Cindy McCain On Abortion, Creationism

CBS Evening News Anchor Katie Couric Interviews John McCain's Wife On The Issues

(CBS)  CBS News anchor Katie Couric talked one-on-one with Cindy McCain about her husband's selection of Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin to be his running mate. They also discussed social issues, such as abortion. Couric began by asking McCain if the governor has been rattled by the intense media scrutiny.

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Cindy McCain: No, she's not the least bit shell shocked. She's tough, she's smart. She's extremely on target with the job she needs to be doing. No she's a very - she's an amazing woman. She really is. I'm very impressed with her.

Katie Couric: When did you and your husband first discuss her as a possibility?

McCain: A while ago. We had, as you know, John and I pretty much discuss everything. And he brought her name up to me some months ago, after the primaries, of course. And then … as you get a lot of names, I mean we were thinking abut a lot of different people and Sarah was in that mix. I'm very happy he chose a governor, and I couldn't be happier. In fact, when he called me and said "ok, I think I'm going to do this," I was, if I could, I would have done back flips. I'm too old, but I could have.

Couric: Do you feel confident, Mrs. McCain, that the vetting process which is getting a lot of attention was as thorough as it needed to be and that Sen. McCain knew everything he needed to know?

McCain: Well, I was right in the middle of it. I know the vetting process was thorough. I knew that was going on, so absolutely, it was. She was vetted and she was thoroughly vetted. That's, you know, it's just something that, just because the media didn't know, doesn't mean we didn't vet her (laugh).

Couric: The scuttlebutt, if you will, behind the scenes is that Sen. McCain really wanted Joe Lieberman to be his running mate, but social conservatives would have found him unacceptable because of his position on abortion.

McCain: My husband and Joe are very good friends. And, wouldn't it be nice to work with your best friend? Of course. But we had to consider other things as well. And reform being the, as you know, my husband's most important issue, and my husband felt that Gov. Palin was a better fit for that.

Couric: Some, even Republicans, seemed surprised that Sen. McCain picked a running mate who opposes abortion even in the cases of rape and incest, and believes creationism should be taught in schools. And I'm just curious, do you agree with that?

McCain: What I agree with is the fact that she is a social conservative. She is a reform-minded woman. She is someone that will … shake Washington up, which is exactly what we want to do. We differ on many issues; we differ across the board with people. We don't have to agree on every issue.

Couric: Where do you stand on abortion?

McCain: I'm pro-life. I'm on the record as being pro-life, like my husband.

Couric: So do you oppose it even in cases of rape and incest?

McCain: No.

Couric: So that's where you two differ in terms of your position on that.

McCain: Uh-huh

Couric: And do you believe Roe V. Wade should be overturned?

McCain: No. no.

Couric: No. Why not? Your husband does.

McCain: No. I don't think he does.

Couric: He believes it should be overturned. That's what he told me, and that it should go to the states.

McCain: Well, in that respect. Yes, yeah, I do. I understand what you're saying now. It's a states issue.

Couric: So, you believe it should be overturned or shouldn't be overturned.

McCain: I believe it's a states issue. That I do believe.

Couric: How do you feel about creationism? Do you think it should be taught in schools?

McCain: I think both sides should be taught in schools. I think the more children have a frame of reference and an opportunity to read and know and make better decisions and judgments when they are adults. So, I think you know I don't have any problem with education of any kind.

[c8ann3r]

Come on CBS -- let''s get the lead out. Thanks Katie for asking the right questions. Now websmaster -- at least get your video to stream as fast as your ads... that is seriously tacky. You do Katie and all of CBS news a disservice with your below par web management.

Cindy don''t sound too sharp, does she?...lol...and she got handled by a kid''s glove....

[aggiekat2004]

For those of you who haven''t done your homework...

McCain has voted against funding for sexx education in our schools. McCain has voted against funding for women''s health coverage for low-income women that includes breast cancer and cervical cancer screening for low-income women. He has voted against teaching medically-accurate and scientifically-based sexx education, instead only teaching abstinence.

Palin''s views are the same, if not worse.

Oh, and if she had been available to her teenage daughter, and maybe knew where she was and what she was doing (like a good parent), her daughter might not have been sleeping around and getting pregnant. Hey Palin, this is what your abstinence-only education will get you...BTW.

