to vilify those who would attempt to get a simple answer to a simple question. Shame on the Republicans.; Reply to this comment


by karenavis September 14, 2008 1:03 AM EDT: mr2258: judging by the amount of free publicity McCain recieved from the embarrasingly unprofessional performance of the View''s "ladies," it was probably worth 15 minutes of his time.; Reply to this comment


by mr2258 September 13, 2008 11:53 PM EDT: The View...Not sure why McCain wasted his time talking to these fools.This has not a damnn thing to do with their gender.; Reply to this comment


by proudtobenfl September 13, 2008 10:00 PM EDT: The Bush doctrine, which flung open the doors to the catastrophe in Iraq

Posted by starleo14672

Star, you still work here? You mean the catastrophe in Iraq where we freed a population from the an evil dictator that would torture or kill them if they spoke out against him or the regime? Even kids were tortured, dismembered, our out right killed, had their brains blown out right in front of their parents for daring to say anything against him. Doesn''t sound like a catastrophe to me, sounds like a humanitarian deal to me. But then again I never did understand the mindset of cowardly heartless libs that feel all safe and secure sitting over here where there safe, then badmouthing others for their efforts. How brave.; Reply to this comment


by karenavis September 13, 2008 9:58 PM EDT: ABC reviewers,EMILY FRIEDMAN and JENNIFER DUCK, wrote on ABC''s Web site:

"Teaching kids *** is not all right," said McCain. "[Obama] shouldn''t have said it. He chooses his words very carefully and this is a tough campaign."

McCain was replying, in fact, to Walters'' comment that McCain had used the "lipstick" analogy earlier in the campaign.

I also feel that Obama surely knew that using that phrase,so soon after the RNC, would cause a controversy . Either that or he''s not as clever as he would like to think.; Reply to this comment