Transcript: John McCain And His Mother

Katie Couric Speaks With The Presumptive GOP Nominee About Myanmar, His Opponents And Mother's Day

(CBS)  CBS News anchor Katie Couric asked Sen. John McCain about issues ranging from the situation in Myanmar to who he'd rather run against in the general election to his Mother's Day plans. Appropriately enough, McCain’s 96-year-old mother, Roberta McCain, also joined the discussion. She spoke candidly about her marriage to a distinguished naval officer, their lives during WWII, her son’s captivity in Vietnam and her thoughts on the “age issue” her son might face with voters.

What follows is a full transcript of the interview.

Katie Couric: Let me start with you, if I could. You eloped, I understand … in Tijuana because your family didn't fully support your marriage to Sen. McCain's father.

Roberta McCain: That's right. You know, I see now what they're … it took a long time for me to figure it out, but I was so young. And, of course, I was still in school. And, of course, they objected. And my… the only thing about them maybe. And I think she had, you know what, a sailor has a girl in every port. I think she heard that.

Couric: Hopefully that wasn't true.

John McCain: You were at the University of Southern California at the time.

Roberta McCain: Yeah, I was …

John McCain: Living in a sorority house, is that right?

Roberta McCain: Yes. Over the weekend, before my final exams in January, I took my text books to study that weekend, if you can believe that?

Couric: When you were eloping?

Roberta McCain: Yes. Carried them with me 'cause I never looked at one of them. And went back Monday morning and took those exams. So that whole week …

Couric: How'd you do?

Roberta McCain: Oh, I passed.

John McCain: Would you mention … the establishment … in Tijuana … where the marriage took place?

Roberta McCain: Oh. I'm gonna kill him. It was Caesar's bar in Tijuana.

Couric: Classy.

Roberta McCain: Yeah. In fact, it's still going. And that's where they invented Caesar salad.

Couric: Wow.

Roberta McCain: The bartender was a man named Caesar.

Couric: So you were a bit of a maverick. Is that where your son gets his streak?

Roberta McCain: I don't know. I was just young and stupid.

John McCain: Now, now.

Couric: But it all worked out.

Roberta McCain: Oh yes. Oh I never questioned one moment of that. It was the right thing. I knew that I … was terribly in love. And I knew that it would be for life, and it was.

Couric: Your dad, Sen. McCain, was a distinguished naval officer, your husband Mrs. McCain. And he was away a lot. Did that make the two of you grow very close as you were growing up?

John McCain: It really did. Particularly during World War II when he was gone almost all the time. Like … so many who served in the military in World War II. They just went until the war was over. But he came back, I think, two times or three times…

Roberta McCain: I think three. I don't remember.

John McCain: To get new submarines, [the] submarine commander would get new submarines to replace his older one. And that is the only time we saw him. And we drove across [the country] as a family. And she would stop at every historic place, and at (unintelligible) taverns, at the hermitage, at whatever place of historic interest or value.

You know, it was tough in those days driving across the country with a family by yourself. She did it with steadfastness. And … made it very interesting. And so … I think, particularly growing up in the earliest years … we became very close. As my Dad is (unintelligible), but … she kept him alive. She talked about him all the time.

Couric: He would be gone for months at a time.?

Roberta McCain: I'd say three or four. He was in submarines. And …when it needed maintenance that's actually, this is what's so wonderful about our country. When I see how many years it takes to build something or fix a bridge, they put out a new submarine every single solitary month in World War II. So you would take three or four at sea. And then that also wad be assigned a new submarine. That's why he would come back.

Couric: So he'd be gone for three or four months and the come back?

Roberta McCain: Yes. Because … they would take a new submarine. And a younger officer would take over the one that you left.

Couric: That must have been hard for you too as …

Roberta McCain: Really, I must have been oblivious. And I just always have been a very happy person. I just take things as they come. And, maybe just through stupidity. I didn't go through all the rigors that people seem to think … I don't know.

John McCain: But I think, also, isn't it true, Mother, that all of America was kind of in it together?

Roberta McCain: Yes. No question.

