Candidates On Their Worst Advice

Katie Couric Asks The Presidential Hopefuls About The Worst Advice They've Given And Received

(CBS)  For the series “Primary Questions: Character, Leadership & The Candidates,” CBS News anchor Katie Couric asked the leading presidential candidates questions designed to go beyond politics and show what really makes them tick.

For the latest installment, Couric asks the candidates about the worst advice they've ever received - and given.

Also, check out the candidates' full responses to the previous questions in our "Primary Questions" video library.

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JOHN MCCAIN
Couric: What's the worst piece of advice you've ever given another person?

McCain: The worst piece of advice I've ever given to myself was when the confederate flag was flying over the state capitol in South Carolina. And I decided that I would say it's not an issue I should be involved in; that it should be decided by the people of the state of South Carolina. I knew it was a symbol that was offensive to so many people. And afterwards, I went back and apologized. But it was needless to say, by saying that I wouldn't have anything to do with an issue like that was an act of cowardice.

Couric: Did someone advise you, Senator, to do that?

McCain: Yes. Yes. But that doesn't mean I should have taken it. I should have known better.

MITT ROMNEY
Couric: What's the worst piece of advice you've ever given to another person?

Romney: Let's see. Well, it's typically around personal things like, you know, you really ought to get close to this person. That's the one for you. You oughta’ marry this person.

Couric: Not a good matchmaker?

Romney: I'm not a great matchmaker. I can think of some of the good advice. It's funny. These questions - it's like golf as you ask these questions. You see, when you play golf, and I don't play very often, couple times a year, your bad shots you forget. The good shots you remember forever. So I can think of some great advice that I have been given. But there are - there are times when I have said to people, "You know, I think you ought to get to know this person," and it didn't work out.

BARACK OBAMA
Couric: What's the worst piece of advice you've ever given to another person?

Obama: The worst piece of advice that I have given to anybody was to my younger sister. She's nine years younger than me. And I think that I once told her that she should - no, no, actually I probably shouldn't tell that story. You know what …

Couric: Why? Your sister's going to be mad?

Obama: Well, right, exactly, let me pull back on that. I thought of a good story but it's just too personal.

Couric: What did you tell your sister?

Obama: No. No.

Couric: Not to marry her husband or something. Now he'll be mad too.

Obama: Right something. No, no, no. It wasn't that.

JOHN EDWARDS
Couric: What's the worst piece of advice you've ever given to another person?

Edwards: These are impossible! (Laughs) The worst piece of advice I have ever given someone. I remember - when I had a case as a lawyer, when I represented a family. I won't go through all of the circumstances. And because - I thought the case was going well … I said to them that they should not, in my judgment, accept a settlement they had been offered. And - we lost. We lost the case. And I was just dead wrong. That's the thing that pops to my mind.

Couric: And what did you tell them to do?

Edwards: I told them to go forward and let the jury decide the case. I thought we would win. And we didn't. I was wrong about that.

FRED THOMPSON
Couric: What's the worst piece of advice you've ever been given?

Thompson: There was an old lawyer down in my little home town that I started practicing law at. And you know, I had wanderlust. I had been practicing there for two years and I had a chance to become an assistant U.S. attorney and come to Nashville to prosecute criminal cases in federal government. And he advised me against doing that. And you know, I would have to say that was the worst advice because from a career standpoint, I've had a chance to do things I would never have dreamed that I'd have a chance to be doing. But I must quickly say that you never know about the road not taken. And I could've been very happy being a country lawyer, the way I had planned on being.

HILLARY CLINTON
Couric: What's the worst piece of advice you've ever been given?

Clinton: Oh, I've had so much bad advice. You know, when you're in my position, like your position. I get a lot of advice. I mean, I've gotten lots of bad advice about various hair styles. Oh you've got to try this. Certain fashion mistakes that I've lived with, 'cause they're immortalized in pictures.

Couric: Your Mamie Eisenhower era?

Clinton: Yeah, oh Yeah. I mean, I was never really frankly all that knowledgeable about what you might call style before I got thrust into the public spotlight. And so I was given, and took, a lot of bad advice over a number of years.

RUDY GIULIANI
Couric: What's the worst piece of advice you've ever been given?