[aggiekat2004]

Oh yeah...and some of those fanatics believe that the pill (or any other contraceptive that blocks the fertilization of an egg) is abortion as well?

The pro-lifers wonder why we don''t respect their arguments. Bush introduced legislation on August 22nd, 2008 that wants to restrict abortion, but purposefully doesn''t define abortion and it leaves it open for interpretation.

It also tries to give funding to "crisis pregnancy centers" which are typically faith-based and do not give women information about the choices to which they are legally entitled. What about separation of church and state? Sounds like a violation to me.

And McCain voted against requiring insurance companies to provide prescription coverage of contraceptives because he doesn''t believe in them...although he thinks they should cover recreational drugs such as Viagra.

[aggiekat2004]

I do not favor abortion as a form of "birth control", however, in the case of incest or rape, I am in favor. No one should be forced to carry a child that was created in such a way. Unless You experience it, you should not judge. As far as "mistakes", they should have to deal with it. But a victim of rape or incest should not be punished so. That is the only issue that I don''''t agree with in the Mccain/Palin campaign. I will still cast my vote for them.

Posted by tracylynn67 at 01:55 PM : Sep 05, 2008
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So you''re saying...if I drink too much tonight, and sleep with some guy that I pick up in a bar, and fear that I might get pregnant, and report it as a rape, then it''s okay if I get an abortion later when I find out that I''m pregnant?

Don''t you think this might cause women to falsely accuse people of rape?

And the religious fanatics who opposed abortion also feel that the morning after pill is ALSO abortion, but it''s not. It simply causes the egg to pass.

I''m tired of stuffy old white men telling women what they can and can''t do with their bodies.

[aggiekat2004]

What would Ms. Palin advise if her dautghter''''s pregnancy (God Forbid) came to a point where either Bristol would die in childbirth or the baby was aborted? We''''d see how strong her faith is there won''''t we. I can here the GOPigs saying unfair question. Totally fair - her policies would push many a family to make just that decision, therefore, the question is fair game.

Posted by usclimey at 02:34 PM : Sep 04, 2008
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No, she would want her daughter to die, because it was what "God" wanted. If she interfered with the will of God, that would be worse in her book.

This is all such a crock. Sarah Palin''s record on abstinence only education and John McCain''s voting record on women''s rights are appalling.

[tracylynn67]

I do not favor abortion as a form of "birth control", however, in the case of incest or rape, I am in favor. No one should be forced to carry a child that was created in such a way. Unless You experience it, you should not judge. As far as "mistakes", they should have to deal with it. But a victim of rape or incest should not be punished so. That is the only issue that I don''t agree with in the Mccain/Palin campaign. I will still cast my vote for them.

Welcome to Oz "If I only had a brain"

Thanks Cindy and Katie for proving the song, only problem: There is no Wizard here to help either of them.

[shameonbush]

It never ceases to amaze me how people always ask Pro-Lifers if they support abortion rights when it comes to incest or rape. Why does this question have to be asked? If you establish that you are against abortion, doesn''t that make it clear enough? This is HUMAN life we are talking about, how is it any less human if they are born of rape? Good grief folks, look around, don''t you see children killing other children? This is because they are born into a world that does not uphold every human life. Human life is disposable, and easily disposable, how are we to teach the children that we CHOSE to have that human life is not to be destroyed, when they themselves know that they were at one time, a choice? Even an atheist would admit that allowing abortion, accepting abortion as any kind of alternative, will inevitably lead to our destruction. Also, let us comtemplate the difference between creationism and evolution. Evolution teaches us HOW and creationism teaches us WHY. What''s wrong with allowing religious theories into our classrooms? It can''t hurt a thing, knowledge never does. Truth should always be our final goal.

[clarity56]

When will the issue of Cindy marrying John McCain just one month after his divorce come up? And, what about her narcotics addiction for which she was caught stealing drugs from the medical charity that she had started, and her penalty was close down the charity, do community service at a soup kitchen and pay a fine... check out snopes.com I just find the change in attitude of the Republicans that spent millions on the Starr investigation regarding former President Clinton''s *** life something to behold. Politics do make strange bedfellows. Sarcasm intended.

