March 9, 2008

McCain Looks Ahead

60 Minutes' Scott Pelley Interviews The Presumptive GOP Presidential Candidate

  • Play CBS Video Video John McCain

    Now that he has become the presumptive Republican presidential candidate, John McCain talks to Scott Pelley about his plans to win the White House.

  • Sen. John McCain

    Sen. John McCain  (CBS)

  • Timeline McCain's Quest

    Mileposts in the Arizona senator's race for the GOP nomination and the presidency.

(CBS)  At 71 years old, McCain's health has been an issue. After his presidential race in 2000 he was diagnosed with the most lethal form of skin cancer.

McCain told Pelley his health is excellent. "And we'll be doing the medical records thing with the media sometime in the next month or two."

"There has been some criticism that you have not released your medical records. You're saying in this interview that you're about to do that?" Pelley inquired.

"Oh, yeah, we'll do it in the next month or so, yeah," McCain said.

"Is it fair to say that, at this point in time, there's no sign of a recurrence in cancer?" Pelley asked.

"Oh no. No. There's none," McCain said.

But there is an occasional recurrence of McCain's temper. 60 Minutes saw it again on the day of our interview, when he became annoyed with a reporter's questions.

"Some people say you have a short fuse," Pelley remarked. "You acknowledge that?"

"I get angry when I see things go wrong. I've never been elected Ms. Congeniality. But I do believe that I can unite this party. And I think the American people support somebody who still has the capacity, maybe, to get angry from time to time when we see something wrong," McCain said.

Now, eight months before Election Day, McCain is running a close race. He’s behind in fundraising, but he has a head start on November as the Democrats battle on.

Asked what he says to those who say he can't beat a Democrat in November, McCain said, "I say 'I know that I can.' But I also believe that America is a right-of-center nation. And I think that Senator Obama and Senator Clinton, with all due respect, are liberal Democrats. And I'm a conservative Republican. So I believe I can make a better case to the American people."

Produced By Tom Anderson
© MMVIII, CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved.
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by kailumego1 March 12, 2008 2:27 PM EDT
If I didn''''t know the consensus of white America, I learned it last night, when an elderly white female, in my African History class, politely, in a firm but soft spoken voice reminded me, she said this country will never see a black president, and it mattered little of his/her qualifications, because the largest voter constituency, which happens to be those 45-above will never vote a black into office.

She went on to say Obama''''s winning in the primaries says nothing, when the actual vote to elect a president comes into play, of which a majority of whites will "NEVER" cast that vote for him.

Obama has a strong following among 18-35 year whites, but his support sharply declines among the 45 plus generation, they''''re the one''''s which make up the majority of the vote, accordingly.

A fellow student, a white male, second that emotion, or sentiment, as he stated this is the consensus of white Americans, and although it appears Obama has the Democratic lead, McCain is a "shoe-win".

So, if this is any indication of the "collective consciousnesses" of white America, Obama, according to Bill Clinton, is living in a "fairytale", because white Americans will "never" elect him.

Maybe that''''s why Hilary has fought a relentless campaign against him, because she''''s only echoing the sentiments of white America.
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by jbkaufmann March 11, 2008 9:46 PM EDT
Mr. McCain''s chances are directly proportional to the demos'' odds of *** up their own possibilities. At least Mr. Spitzer is NOT a serial rapist. Frankly, I believe Juanita Broderick and the Arkansas beauty queen who spoke of her ordeal in the back of that limo, not to mention Kathleen Willey. Why doesn''t the media describe the various types of women and familial enablers who find it in their own interests to let these guys keep offending. Anybody remember Harry Reasoner''s 60M segment about the high school girl killed by the new hire janitor who confessed to his lady-friend: "Today I killed a girl at achool!"(?) But she didn''t reveal the confession until yrs later when "enabling" was not part of her gig. Spitzer is a far cry from the kinds of offenses we all know so much about. So that''s why we can''t count McCain out, just yet.
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by fettkonserv March 11, 2008 2:54 PM EDT
Looking ahead for Alzheimer''s Treatment.
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by jesus_rose4u March 11, 2008 12:27 AM EDT
McCain Looks Ahead, Yes, through Christ coming into your life a relationship is established between you and God! This way McCain can look ahead!
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by conviction_ March 11, 2008 12:26 AM EDT
McCain Looks Ahead? Would self be conquered?
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by self_vs_god March 11, 2008 12:24 AM EDT
McCain Looks Ahead
If He is elected President I hope he really asks God for direction in His life for the lives of Americans? This would be looking ahead! God can do this personally for him or anyone in fact if they acknowledge their self to God. And then ask Jesus into their lives to have victory over self.
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by fwbromberg March 10, 2008 9:49 PM EDT
I cannot decide which is more appalling: Is it Senator McCain%u2019s hypocrisy at claiming that water-boarding is torture after his vote on February 13 to continue to allow so-called %u201Cenhanced interrogation techniques%u201D (a euphemism for torture) to be used by the CIA? Or is it Scott Pelley%u2019s lack of journalistic integrity or his lack of knowledge that allowed for a discussion of this issue without even a mention of McCain%u2019s February 13 vote? Torture is immoral and leads to false statements and confessions. Its use damages our credibility around the world, puts our servicemen and women in jeopardy, and is in direct contrast to the values and ideals of our democracy.

