McCain: Biden A "Very Wise Selection"

Tells Katie Couric Obama's Running Mate “Very Formidable,” Is "A Good Friend And Good Man"

(CBS)  In an interview with CBS Evening News anchor Katie Couric Saturday at his home in Sedona, Ariz., presumptive GOP nominee John McCain had kind words for Sen. Joe Biden, who last night was named presumptive Democratic nominee Barack Obama’s running mate.

“I think he’s a good selection,” McCain told Couric of Biden. “Joe and I have been friends for many, many years, and we know each other very well, and so I think he's made a very wise selection.”

Earlier today, Biden ripped McCain during his first joint appearance with Obama, suggesting McCain will “have to figure out which of the seven kitchen tables to sit at” when considering economic issues, a reference to the fact that McCain couldn't remember how many homes he owned during an interview earlier in the week.

“I know that Joe will campaign well for Senator Obama, and so I think he's going to be very formidable,” McCain added. “Obviously, Joe and I have been on different philosophical sides, but we have been - I consider him a good friend and good man."

In his comments today, Biden called McCain “genuinely a friend of mine” - but added that “you can't change America when you boast” that you’ve “been totally in agreement and support of President Bush.”

"Do you think,” Couric asked, “it will be more difficult now, Senator McCain, to criticize Barack Obama's foreign policy credentials, when someone like Joe Biden is on the ticket, a very experienced and respected voice on Capitol Hill in these matters?"

McCain responded by pointing to the differences between himself and Biden on national security issues.

"Well, I've always respected Joe Biden, but I disagreed with him from the time he voted against the first Gulf War to his position where he said you had to break Iraq up into three different counties,” McCain said. “I never agreed with that. But I appreciate very much his dedication to trying to solve this genocide that's going in Darfur and other things that Joe Biden has done. But we really have different approaches to many national security issues. I look forward to whoever my running mate will be having a respectful debate with him on that as well."

For more of Couric's interview with McCain, tune into Face The Nation Sunday morning.

[alanrobisch]

He has a couple months to offset the seven years of economic damage and political/social mayhem he''''s cost this country.


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Posted by foxmulder33 at 06:04 PM : Aug 25, 2008
+ report abuse
i doubt he''ll be considered one of our great presidents but usually with passing years and when the actual results of the policies they follow have a chance to be seen often presidents who are not liked are given a new respect. If his policy in Iraq turns out to be sucessful in helping stabilize the middle east I think he will gain some respect. His handling of Katrina obviously isn''t going to help his image but perspective might put less blame on the feds and more on the local actions and the general lack of proper preparation over many years not just at the time of the disaster.

[foxmulder33]

If George W Bush is going to be remembered historically as a great President, he better do something fast. He has a couple months to offset the seven years of economic damage and political/social mayhem he''s cost this country.

[joe_transit]

ofbyfor1 my friend, you are so wrong. McSame married a few times, his current wife rakes in million every year. He is a kept man. Although he can afford otherwise he still taps checks from the government out of simple greed. Obama, a civil rights attorney, and as a professor earned his income as opposed to marrying it. If you really think McBush is looking after the interests of the average American, then I guess you have not heard about people loosing homes and dieing for an unjust war, or energy prices that leave many people a choice between heat or meat. Did you ever ponder the thought of the billions McBush wasted in Iraq. It was enough to provide every American health care and a college education for decades to come.

[joe_transit]

Let''s see, one candidate, Obama, is willing to change the course and policies of this nation, addressing issues like the war, health care, education and the economy.
The other candidate thinks everything is fine, and because he can''t remember how many homes he has... well he thinks everyone has that problem. This candidate does not address any important issue, his campaign is based on mean spirited snippy personal attacks, selling fear and lies. It will be another term of the failed Bush policies. The only thing McSame is ready to change in office is his own diaper.
Who will I vote for...I''ll have to have my staff get back to you on that. Not.

