McCain Irritable In Newspaper Interview

Republican Presidential Candidate Sarcastic, Seemingly Frustrated In Interview With Des Moines Register

(AP)  Republican presidential candidate John McCain, once renowned for his jocular sessions with journalists, appeared irritable and at times sarcastic in an interview in which he defended running mate Sarah Palin's experience and campaign ads critical of rival Barack Obama.

Meeting Tuesday with the editorial board of The Des Moines Register, McCain was asked why he picked the Alaska governor, someone "who doesn't have a lot of experience."

"Thank you, but I disagree with your fundamental principal that she doesn't have the experience," McCain replied before citing Palin's work as a PTA member, city council member, mayor and governor. "You and I just have a fundamental disagreement, and I am so happy the American people seem to be siding with me."

When it was suggested that Palin's lack of experience worried voters, McCain turned sarcastic.

"Really? I haven't detected that in the polls, I haven't detected that among the base," he said. "If there's a Georgetown cocktail party person who, quote, calls himself a conservative who doesn't like her, good luck. I don't dismiss him. I think the American people have overwhelmingly shown their approval."

At another point, McCain was asked if he's strayed from his "straight talk" image with advertising that some have labeled deceptive. McCain dryly responded, "It would be valuable if you gave some examples for an assertion of that nature."

He went on to say: "I have always had 100 percent, absolute truth, that's been my life and putting my country first. I'll match that record with anyone and an assertion that I have ever done otherwise, I take strong exception to."

As examples, a questioner at the Register noted a McCain commercial that suggested Obama favored comprehensive sex education for kindergartners and assertions by his campaign that a "lipstick on a pig" comment Obama made was a reference to Palin. News media fact-checking the sex education ad deemed it deceptive and a distortion of Obama's position.

"It certainly is your opinion and I respect your opinion, but it's not the facts," McCain said in the interview. "I respect your opinion. I strongly disagree with your assertion."

He also sarcastically referred to his five years as a prisoner of war when answering a question about his having government-financed health care throughout his military and congressional career.

"The answer is that most of my life, in serving my country, I have had health care," he said. "I did go for a period of time when the health care wasn't very good."

McCain met privately with the newspaper's editorial board after holding an economic roundtable earlier in the day at a Des Moines business. The newspaper posted videos of the session on its Web site.

[whosaid1]

misha128, is there some special school Mr. Obama sends you guys to....where you learn things like comparing an issue with Ifill to making a bad deal with Russia or Iran....unbelievable!!!

[whosaid1]

Careful dburfears...your prejudice is about to show. Attacking McCain is not going to make Mr. Obama any more qualified.

[whosaid1]

USA-No1...sorry, that comment was for misha128

[whosaid1]

USA-No1: oh you demoncrats ....not a clue...."strategy and tactic" are most often thought of as military terms...I''ll just bet the retired navy guy would better understand those terms than Mr. Obama.

[pastdue1]

On Palin''s resume, they keep listing her as an energy expert. Question: Are there any specifics which verify this assertation? We know she served on and quit a commission, but exactly what has she done that qualifies this to be a major item on her resume. Examples have not been forthcoming from the campaign. Perhaps Couric should have asked some specific energy questions and maybe she could have gotten an answer. Let''s hope that in the debate there will be some probing questions on this subject.

[misha128-2009]

misha128, we''''''''re in trouble if we have barrack getting schooled by our adversaries due to his naivite and inexperience.
....

Posted by USA-No1 at 02:58 PM

McCain still does not know the difference between a strategy and a tactic -- far more important and far more telling than his ill informed attacks on Obama after McCain''s major gaffe. Just to clarify.

[misha128-2009]

misha128, we''''re in trouble if we have barrack getting schooled by our adversaries due to his naivite and inexperience.
....

Posted by USA-No1 at 02:58 PM

McCain still does not know the difference between a strategy and a tactic -- far more important and far more telling than his ill informed attacks on Obama after such a major gaffe.

[misha128-2009]

misha128, the book title is "Breakthrough: Politics and Race in the Age of Obama." and it sets to release on Inauguration Day. ...

Posted by USA-No1 at 01:19 PM

Who cares about Ifill''s dots -- Let''s connect the McCain campaign dots where they negotiated a deal with either lack of information that was readily available or lack of concern and they are now crying they made a bad deal. If that were the Russians or Chinese or Iran we could be in real trouble. It''s good we learned how inept McCain and his staff are before the election.

[misha128-2009]

You can''''t be this dense. Checked out the book title and the released date. If you can''''t figured it out than I rest my case.