NOT IN MY NAME!
Fran Bromberg
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by jgug1 March 10, 2008 6:41 PM EDT
THIS is journalism? I think not. Mr. Pelley comes accross as an Apparatchik of Senator McCain. Mr. Pelley doesn''t trouble himself to ask St. McCain why he voted against a bill that would have made torture illegal last month. Then, McCain asserts that America is a "right of center nation," and Pelley doesn''t trouble himself to question that, either. Never mind that a Pew Poll in February showed Americans trust Democrats more than Republicans in EVERY SINGLE CATEGORY except one. How much does McCain pay you for that, Mr. Pelley?
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by j-whitman March 10, 2008 6:41 PM EDT
user168,,,, Maybe you should think about changing your screen name to abuser168 or start listing to the obvious falseness in McCain''s speeches.... Then think about the GOP''s false Contract For America
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by nolalou March 10, 2008 6:37 PM EDT
"The Clintons will steal the Nomination away from Obamma thru secret Delegates ..." Posted by hillaryin08

They are not ''secret delegates'', their names are known, many are party activists or elected officials. The Clinton''s didn''t sneak them in the back door, they have had so called ''super delegates'' since the 1960''s! The purpose was to have some elected delegates pledged to vote as their states voted, and about 20 percent who are allowed to vote their conscience. The republican party has something similar, except they call them ''unpledged delegates'' instead of ''super delegates''. It is Obama trying to change the rules, saying Super Delegates should be obligated to vote for whoever has the most votes or elected delegates, when party rules clearly state that is not the case! Besides, if Obama has his way, would Senator Kennedy, who endorsed Obama, be forced to vote for Hillary at the convention, since she won the Massachusetts Primary?
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by user168-2009 March 10, 2008 6:19 PM EDT
Hillary thinks if your hopes are not for her to win, then they are "false hopes". She is telling the people Obama''s hope to unite the country is "false hope".
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by j-whitman March 10, 2008 5:59 PM EDT
hillaryin08,,,, This article is about McCain''s Magic Mushroom Visions --
--- Baghdad''s far from secure, Iraq''s far from saying there is any degree of real progress, our national security is damaged severly, no real progress has been made in this War on Terror, & & our economy is far from what McCain says.
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by j-whitman March 10, 2008 5:49 PM EDT
hillaryin08,,,, I''m waiting to see how it plays out, but I don''t see it hurting a democrat landslide in November. --- Try not spinning it into something it''s not
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by j-whitman March 10, 2008 5:44 PM EDT
hillaryin08,,,, Oh, your talking about Michigan & Florida.... I''ll agree that''s become a clustref_ck.
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by hillaryin08 March 10, 2008 5:41 PM EDT
The Democrat Party Bosses are now saying now that the elected delegates dont count, and the Super Delagates do. God I''m glad that im not in that party.
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by j-whitman March 10, 2008 5:40 PM EDT
hillaryin08,,,, What part of it is stealing ??
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by hillaryin08 March 10, 2008 5:36 PM EDT
Your folks with your constant war against American Liberals --- McCain is & always has been a Conservative Liberal


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Posted by j-whitman at 02:33 PM : Mar 10, 2008

So what does this have to do with a fellow Democrat stealing and election away from another? And you with the rest of the libs giving them a pass on it?
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by j-whitman March 10, 2008 5:33 PM EDT
hillaryin08,,,, Hypocracy ??? No, this is hyprocracy :

Your folks with your constant war against American Liberals --- McCain is & always has been a Conservative Liberal
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by hillaryin08 March 10, 2008 5:30 PM EDT
Obamma is leading in Elected Pledged Delegates

Obamma is leading in the Popular Vote

Obamma has won the most States

The Clintons will steal the Nomination away from Obamma thru secret Delegates and the Libs will give them a pass and not show an inch of outrage over it.

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by hillaryin08 March 10, 2008 5:28 PM EDT
hillaryin08,,,, I believe here on this planet we call it the election process not stealing,, You know, something totally alien to the GOP, democracy


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Posted by j-whitman at 02:27 PM : Mar 10, 2008

No, but you and the rest of the Libs will not show an inch of outrage when the Clintons steal the election from Obamma. Its called Hypocracy.
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