John McCain: …had left. And it was the war. And so it wasn't, you know … today it's kind of unique. And the Vietnam War was kind of unique in that a small number bore the greater part of the burden. And I think one other thing … and my mother can talk about it more than I can, is that her identical twin sister lived in, and still does, live in Los Angeles. And we went and stayed with her for …

Roberta McCain: Oh yes. I had no place to go. She had three children and I had three children under 10 years old and no help.

Couric: But you all lived together or stayed together …

Roberta McCain: Yes. Well, not for terribly long. What do you say? Three, four months? Six? I don't know.

Couric: That was nice to have her, though.

Roberta McCain: Oh sure. We had a marvelous time. Can I tell you one thing?

Couric: Yeah.

Roberta McCain: We were really stuck with these children. You know … there's nothing. So … we were invited to a lunch and my father heard us talking …and he said, "Well, I'll take care of the children." So that was wonderful.

And, of course, we stayed away too long. And when we drove up my father was out on the front lawn with six children. And he had the keys in his hand. And he said, "Well, I used to read those English novels about nannies and nurseries." He said, "Now I know why England is surviving."

And he never offered to take care of those children again (laughter).

Couric: I'm sure. Well, a lot of my friends who work for a living, you know, they can't wait … to get back to work when they have to …

Roberta McCain: With those children. And he had six of them. All under 10.

Couric: Wow. Let me ask you about what was Sen. McCain like as a teenager. Because I know you referred to him as a scamp.

Roberta McCain: Well, he was just one of those kids, and always kind of in and out of minor, me being mad at him, or something. He was just fun to be with.

Couric: But he got into a lot of trouble?

Roberta McCain: I don't think so. I don't seem to remember that much, well, he certainly he … I don't think he ever got in, no, he never got in any real trouble. 'Cause he wouldn't have been able to stay in school.

Couric: What did you mean by calling him a scamp?

Roberta McCain: See, he was different to this thing. Johnny really was kind of … he really was a leader. All of the boys around his age, they all … he was just a leader. And they would gang around in our house. And, well, he was, you know, he's naturally very funny, or was then.

I think he's curbed a lot of that humor. And I think some of it because they … my thing is that they criticized Senator Dole … and he was funny. And instead of that people saying he was not a (unintelligible) man. But he was funny. And he was fun to be with. So, of course, when you're around with somebody that's kind of halfway, you know, I don't know. He was just one of those natural, young, American boys … in my definition.

Couric: You had said that Sen. McCain's more like his father in that you hold grudges, but he doesn't.

Roberta McCain: Yeah, he won't hold a grudge unless …

Couric: How can you not hold a grudge … and be in Washington as long as you've been, Senator?

John McCain: Well, I think Katie, that you find out over time, and it does take time, and it's kind of a waste of time.

Roberta McCain: I'd know that.

John McCain: I had kind of a defining experience many years ago where a fellow came to my office named David Ifshin (phonetic spelling), who had been one of the leaders of the SDS …

Couric: Many of our viewers won't even recall that that was a very large anti-Vietnam War movement.

John McCain: And we sat down we talked. And he said, "I think we ought to put our differences behind us." And I did. And we worked together to try to help human rights in Vietnam. To help the Buddhist end. And to restore normal relations. Well, David, unfortunately, died at a very early age.

And I … feel so much better that David and I had a reconciliation and were able to work together. Look, I have differences with some of my colleagues in the senate. And I'm not close friends with some of them, to say the least. But I think it's important to, when you have differences, to put them aside and move on. And that was hard for me to learn. But I finally did. I think I'm a better person for that.

Couric: I know, during your son's captivity, Mrs. McCain, you had to believe in your heart that he had died to get through every day.

Roberta McCain: No … I only thought he had died the first two days.

Couric: Oh really?

Roberta McCain: The first …

Couric: How were you able to get through all those years when your son was in captivity?

Roberta McCain: Well, I do have faith. I have faith in God's will and that's all I ask for. I don't have particular things I ask for. And if I profess that I have faith then I have to do it. And it's like these … all these other things, people, they go … those things weren't very hard for me.