Giuliani: Two of my closest friends urged me not to run for mayor of New York City. And they told me I couldn't win. And then when I started winning, the friend that I'm thinking about, Jay Waldman, called me up and he said, now, I have really bad news for you. You are going to win and the job is undoable. And it turned out that well - thank God that was, you know, bad advice. They were only looking out for my best interest, I guess and they were also looking at how impossible it was, they thought to run a major city and particularly New York City where the books were written. It was ungovernable, unmanageable and they felt I was jeopardizing any career I had by running for mayor of New York City. And they advised me against it in pretty strong terms.

MIKE HUCKABEE
Couric: What's the worst piece of advice you've ever been given?

Huckabee: In my very first campaign, I allowed some political consultants to kind of talk me into an ad strategy that I really wasn't that comfortable with. It was in a race against Dale Bumpers who was a United States Senator. He had voted on some funding that funded some really hideous projects for the national endowment for the arts. The way the ad was done, we didn't accuse him of personally liking it, but the fact that he had voted to fund this stuff. Well, it came across that he was then able to say that I had accused him of essentially being a pornographer, which I did not, but I learned a valuable lesson. It didn't work out and I vowed then I would never ever again allow my campaign whatever, whenever and whatever the cost, to engage in a message that I personally couldn't feel good about.

[jack3213]

Clinton talks about how others told her about hair styles.. not what bad advice she gave..talk about her perfected evasive answers!! LOL

[richmondvaga]

to jack3213 if you read carefully Sen. Clinton was asked what was the worst advice she has ever been given, and not the worst advice that she has ever given. She was not evasive in her answer at all. Apparently her listening skills are better than your reading skills. LOL

[forthepeopl1]

A former congressman AND GOOD FREIND OF ROMNEY and delegate to the United Nations was indicted Wednesday as part of a terrorist fundraising ring that allegedly sent more than $130,000 to an al Qaeda and Taliban supporter who has threatened U.S. and international troops in Afghanistan.

The former Republican congressman from Michigan, Mark Deli Siljander, was charged with money laundering, conspiracy and obstructing justice for allegedly lying about lobbying senators on behalf of an Islamic charity that authorities said was secretly sending funds to terrorists.

A 42-count indictment, unsealed in U.S. District Court in Kansas City, Mo., accuses the Islamic American Relief Agency of paying Siljander $50,000 for the lobbying - money that turned out to be stolen from the U.S. Agency for International Development.

[starleo146]

Katie, this is the second time you asked the candidates question, do you know we have a recession? Do you know there is a war in Iraq and Afghanistan? When will you ask a question dealing with the problems Americans are facing.

[anarchristia]

What a joke CBS News is: you start your evening broadcast pushing the baloney that consumption, rather than production, is the backbone of the American economy, followed by a congressional push for a "stimulus package," i.e., more easy money which creates the crisis. Then you interview candidates who understand nothing about economics, ignoring Ron Paul who not only does understand but also beats several of the "leading" candidates in primaries. You report on Ron Paul only when he raises money or if there''s some controversy, but not to discuss his substantive positions. He''d wipe the floor with any one of the others in a one-on-one debate.

[jwmac64]

How stupid can a journalist get?? If you say you are asking the SAME question then ASK the same question!
I was interest in hearing a comparison, not confusion.

[jwmac64]

How stupid can a journalist get?? If you say you are asking the SAME question then ASK the same question!
I was interest in hearing a comparison, not confusion.

[jfoist]

WHY DID YOU CHANGE THE QUESTION HALF WAY THROUGH THE INTERVIEW. FROM "WHAT IS THE WORST ADVISE YOU HAVE EVER GIVIN" TO " WHAT IS THE WORST ADVISE YOU HAVE EVER GOT." Are you trying to mislead the people of the US or what are you trying to do???????? huuuuh

[jfoist]

Do you think that we are that dumb to not notice that you incapable gossipers oops journalist are changing the question. GET REAL. DO YOU TAKE AMERICANS AS DUMB YOU SHOULD THINK ABOUT WHAT YOU DO AND STOP YOUR WORD TWISTING. STOP CALLING AMERICANS DUMB.

