Exclusive: McCain, Palin Answer Critics

Katie Couric Asks Palin If She Contradicted McCain On Pakistan And Her Response To GOP Criticism

(CBS)  Sen. John McCain and Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin were in Ohio Monday for a campaign rally. In their first joint interview, CBS News anchor Katie Couric asked them about a statement Palin made the other day, because it didn't seem to square with her running mate's policies in the war on terror in Pakistan. What follows is a partial transcript of the interview.

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Katie Couric: Over the weekend, Gov. Palin, you said the U.S. should absolutely launch cross-border attacks from Afghanistan into Pakistan to, quote, "stop the terrorists from coming any further in." Now, that's almost the exact position that Barack Obama has taken and that you, Sen. McCain, have criticized as something you do not say out loud. So, Gov. Palin, are you two on the same page on this?

Sarah Palin: We had a great discussion with President Zardari as we talked about what it is that America can and should be doing together to make sure that the terrorists do not cross borders and do not ultimately put themselves in a position of attacking America again or her allies. And we will do what we have to do to secure the United States of America and her allies.

Couric: Is that something you shouldn't say out loud, Sen. McCain?

John McCain: Of course not. But, look, I understand this day and age of "gotcha" journalism. Is that a pizza place? In a conversation with someone who you didn't hear … the question very well, you don't know the context of the conversation, grab a phrase. Gov. Palin and I agree that you don't announce that you're going to attack another country …

Couric: Are you sorry you said it?

McCain: … and the fact …

Couric: Governor?

McCain: Wait a minute. Before you say, "is she sorry she said it," this was a "gotcha" sound bite that, look …

Couric: It wasn't a "gotcha." She was talking to a voter.

McCain: No, she was in a conversation with a group of people and talking back and forth. And … I'll let Gov. Palin speak for herself.

Palin: Well, it … in fact, you're absolutely right on. In the context, this was a voter, a constituent, hollering out a question from across an area asking, "What are you gonna do about Pakistan? You better have an answer to Pakistan." I said we're gonna do what we have to do to protect the United States of America.

Couric: But you were pretty specific about what you wanted to do, cross-border …

Palin: Well, as Sen. McCain is suggesting here, also, never would our administration get out there and show our cards to terrorists, in this case, to enemies and let them know what the game plan was, not when that could ultimately adversely affect a plan to keep America secure.

Couric: What did you learn from that experience?

Palin: That this is all about "gotcha" journalism. A lot of it is. But that's okay, too.

Couric: Gov. Palin, since our last interview, you've gotten a lot of flak. Some Republicans have said you're not prepared; you're not ready for prime-time. People have questioned your readiness since that interview. And I'm curious …

Palin: Yeah.

Couric: … to hear your reaction.

Palin: Well, not only am I ready, but willing and able to serve as vice-president with Sen. McCain if Americans so bless us and privilege us with the opportunity of serving them, ready with my executive experience as a city mayor and manager, as a governor, as a commissioner, a regulator of oil and gas.

McCain: This is not the first time that I've seen a governor being questioned by some quote, "expert." I remember that Ronald Reagan was a "cowboy." President Clinton was a governor of a very small state that had "no experience" either. (laughter) I remember how easy it was gonna be for Bush I to defeat him. I still recall, whoops, that one. But the point is I've seen underestimation before. I'm very proud of the excitement that Gov. Palin has ignited with our party and around this country. It is a … level of excitement and enthusiasm, frankly, that I haven't seen before. And I'd like to attribute it to me. But the fact is that she has done incredible job. And I'm so proud of the work that she's doing.

[maggietexas4]

It doesn''t matter how Palin does tonight. It is too late. Now we know she is just saying what she was told to say at debate camp. Now, we will never know what she believes. I''m voting Obama/Biden.
McCain/Palin is way too scary.

[wlwatkins]

http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0608/11164.html
......in response to Choponic comment..............
Sinclair''s biography, though, may get in the way of that pitch: Public records and court filings reveal that he has a 27-year criminal record, with a specialty in crimes involving deceit. The record includes forgery charges in two states, one of which drew Sinclair a 16-year jail sentence. The Pueblo County, Colo., Sheriff''s Office also has an outstanding warrant for Sinclair''s arrest for forging an acquaintance''s signature and stealing her tax refunds.