I just … if you can't do something about something, don't waste your time on it. And I couldn't do anything about that. I could maintain my dignity and the things that I'd always claimed that I believed in, God and my country. And I believe in the Vietnam War. And one pretty good proof about the domino theory is (unintelligible), Cambodia and Vietnam what today are communist. And they weren't before the Vietnam War started.

John McCain: Is it true, though, and Katie might be interested, and that one of the things is that with most people you didn't talk about me.

Roberta McCain: Oh no. I never said a word to anybody.

Couric: Wasn't that hard?

Roberta McCain: Well, why bring it up?

Couric: How worried were you, Senator, about your mom and dad and three young children?

John McCain: I was most worried about my family and that they didn't know what was happening to me. And I think that was harder, in some ways, on my father because he was a commander of all the U.S. forces in the Pacific. And, in 1972, he was told to bomb, order the bombing of B-52s in Hanoi. And he knew that I lived in Hanoi.

That my prison camp, one of them, was there. And, of course, he carried out ... those instructions and gave the orders without hesitation. But it's still pretty tough on a father, you know. I think, in some ways, the strain on him was ... in some ways more difficult and of greater.

Roberta McCain: Oh yeah. Every single night he prayed on his knees. And I have … a prayer book of his, an Episcopal prayer book where, you know, your hand finally will just be oil, and wear the paper out, those papers are just worn out. They were just …

John McCain: So it was tough on him. But he was a very brave person and dedicated to the Navy. And I know it's maybe a little off the subject, but it was a generation that he represented of the pre-World War II Naval officer, military officer.

They all came from the same place. Either West Point or the Naval Academy. And certainly they had their failings and flaws. But there was a certain kind of-- apolitical attitude that most of that generation had of pre World War II military officers. My mom may dispute with me, but I think Herman Wolk's book-- Winds of War is one of-- and War and Remembrance is one of those great stories where you kind of get that flavor. I recommend it very-- very highly. (Laughter) Don't you think?

Roberta McCain: Yes. When he says that the military was apolitical, it was. On an officer's (unintelligible) report they would put PI, which meant political influence, and they scorned it. And that was a mark against you. I don't ever remember politics being … discussed in my whole married life.

Couric: It's really about honor, wasn't it?

John McCain: And it … wasn't all perfect. We weren't ready for World War II, as you know. That wasn't so much the military's fault, but also it was a kind of insularity. And it was good for the military, in my view, to take and have the officer corps from, frankly, all walks of society.

From colleges and given more enlisted people. There were still some. But more enlisted people to become officers. So I think, overall, it was an improvement. But there was kind of some unique qualities about the pre World War II military officer that was very interesting and admirable.

Couric: Let's talk about politics and this campaign. As you both know, Sen. McCain's age has been brought up quite a bit, because he will be the oldest president ever elected to a first term if he wins in November. Has your mom given you some good tips on staying fit?

[sgtrds]

Other then revealing that there actually is someone who is older then John McCain, who cares?

[rowdytexan2]

Very charming lady. How lucky Mr. McCain is to have her support!

Happy Mother''s Day, Mrs. McCain.

[bjs0723]

Saw the interview with McCain and his mother. I think he should step down and allow her to run for President, after all the issue was age is a plus. She is a very intelligent, insightful and good looking woman!

Brenda Stuggis(Registered Democrat),
Fort Lauderdale, FL

[megamanx1-2009]

OK... SO SHE''S OLDER AND EVEN MORE OUT OF TOUCH THAN MCBUSH. CONGRATULATIONS ON PROVING THAT CBS. YOU DID GOOD. MORE SUPERDELEGATES TO OBAMA!

[sgtrds]

I hate warm and fuzzy stories like this no matter which candidate they come from. I mean she''s his mother for Pete''s sake! What''s she going to say "Oh Johnny was such a rotten no good bas***** when growing up that it doesn''t surprise me he turned out to be such a corrupt GOP Senator"

[pvperson]

She seems a good lady, too bad she isn''t running instead of her flip-flopin son.

[voltaire333]

They keep draggin'' that poor old lady around just to make John look younger. Hell, the pope looks young standin'' next to her. We get it, John''s not as old as SOME people! Now leave that poor woman to die in peace!