[guitarex]

What? WHAT? I like Katie Couric, but why did she change the question in the middle of the interviews tonight? Starting with Fred Thompson, she suddenly changed the question to "What is the worst advice you''ve ever BEEN given?" That''s a totally different question she asked of the others.

AND.... after Thompson''s question we only saw the responses, NOT the question, so we really weren''t sure what question they were responding to. This was very confusing and BAD TV journalism. Why did CBS let it happen?

[fowlowrd]

Katie,
I have enjoyed your recent segment on asking the candidates a question. The questions give us a brief glimpse at their personal palette. Today your warmth and
personal biases seem to come through rather strongly. Your big relaxing smile and body language played well with all the candidates except for Mike Huckabee. You looked at him with a stone cold, almost intolerant attitude , reflecting once again the bias of the liberal media.

[kridgley]

katie; under the pretense that we should know all the candidates,it does not help when you switch up the question as you did tonite. We would rather know the answer to the same question, then we will make up our minds of which candidate we want, not which one CBS wants us to lean to........

[mattcbsmatt]

MITT ROMNEY knows illegal immigration from mexico is illegal.
What does it take 2 degree from Harvard for a polictian to know that illegal immigration is illegal?

[boatdocster]

Perfect examples of why Katie Couric is the lowest rated news show on television.

1. Changing the question. Nice try
2. Not covering Ron Paul, who is polling nationally higher than some of the other "mainstream GOP" folk
3. Worst piece of advice - we are in two illegal wars and doubled our debt in the last 6 years and thats the best you can do???

At one time CBS News stood for integrity (Murrow, Cronkite,etc). Now its just canned *** about ratings, and it has nothing to do with Katie''s gender - the other major networks are as gutless when it comes to tough questions and digging for the truth.

At the rate most networks going, the famous tonight''s NEWS moniker will be changed to tonight''s GARBAGE

[apple466-2009]

How could you ignore the candidate who is ahead of the two of your so-called front-runners? I am talking about Ron Paul. It looks like the network is not allowed to mention his name. Isn''t it right?
Shame on you.

[flikki69]

I used to watch you faith fully every night up until tonight.

Not mentioning Ron Paul on your show is straight up conspiracy, against this intelligent man that mother America needs.

He beat both Thompson and Guiliani in Michigan.

All candidates with the exception of Ron Paul , want war and to tax gas/ heating fuel @ .40 cents over a five year term ???

The American dollar value is at 4 cents right now and if it crashes, next is our military.We sure in the hell can''t leave our men and women around the world.

This being the last thing America needs.How can you beat inflation with more inflation ? You can''t!

America needs to wake up and vote for Ron Paul , the only candidate with a plan, including restoring our constitutional rights, the economy,ending the war, huge government spending and lots more.

He has never changed anything in 25 years about what he stands for and has no past record or dirt like all the other candidates.

This man has never accepted money from lobbyist but all others have.Once again, he is returning thousands of dollars not used in his district as well.

Join The r3VOlution , go to the internet for your current news not the main street media.

www.ronpaulforpresident2008.com

[sgtrds]

The worst advice any of them must have gotten was to agree to interviews with Katie Couric.

[hawksprings]

Anybody want to bet if the Mainstream Media will even mention that Jan. 17 is the 10 year anniversary of the breaking of the Monica Lewinsky Scandal??

Come to think of it I guess they''ll have to mention it because of all the alternative media nowadays, like the Drudge Report that broke the story.
Otherwise they''ll just be scooped... again.

[baptox]

I think the two questions that really need to be asked are: "Was this ''worst advice question'' the most stupid question Katie Couric has ever asked?" and "Will she ever give up her little girl voice and start talking like a grown woman?"

[lowkeyhd]

why is this not the Q. that was on the news?
of witch only J.E.answered truthfully and without changing the question to something else that they would prefer to deal with ?

[lowkeyhd]

why is this not the Q. that was on the news?
of witch only J.E.answered truthfully and without changing the question to something else that they would prefer to deal with ?

[lowkeyhd]

why is this not the Q. that was oh the news?
of witch only J.E.answered truthfully and without changing the question to something else that they would prefer to deal with ?