[wlwatkins]

http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0608/11164.html
......in response to Choponic comment..............
Sinclair''s biography, though, may get in the way of that pitch: Public records and court filings reveal that he has a 27-year criminal record, with a specialty in crimes involving deceit. The record includes forgery charges in two states, one of which drew Sinclair a 16-year jail sentence. The Pueblo County, Colo., Sheriff''s Office also has an outstanding warrant for Sinclair''s arrest for forging an acquaintance''s signature and stealing her tax refunds.

[wlwatkins]

Choponic:
Cheap shots at Barack Obama will not cause the United States to turn on him now....And if he does have Aids, 6-9months of his being in office leaves Biden....Either way AMERICA WINS!

[wlwatkins]

AWE- but, the look on Katie''s face is priceless! LOL I can only think of what it must be like to set across such a cheap shot abusive man and his puppet!

[choponic]

Thank you, Praiseallah1, for an idiotic comment. No wonder you''re voting for Palin.

[praiseallah1]

Obama got AID''s from Larry Sinclair?

I just read that Larry Sinclair who claimes to have had a homosexual affair with Barack Obama been diagnosed with HIV AIDS and believes Obama is infected with the deadly disease and urges him to be diagnosed immediately.

Videos on YouTube such http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bUNEip42xsM documents the Press Conference detailing Barack Obamas use of crack cocaine and having homosexual relations with other men while he was the Senator of Illinois.

[samsel3]

Palin is corrupt no two ways about it

UPI reports today:The Republican vice presidential candidate, Sarah Palin and Alaskan officials drew on the work of scientists known to be sceptical about global warming - including some whose work was funded by the oil industry - to back efforts to stop polar bears being protected as an endangered species, it was reported today.

[ofbyfor2]

Monroe -- it''''s not enouh to just be in the miltary. Plenty of libs are in the miltary but that don''''t mean we should vote for them. We would never because their libs. If you were also shot down and capshured by the enenma then I would vote for you. But if your just a john kerry lib miltary and were never capsured or killed then I would not vote for you.

Posted by McCainHero at 10:46 PM : Oct 01, 2008

You sound as if your brain has already been captured by the ''enenma''.

Or did someone perform an *** on your brain? Because you are definitely talking *****.

Definitely a victim of ''No Child Left Behind''. Go back to school and get your GED.

[mccainhero]

Monroe -- it''s not enouh to just be in the miltary. Plenty of libs are in the miltary but that don''t mean we should vote for them. We would never because their libs. If you were also shot down and capshured by the enenma then I would vote for you. But if your just a john kerry lib miltary and were never capsured or killed then I would not vote for you.

[rmonroe401]

McCainHero,

LOL, yea, he doesnt like talking about being a POW. I guess you didnt watch the convention, or any of the interviews with him. It''s all he talks about. Like being a POW makes him more qualified to be President. I really don''t see how. I was in the military, so will you vote for me to be President?

[nohstryrpts]

CBS Censors U....

SIMPLY PUT, your comment is bigotted and racist. You can''t use the n word and so your insert the MUSLIM word. You are no different than those who would refer to you as an infedel... YOU are only writing to inflame others and your actions are pathetic. Get a life! Pick on your own kind.... LEAVE LIPSTICK alone.

[mccainhero]

Why would anyone want to buy somethgin to nowhere? You libs should craul back under the rocks where you got your idears form and stop bothering everone about yuour silliness. Why don''t you all move to mexco if you love it so much. Wake up amercan people. They want to take our houses and make our kids go to difrent schools like in Pakastan where they will learn terrists.

[mccainhero]

femaledem you are a typical female like my wife. she will vote for palin because palin knows what we need. Mccain has a mansion for sale but how could you say he lived in it all these years when he has many other houses too. how did he live in that one if he has all the other ones? see, you''re wrong because you libs don''t use your heads for anything but shcool. you can''t thnik practical. Anyway, so what if he has a mansion he worked hard for it and isn''t that what we do in Amerca anyway? He deserves it. Did you know he was a pow? Probly not. He doens''t like to talk about it like Obama likes to talk about being a communist organizer or soemthing. Wake up amercan people. They wil take our guns and butter and teach fancy libs about how to choose between them.