[rowdytexan2]

ROFLMAO Yep and to stupid to even admit it!! ROFLMAO Sieg Heil Bush!!


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Posted by MCVet at 09:11 PM : May 09, 2008

ROFL! I''m not stupid enough to vote for a whack job like Obama! Blind fools! ROFL!

[milesbrown49]

Momma''s boy????? Leader under the tail of his mothers skirt?? I heard Hamas was supporting McCain to win. I heard Israel was hoping for Obama!!

HAMAS WANTS McCAIN FOR PRESIDENT!!! WHY WOULD HAMAS SUPPORT McCAIN?????

[tbweb]

Sen. John McCain''s mother easily erases all doubt as to whether Sen. McCain is too old to be President. When you look at Sen. McCain''s mother and how robust she looks at her ripe age, it leaves you with the impression that not only is Sen. McCain made from good genes but that he could easily serve 2 Presidential terms and then some! When you look at his mother his age stops being an issue!

[milesbrown49]

dumbshun: But Prinzowhales is telling the truth. How can the truth be anti anything???? Right here in NY worked in the twins right before it went down. Here for the first attempt. No one had anything to benefit but Israel and those in the Oil business. As far as anti-sematism; Israel imported true original from Ethopia only to oppress and persecute them. Why oppress the Jews. Built them their own projects and everything. I hear they are building gas chambers for them too. The big eye is on you!!!!

[milesbrown49]

PEEK-A-BOO Free the Ethopian Jews or watch the light shine on you. I SEE YOU!!!!!

[milesbrown49]

dumbshun = Master Spewer!!!

[milesbrown49]

As a matter of fact dumbshun Prinzowhales version was reported as some Jewish men were seen dancing on a roof with their cameras as the twins went down. Pleasee. Most Americans know the truth and this election will be the one to prove it. Overwhelmly Americans will vote the rich and the greedy out!!!!

[no_billary]

Hamas wants John McCain''s Mother to be president.

I wonder if McCain''s mom saw one of Tijuana''s famous donkey shows while she was there. Maybe she invented them.

[no_billary]

Caps key stuck dumbshun?

[rudy654-2009]

Posted by dumbshun at 12:00 AM

Oops. Turn up the oxygen in your tank! You are having a breathing emergency. You shouldn''t smoke so much.

[milesbrown49]

dumbshun: WHAT ABOUT THE 100 MILLION KILLED IN THE AFRICAN SLAVE TRADE!!! DO YOU CARE ABOUT THEM! HUH NOOOOOO INSTEAD YOU GO TO AFRICA AND TAKE THE ETHIOPIANS AND PERSECUTE THEM. THERE WERE BLACKS KILLED IN GERMANY TOO. IF YOU CAN WHINE, WHY CAN''T I!!!!!

[rudy654-2009]

Posted by dumbshun at 12:02 AM

HAHAHAHAAH! HHAHAHAHHAHH! LOLOLLOOLL! 96? LOLLOLLOL!

[milesbrown49]

Het dumbshun: Why do you want to blow everyone up? Why is everyone a Jihadist? What if I kept calling you a Zionist??

[rudy654-2009]

Posted by dumbshun at 12:05 AM

Sorry, with all that wheezing between your smoking, I couldn''t hear you.

[milesbrown49]

dumbshun: Sounding more and more like a Nazi every day!! Just wanted to bring it out. The Cacuses are in Europe, its huts in Africa.

[rudy654-2009]

Posted by milesbrown49 at 12:11 AM

He just loves to lick black boots.

[moneymcbush]

Katie should have asked the McCain''s if humans were created by god or evolved, since they are old enough to have seen what really happened.

[milesbrown49]

dumbshun: the world is waking up. they didn''t just catch a muslim spying on the USA for its weapons did they? Oh right, it was an Israli!! If you like Israel so much, you go there and I am an American. My liberties are paid for by the marches of my parents and grandparents.