[mycommentspg]

Biden will not help the ticket. If you study the real issues and the real candidates, the choice in November is easy. http://mycommentspage.blogspot.com/

[kyleedwin]

I''m delighted to see Biden on the ticket for the simple fact that I hope it puts some pressure on McCain to put Romney on his ticket. In watching all the political pundits over the weekend since the selection, it is obvious that the dem pundits fear a Romney selection the most. I''m a social conservative evangelical from the great state of Texas and I firmly believe that if McCain doesn''t put Mitt on the ticket he''s crazy. Romney is the only conservative out there that could handily defeat Biden in a debate.

[ofbyfor1]

Trance, Do you know how long McCain had to work as US senator to buy 7 houses? 40 years. Barrack Hussein Osama worked only 3 months and already owns a 2 million bucks mansion.

Posted by BagdadsHere2 at 07:06 PM : Aug 24, 2008

BaghdadsHere2--You have just proven yourself to be a moron of the nth degree.

McCain''s multiple mansions and properties are also due to the fact that his wife is a multi-million dollar heiress.

Obama''s single mansion is due to his own money and he''s been working for a LOT longer than 3 months to earn it.

Unlike you, LOL,

[leftyintexas]

History will Show GW bush was a great President.

Posted by jackDems

What has he done that makes him ''great''?

[leftyintexas]

Biden has made more racial jokes and insensitive comments that any VP candidate (or presidential candidate) I can ever think of...

Posted by lilvinnyb at 08:51 AM : Aug 25, 2008

Short attention span?

[lilvinnyb]

Biden has made more racial jokes and insensitive comments that any VP candidate (or presidential candidate) I can ever think of...

[actornaught]

JOHN MCCAIN - PROVEN BAD JUDGEMENT

John McCain has been consistently wrong (or lying) about Iraq. Then he lies (or can''t remember) how easy he said it would be in Iraq. There''s no reason to believe a word he says now, just like w.

McCain: "I believe that we can win an overwhelming victory in a very short period of time." [CNN Late Edition, 9/29/02]

McCain: "We''re not going to get into house-to-house fighting in Baghdad." [CNN Late Edition, 9/29/02]

McCain: "There''s no doubt in my mind that once these people are gone that we will be welcomed as liberators." [MSNBC, Hardball, 3/24/03]

McCain: "We have not told the American people how tough and difficult this task would be... they were led to believe this could be some kind of day at the beach." [CNN, 8/22/06]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h-a5T0HsJpw

[watching_you]

McCain: Biden A "Very Wise Selection"
()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()

General Wesley Clark: McCain a very poor choice.

%u201CThe truth is that, in national security terms, McCain%u2019s largely untested and untried. He%u2019s never been responsible for policy formulation. He%u2019s never had leadership in a crisis, or in anything larger than his own element on an aircraft carrier or in managing his own congressional staff. McCain%u2019s weakness is that he%u2019s always been for the use of force %u2026.. the only time to use force is as a last resort. When he makes ditties about bombing Iran, he betrays a disrespect for the office of the presidency.%u201D General Wesley Clark, ret.

http://ochairball.blogspot.com/2008/06/wesley-clark-says-mccains-untested.html

[samthetvcat]

PS I guess the trick would be establishing a direct link to demonstrate Rove''s influence on McCain which is a challenge in light of McCain''s war hero maverick status. But isn''t it established fact that Karl Rove is an ''advisor'' to McCain? And he''s all over Fox and in the WSJ . . . IF the documentation is there to support the claim that Karl is basically running a re-election campaign for a third term as White House ''brain'' via a different host body then maybe Barack doesn''t look quite so bad relatively speaking anymore (?)

I don''t know . . .

[samthetvcat]

pt 1

Oh okay, so according to the NYT Biden''s being dispatched to paint McCain as similar on the ISSUES to Bush? I think that fails because McCain''s succeeded in establishing a REALLY big contrast between himself and Barack on experience such that McCain voting like a Republican isn''t going to cause a lot of ripples.