[femaledem]

NOW THAT''S FUNNY A COMMENT WAS JUST MADE THAT KATIE COURIC IS JEALOUS OF SARAH PALIN..IN YOUR DREAMS..IF ANYONE TRUELY BELIEVES THAT THEN PALIN HAS A BRIDGE AND ROAD TO NOWHERE TO SELL YOU!!!!

[femaledem]

ANSWER CRITICS HOW ABOUT THIS..PLEASE READ CAREFULLY..IN MACOMB COUNTY IN MICHIGAN,GOP CHAIRMAN JAMES CARABELLI IS GATHERING A LIST OF ALL AFRICAN-AMERICAN VOTERS WHO HAVE BEEN FORCLOSED UPON TO MAKE SURE THEY CANNOT VOTE!!! NEXT..JOHN AND CINDY MCCAIN HAVE LIVED FOR THE PAST 20 YEARS IN A MANSION CONSISTING OF THE FOLLOWING..NOW HOLD ON TIGHT FOR THIS ONE...13 BEDROOMS,141/2 BATHROOMS,7 CAR GARAGE,10 FIREPLACES,22 FLAT SCREEN TV''S,MEDIA ROOM, WINE TASTING ROOM, AND 3 RAMADAS(BARS) AROUND THE POOL AREA ON 2.7 ACRES..THAT''S JUST ONE HOME JUST ONE!!!THIS MAN PROFESSES TO KNOW WHAT YOU AND I NEED..AND MCCAIN HAS TO DO AN INTERVIEW TO BACK PEDDLE ABOUT THE STUDENT ASKING HER ABOUT PAKISTAN,CLAIMING THE STUDENT WAS ACROSS THE ROOM..WATCH THE VIDEO!!!..IT WAS NOT A "GOTCHA" MOMENT AND THE STUDENT WAS 5-10 FT AWAY(SO SHE HEARD IT OK)AGAIN NO ANSWER AND HE HAS TO EXPLAIN FOR HER...MY GOD VOTERS ARE YOU NOT EVEN UNDERSTANDING JUST HOW SERIOUS THIS IS AND WHAT A MOCKERY OF US AS A COUNTRY!!!!BAILOUT MY *** HE HAS NO IDEA WHAT IS GOOD FOR ME!!!WAKE UP AMERICA THE TIME IS NOW TO DECRY THIS DUO BEFORE THEY FINISH US OFF WITH WHAT BUSH HAS STARTED!!!

[mccainhero]

You are right Marcus. The only reason Curic is so succesful is because she is a woman. They picked her to be the leader of their news because she is a woman and they knew other womans would vote for her just because she is a woman and that would get cbs the top rating position. She is jealus of sarah because sarah had to work real hard and use her high intelect to get to where she woke up and found herself to be. Right on marcus. Wake up amercan people.

[praiseallah1]

The Bailout Tick you off too?

Do something about it before it''s too late! Email your Senator and Congressman and DEMAND they vote NO to Bush''s $700 Billion Bailout to Wall Street Firms! We taxpayers already paid Billions in bailouts for AIG, Bear Stearns and others firms and the market is still whole. Now Politicians come on TV saying the same rehearsed talking points to SELL this fraud to Mainstreet but if it''s so DIRE than WHY are leaders adding Billions in wasteful Pork to the Bill?!

[mccainhero]

Yes, sarah is an acompished jurnalist but that doesn''t mean she can answer questions from other jurnilists without looking at her notes. I know how to shoot and kill dears but that don''t mean I know what it feels like to get shot by me. Wake up amercan people. They mean to take it all away from us that we fught to get all these years. My wife is a woman and she will vote for palin because she is smart and sassy and don''t take that lib elete eastern smart stuff from nobody. She pretends she doen''t know answers so they will misunderestimte her all the time and then when she is presidnet she will show them how much she really knows about things and will proteck us from the commies and terrists who are jelous of our freedom.

[emarcus1977]

Palin has a degree in journalism. She knows the techniques and has used them on others. Quit blaming Couric for Palin''''s stupidity.

Posted by slownewsday at 07:37 PM : Oct 01, 2008
+ report abuse

''Slownewsday'' what a creative yet very stupid handle.
Couric is just a jealous old hag whose face lift gives her that constant sneer. Time to put that *** out to pasture. Palin is POWER.