Posted by USA-No1 at 12:35 PM

And how long ago has this been easily googled and dismissed by McCain and his Campaign in the debate negotiations? Failure to do your own homework cannot be blamed others. Besides your description of the book is far from what I hear from other sources -- indicating the likely possibility this is at best another McCain distortion if not outright lie.

[misha128-2009]

dburfears, your lies and smears are ridiculous as well as laughable. obama must be proud to have your support.

Posted by USA-No1 at 12:32 PM

No more than McCain is proud of your upholding of his near perpetual and quite blatant and easily disproved lies.

[actornaught]

... "I loved obama and he can''t do no wrong" type of book. She have a huge financial interest on obama winning...
Posted by USA-No1 at 12:20 PM : Oct 02, 2008

You are a liar. You''re hoping nobody has the mental process to think this thru (the neo-conned), or pay attention to the coverage. The book''s focus is on politics in general, as it relates to blacks. There''s no logical link between book sales and the election outcome.

[misha128-2009]

Polls number got nothing to do with this. McCain did know she''''s writing a manuscript but they didn''''t know it''''s about "I loved obama and he can''''t do no wrong" type of book. She have a huge financial interest on obama winning the election.
ifill masquerate as a journalist is over, no integrity nor objectivity. If you can''''t see the bias, it''''s OK because obamas supporters can''''t recognized the facts against them.

Posted by USA-No1 at 12:20 PM

McCain is incapable of using "THE GOOGLE" to determine simple facts and conduct a proper negotiation. Thank goodness the Debate Commission was not the Chinese or the Iranians or Al Qaeda for that matter.

[actornaught]

Old Man Yells at Cloud!

I expect at some point, on camera, Addled John will snap-off at Sarah, calling her names, and make her cry...

[dburfears]

McCain spent TOO MANY YEARS as a POW. He''s unstable and angry. He explodes under pressure. Very dangerous for America.

OF COURSE all of those years as a POW left him emotionally damaged. To claim anything else is not to know what we are as humans.

I''m sorry McCain is so damaged from his years as POW. I sure as hell am not so sympathetic as to put McCain''s finger ANYWHERE NEAR THE RED BUTTON.

[dburfears]

McCain is looking angrier and more unstable every day. it''s truly frightening to think of his unstable finger on the nuclear button. Fortunately, it appears that McCain''s "Grandstand Express" is accelerating downhill.


So now McCain is spreading malicious LIES about one of the most honored reporters in America. RESPECTED people on the left and right call her one of the best. But McCain''s LIE LIE LIE EXPRESS is trying to destroy a good reputation made over 25 years.

Again- McCain and his minions LIE. They LIE about her book (about the evolution of black politicians, NOT about OBAMA), They LIE abbout her being biased in favor of Obama (She''s respected by all parties). They even LIE about KNOWING about the book (to be published AFTER the election).

McCain just LIES AND LIES AND LIES AND LIES AND LIES. but he can trust the FAR RIGHT MEDIA MACHINE to spread his LIES as if they were truth. I wonder if his minions KNOW they are LYING for McCain or just do not care.

UNSTABLE AND UNTRUTHFUL. John McCain.

[misha128-2009]

The VP Debate Tonight is a Complete Fraud! Please go to You Tube to see tomorrow night%u2019s Debate Moderator Gwen Ifill! ...

Posted by CBSCensorsU at 11:59 AM

Iv McCain negotiated so poorly with the debate commission how can he be trusted negotiating with the likes of the Russians, Chiness, North Koreans, Iranians and others?

[misha128-2009]

Personally I thing Gwen Ifil will do well moderating the debate tonight. However, as voters we should consider the McCain''s camp handling of the negotiations for the debates. They agreed with the moderators long ago and now they are complaining about fairness. Just think if the debate commission had been a foreign power, would they be crying before the nation about how bad a deal they believe they had made? What might they have given away in other negotiations due to lack of preparation? If the Republicans cannot handle a negotiation with the debate commission how will they ever handle the Russians, Chinese, North Koreans, Iranians, or Al Qaeda?

[armydog2]

arrogant elitist, aka John McCain

[bbinfla]

I guess he can apoint a taxi driver for secretary of transpotation

[liberalme]

I saw clips of this on the news last night--what a sarcastic snot McCain is---I certainly wouldn''t want him and his defensive attitude sitting at a table with other world leaders---we have rotten representation in Washington now.
Bush is stupid, the world leaders know it and McCain would just as soon tell someone to F off as look at them--if anyone saw clips of that interview--McCain was on the edge.

No thanks McCain--too many loose screws!