[gce65]

I wonder Katie Couric didn''t ask if McCain''s mom approved of his ssscrewing around on his first wife with Cindy after she waited for him all those years while he was a POW.
Now there''s a Republi-con example!
Hey, maybe that Guido GOP congressman from NY can be McCain''s running mate...

[moneymcbush]

They should interview the McCains in the museum, that way they would seem a little younger, when compared to the dinosaur fossils.

[moneymcbush]

Al Qaeda has endorsed John Sydney McCain III.

Osama Bin Laden wants McCain to help him recruit more terrorists just like little George Bush and big D_ic_k Cheney.

I read that Hamas wants John McCain''s mom to be president.

Also Kim Jong Il wants dumbshun to be president.

[milesbrown49]

dummy: The only one on here terrorizing everyone is you!! You are the terroist. Hamas wants George Bush to do one more term, but since he can''t HAMAS ENDORSED McCAIN!!!!!

[moneymcbush]

dumbshuns got rythm.
not much else unfortunately.
Maybe McCain will hire dumbshun to change his diaper?

[milesbrown49]

Obama is the solution to American poloution
Obama is the answer to the democracy cancer
Obama is the explanation and the clarification for political insubordination. OBAMAH

[milesbrown49]

McCaine met with Israel. They are the ones caught spying on America. They are the ones who are in the middle of a scandal where the president - a zionist, got caught illegally taking money from an American Zionist. I recognize my enemies!!!

[milesbrown49]

dummy: You are discusting and I can tell that you are into men by your usage. I would never think of saying something like that. Ill!!!!!!

[sgtrds]

Caps key stuck dumbshun?

Posted by No_Billary at 11:55 PM : May 09, 2008

Nope. he''s just an as*shole.

[sgtrds]

TERORIST ISLAMIC JIHADI/SUPPORTER "BELCHING" SH*T?

Posted by dumbshun at 12:49 AM : May 10, 2008

Like I said.

[kissamaarse]

Gimme a freakin'' break!

Let''s talk about Rev. John Hagee. Let''s talk about land deals quid pro quo to monetary supporters. Let''s talk about not voting for Bush before he voted for Bush. Let''s talk about violating the message, ethic and law of his own McCain-Feingold Act.

Then let''s start talking about the real scoop on John McSame, because this is the tip of the iceberg. 72, active cancer, 2 well-know cheating affairs on the women (women) he''s been married to.

Shall we begin?

[kissamaarse]

dumbshun:
Are you really as retarded as you sound, or do you just engage in schoolyard rhetoric and ritualistic defamation because you like the look of your own guttural?

[METAUSTIN]

This interview is precisely why Katie Couric is leaving CBS News. People don''t care about Roberta. She''s an old idiot, like her son! People care about his allegence to Bush, undoubtedly the worst president in the history of these United States (at least they were united before Dubya was appointed by the U.S. Supreme Court.)

John McCain and his creepy wife have said they will not use negative tactics in their campaign but use them every day. McCain has said that Hamas likes Barack OBama. More lies like Bush''s "Swift Boat" ad''s about John Kerry. Those liars were paid millions by the Republican Party to say those things!

McCain is just a senile, evil twin of Bush. The first thing he wants to do is push the red, nuclear button on Iran. He should resign from the race and check into a rest home first. We need peace in this world, not another George W. Bush!

[moneymcbush]

zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
What a waste of time. She should have asked the old bag why her son cheated on his wife or why did call her a C-u-n- t? She could have at least asked her if she saw a donkey show while she was in Tijuana? Maybe she could have asked why her son is afraid to let everyone know how rich the elite McCain family is?

[justspiffy]

Don''t any of you dare to talk that way about Senator
McCain''s mother. Just hope you are as bright when you get older.
Thank you Senator McCain for letting all of us get to know your wonderful Mother.
And I''m not even a Republican but I will respect Seator McCain if he wins.

[justspiffy]

Lot''s of hateful people posting.

[greatdrivew]

Right from his mommy''s arms into one government job after another and then right back into Mommy''s arms.

And the GOP honestly expects to win with this guy? LOL

[sgtrds]

dumbshun:
Are you really as retarded as you sound, or do you just engage in schoolyard rhetoric and ritualistic defamation because you like the look of your own guttural?