[davewee-2009]

"...mammals appeared abruptly and fully formed approximately 6500 years ago. It seems to me that each arrival was probably accompanied by an audible POP!"

That would explain the noise we heard when Palin popped out of nowhere. I''m sure I heard the cackle of evil laughter, too. Someone was glad to get rid of her.

[wastedbandwidth]

wow - real hard hitting journalism, Kitty.
why not ask Obama some ''hard'' questions - Ayers, his cocaine dealings, what exactly a community organizer does?
maybe your ratings wouldn''t be in the cellar if you asked some ''soft'' questions - are you spending thanksgiving with your brother in the hut? will he be stuffing the rat with cornbread?
jeeze

[usclimey]

Posted by notelatu

As explained clearly in his speech (to all except republicans it seems) taxes would drop for 95% of Americans and raise 1% on those licky enough to make $250,000 or above per year.

[usclimey]

What would Ms. Palin advise if her dautghter''s pregnancy (God Forbid) came to a point where either Bristol would die in childbirth or the baby was aborted? We''d see how strong her faith is there won''t we. I can here the GOPigs saying unfair question. Totally fair - her policies would push many a family to make just that decision, therefore, the question is fair game.

[labrat9999]

Yikes! Only 36 of the 2,380 delegates seated on the convention floor are black, the lowest number since the Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies began tracking diversity at political conventions 40 years ago. Each night, the overwhelmingly white audience watches a series of white politicians step to the lectern -- a visual reminder that no black Republican has served as a governor, U.S. senator or U.S. House member in the past six years.

[jimspy1]

"On this point, I''''ll admit my bias and say I''''ll side on the standard of a God who does not change standards with the whims of society."

Except, of course, on the question of slavery.

Sheesh, talk about "moral relativism"...

[rational_1]

Next thing is : one should teach astrology as well as astronomy. How about that ?
Posted by abbe91 at 07:55 AM : Sep 04, 2008

Man, you''re giving me flashbacks. Before I switched majors to pharmacology I was an astrophysics major as a freshman. A girlfriend''s mother actually told one of her friends (in my presence no less) that I was studying to become an astrologer. So, don''t make that suggestion so flippantly - I''ll bet a significant percentage of the population would probably go for that idea.

[rational_1]

"I think we should teach both sides."

- You don''''t teach both sides when one side (creationism) is a crock of BS.
Posted by fibonacci_89 at 07:04 AM : Sep 04, 2008

I really don''t care if they teach both sides, unless both of those sides are being taught in a science class. If creationism is to be taught in a science classroom, then by all means bring out all the ''scientific'' evidence in favour of it - you know, the supporting evidence published in peer-reviewed science journals like Nature, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, and the like. {sound of crickets chirping}. Shouldn''t take long to cover that. Creationism, intelligent design, and all the other creation myths belong in a religion classroom or in Sunday School. In fact the Flying Spaghetti Monster theory deserves equal time in religion class, right along with creationism. And let''s not forget the Hindu creation stories, etc.

[abbe91]

Next thing is : one should teach astrology as well as astronomy. How about that ?

[sisternich]

"Sen. McCain picked a running mate who opposes abortion EVEN in the cases of rape and incest

Can you imagine? What intelligent person believes in this stuff?"

If a person that a human life begins at conception, as science would indicate, the only logical, humane belief is that it deserves protection. One person''s rights end when another''s begin. Rape and incest are crimes, but not by the baby. It is illogical and immoral to give the child the death penalty for crimes committed by the father. The mother is the victim in both cases and has done nothing wrong. Her emotional recovery is accelerated by that fact. If she aborts the baby, though, she could deal with that guilt (as well as physical injury from the abortion procedure) for the rest of her life.

This is not the dark ages. We can see, with increasing clarity through ultrasound and scientific advancement, what we are doing through abortion. It is time that we let morality catch up.

What IS unimaginable is that an intelligent person can continue to support abortion through the entire pregnancy, even denying legal protection and medical care for the baby if the infant survives the abortion. It''s called infanticide and, if you check Obama''s Illinois voting record, you''ll find that he supported infanticide with his vote. He was so concerned about protecting Roe v. Wade that he denied protection for BORN babies. Yikes. It''s time to put politics aside and start THINKING.