Not sure but I feel like they really need to address the character issue first before they can go to issues. Because everybody knows Magoo is a GOPig, and the country''s already leaning heavily Dem on the issues. But McCain has been running a character campaign and Barack''s suffered a serious loss of credibility.

[samthetvcat]

pt 2

Maybe Dems aren''t willing to go there, but I think the way to gain ground over McCain is to paint him as similar to Bush because they''re both dopes who get turned into puppets by the ''evil'' GOP and used for ulterior agendas. So like McCain''s a good guy, but with McCain you are stuck with Karl Rove. Karl Rove who is in contempt for refusing to testify before Congress, architect of the Iraq war, outer of Valerie Plame, creator of the Swift-Boat ads, knee-deep in the US attorney payback firings, tried to entrap a Dem Governor in a corruption/infidelity scandal, allegedly manufactured fake documents that got Rather fired from CBS, etc. Karl Rove who says McCain who''s against off-shore drilling needs to be for off-shore drilling and then one week later McCain''s for off-shore drilling.

Like Dems MIGHT have to show that McCain''s associates are worse than Barack''s to make him look good in comparison (?)

[forevertru-2009]

Obama is Deans and Pelosi''s boy. If he is elected, they will be running the country. Think about it. It started with Dean actually trying to take the vote away from millions in FL and MI. Which he couldn''t get by with anyway and he knew it. Thats exactly why IT ISN"T GOING TO HAPPEN AFTER ALL!! But he sure missed up the Primary for Hillary which was the intention all along. Pelosi can take pride in leading the House to complete failure. Which was no small accomplishment considering the Democrats had everything going for them when they took over the House. And what happened to Hillary was very similar. Before Obama came along, Hillary''s bid for the Presidency was a sure thing. Now the Democrats may or may not win. So think before you vote. Do you want Obama to do to America what Pelosi and Dean has done to the Democratic Party???
A vote for Obama is a vote for corruption.

[apprxam]

Well, at least he isn''t from the Democratic Leadershp Council...Makes it all the likely that the Clintons and the DLC will do their best to F-up this weeks convention.

Oh, yeah.......No more triangulation!

[samthetvcat]

Posted by SharnCedar

I think you''ve basically summed it up in a nutshell.

Those ''aggressive'' attacks they''re planning in painting a portrait of McCain just aren''t going to stick unless he becomes the clear frontrunner because there has to be a strong contrast for people to switch focus otherwise - and with the ticket being Barack and Biden I don''t think that can be done.

I thought it was possible because of his time in Washington to portray McCain as too cozy with lobbyists, but then Barack went and picked Biden, and it turns out that whole Rezko deal saved Barack $300k on a house and Rezko got government contracts (not sure about the timing whether it was quid pro quo though).

Barack should have picked Hillary - not just because she brings the votes, but because she''s got a personal history of being treated badly by the GOP which kind of gives her special credibility in calling them ''evil'' (for lack of a better word) . . . oh well . . .

[sharncedar]

Obama supporters, you must admit that Obama has sold himself as a person who represents change and a more honest kind of politician. Now, it is thus critical that he is indeed an agent of change, otherwise, he is really a very evil liar. Becuase he came out as a new kind of politiican, if that is not true, then he is far more evil ,more disgusting, than any other politician since even a jaded old liar like McCain never claimed to be about hope and changing politics for the better.

So is Obama an agent of change, true change, or a really disgusting liar?

What kiind of vice presidential pick was "Biden"? Does he represent change, or is he one of te most entrenched and status quo politicians, a sick old freak who supported the Iraq war 100%, and the Yugoslavia bombing 100%, and in general is a completely dishonest fruad of a man and a Senator? Or is Biden a fresh face who represents idealism?

[x-republican]

Biden was a good choice. I can live with that. I''m glad it wasn''t Hillary or Edwards.