Posted by kissamaarse at 01:17 AM : May 10, 2008

No, he''s really as retarded as he sounds.

[veteran72]

Our country has had an enforceable equal pay law from 1964 to May 2007, until the Supreme Court ruled against Lilly Ledbetter. Lilly Ledbetter worked for Goodyear Tire for 19 years, and got paid less than any man. She didn''t learn until near the end of her employment that she was earning less for the same work. She sued and she won. But then the Supreme Court in a 5 to 4 decision overturned her award saying she failed to bring her suit within 180 days of the first discriminatory act. With this single stroke, they gutted the ability to enforce the law. The Fair Pay Act simply restores the ability to enforce a law that''s been on the books for forty years.

Senator McCain''s statements aren''t just misinformed%u2014they''re a sad reminder that a lot of politicians are totally out of touch with the hard realities facing working women.
I guess maybe his Mommy didn''t teach him anything useful afterall.

McBushcain is a Nazi Fascist Corporate Toady, nothing more.
He''ll be happy to fight for any Legislation as long as it assists Corporations against Citizens interests.
He''''s a Laughable, out of touch Cronie of the Bush/Cheney Crime Cartel, that will continue to destroy America and the basic, founding beliefs of Individual Freedom and Liberty.
He''ll be wiped out in the General Election by a Landslide.
Sorry Neocon Nazis.

PS- Hey McBushcain, get off the Goverment Teat and Your Mommy''s Teat sometime before you croak.
And you better hurry, you"re just about out of time....

[jockh]

The only reason Hillary has not pulled out yet is obvious.

She has LOANED her campaign nearly $12 million dollars; at the moment there is not enough money in her campaign to repay her, if she quits then the donations stop, which means she has a problem recovering her millions.

However if she is clever she can continue and keep making requests for donations from foolish Clinton supporters.
Once enough gullible people have made donations and there is enough money to pay her back THEN suddenly she will announce that she is quitting for the good of the Party !

Does that make sense to you Clinton supporters?

Now go to her website immediately and pay back her loans!

[mcvet]

Oh Geeee! An interview with OLD and OLDEST!!

[mcvet]

Lot''''s of hateful people posting.


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Posted by justSpiffy at 02:06 AM : May 10, 2008
+ report abuse

You want to listen to Hateful??? YOU should go to the source of it... the people who have used it for DECADES and DECADES in the same way the Third Reich did in Germany. Go to the FASCIST hate Radio!! That clown Rush was wishing for and plotting to make a RIOT happen in Denver this summer!! ROFLMAO Sieg Heil Bush

[mcvet]

COMING FROM A BRAIN-WASHED YO-YO?
WHAT A CREDIBILITY GAP!



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Posted by dumbshun at 06:22 AM : May 10, 2008
+ report abuse

Well then EXPLAIN some of his FLIP FLOPS!! I sure can''t or at least any other way that the poster did. I mean a US SENATOR who wants to be our PRESIDENT doesn''t know the difference between Sunni and Shiite?? Then he says he will keep our troops in Iraq for 100 YEARS!! Oh but it doesn''t stop there. His solution to our Health Care Problems? A warmed over version of the Bush Plan... the one they couldn''t even get to the Floor of the Senate when the FASCIST controlled it?? How else can you explain it?? Sieg Heil Bush

[tbweb]

Isn''t it ironic how Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton talks about having the support of White working class Voters and Sen. Barack Obama doesn''t! Well, well, well, I recall in 1996 the tables were turned, Sen. Bob Dole had the same constituency, the White working class Voters and Bill Clinton didn''t! In fact Bill Clinton was in the same boat Barack Obama is in now! And as we all know, Bill Clinton defeated Bob Dole and went on to become President without the White working class voters but with an overwhelming African-American Vote! So what the hell is Sen. Clinton''s point?

[sleepyric]

Is it just me, or does Mrs. McCain look like Jessica Tandy in Fried Green Tomatoes?????? Happy Mother''s Day Mrs. McCain!...you seem like a wonderful person, and someone I''d like to talk to for awhile.