[lowkeyhd]

why is this not the Q. that was oh the news?
of witch only J.E.answered truthfully and without changing the question to something else that they would prefer to deal with ?

[lowkeyhd]

why is this not the Q. that was oh the news?
of witch only J.E.answered truthfully and without changing the question to something else that they would prefer to deal with ?

[merlgrey]

Katie, you could ask them why has Ron Paul received more donations from active-duty soldiers, sailors, airmen, and marines than any other presidential candidate?

That would be a good question yes? You support the troops and want their voice heard dont you?

http://www.ronpaul2008.com/veterans/

[skyk-2009]

Katie, you could ask them why has Ron Paul received more donations from active-duty soldiers, sailors, airmen, and marines than any other presidential candidate?

That would be a good question yes? You support the troops and want their voice heard dont you?

http://www.ronpaul2008.com/veterans/





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Posted by merlgrey at 02:05 AM : Jan 17, 2008
+ report abuse

What I would like someone to ask Mr. Paul is why he allowed all those horribly RACIST letters, flyers and pamplets to be put out into the public under his name. NO person who wants to lead this nation should be should have such statements attributed to him... UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES!!

[skyk-2009]

Come to think of it I guess they''''ll have to mention it because of all the alternative media nowadays, like the Drudge Report that broke the story.
Otherwise they''''ll just be scooped... again.


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Posted by hawksprings at 09:17 PM : Jan 16, 2008
+ report abuse

LOL I don''t know why anyone would want to remind American about that Witch Hunt! LOL Especially taken the condition of this nation today! I wonder how many American''s wouldn''t GLADLY trade that for the criminal acitivity of the present Administration. Course we already know the answer to that don''t we?

[skyk-2009]

I think the two questions that really need to be asked are: "Was this ''''worst advice question'''' the most stupid question Katie Couric has ever asked?" and "Will she ever give up her little girl voice and start talking like a grown woman?"


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Posted by baptox at 12:16 AM : Jan 17, 2008
+ report abuse

I don''t want to know that... this is something a 6 year old would ask! I really am interested in the response McCain had though. Why did he feel it was best to stay out of the issue of the Traitors Flag flying over the State House in SC. Very interesting that he NOW finds that to be a mistake.

[mike71067]

I agree that running for president was the worst advice that Hillary ever followed.

[watcher269-2009]

I agree that Mitt telling Sen. Gayraig to meet him in the toilets at the Minn airport was not a good idea.

[rowdytexan2]

Frankly, if the State of SC wants to fly the flag of Barney the purple dragon over their capitol, it''s notobody elses business! And flying the flag of the confederacy is their right. It''s part of their history. And frankly it reminds the US of the first incident of a republican president stomping all over the Constitution of the United States.

So very few really understand what really happened in the Civil War because our textbooks teach us what a great president Lincoln was, and leave out those parts for which this country should be ashamed.

Pixx on McCain.

The other answers were really nice evasions, especially Obama, geezus. Good job there!

[jack3213]

Hey Richmond: READ THIS: "What''s the worst piece of advice you''ve ever given another person?"
Perhaps your reading skills need tuning! LOL

[jack3213]

Hey Richmond: READ THIS: "What''s the worst piece of advice you''ve ever given another person?"
Perhaps your reading skills need tuning! LOL

[jack3213]

Hey Richmond: READ THIS: "What''s the worst piece of advice you''ve ever given another person?"
Perhaps your reading skills need tuning! LOL

[jack3213]

Hey Richmond: READ THIS: "What''s the worst piece of advice you''ve ever given another person?"
Perhaps your reading skills need tuning! LOL

[merlgrey]

Katie, you could ask them why has Ron Paul received more donations from active-duty soldiers, sailors, airmen, and marines than any other presidential candidate?

http://www.ronpaul2008.com/veterans/

[actrand]

Your flip and flop between worst advice given and worst advice received was confusing to say the least. McCain twisted it to ''advice to himself'', and upon review, I see you changed the question. Upon first watch, it looked like the candidates didn''t understand the question. In short, keep the same question!!

[bdrlnt4rl]

oh huck, your such a fake. you know that using the gospel to gain glory is a sin, but yet you continue to do so. your a snake.