McCain Loses Cool With NYT Reporter

NEW ORLEANS -- Republican Sen. John McCain, showing a flash of the temper he is known for, repeatedly cut off a reporter Friday when asked whether he had spoken to Democratic Sen. John Kerry about being his vice president in 2004.

"Everybody knows that I had a private conversation. Everybody knows that, that I had a conversation," McCain told the reporter. "And you know it, too. No. You know it, too. No. You do know. You do know."

The reporter, Elisabeth Bumiller of The New York Times, was following up on a question McCain had answered at a campaign event Friday morning in Atlanta. Asked if he might consider Kerry as a running mate, since Kerry asked him in 2004, McCain said no.

Afterward, on a campaign flight, Bumiller said she looked in the Times' archives and that McCain had denied talking with Kerry in a May 2004 story.

McCain interrupted, saying that everyone knew he had a private conversation, and he kept interrupting as she tried to follow up. McCain clearly was irate.

"I don't know what you read or heard of, and I don't know the circumstances," McCain said. "Maybe in May of '04 I hadn't had a conversation."

Did he recall the conversation? "I don't know, but it's well-known that I had the conversation. It's absolutely well-known by everyone. So do you have a question on another issue?"

Asked again about the conversation, McCain said, "No. No. Because the issue is closed, as far as I'm concerned. Everybody knows it. Everybody knows it in America."

Could he describe the conversation? "No, of course not," McCain said. "I don't describe private conversations. Why should I? Then there's no such thing as a private conversation."

McCain is known for having a temper and has been dubbed "Senator Hothead" by more than one publication.

Comments

[pheepher]

During the heat of an election year, it's so tempting to turn on the television, or radio, and listen to what other people think. What is even harder is to think for yourself.

Consider this: McCain spent five years in a POW camp. If the terror of war can result in post traumatic stress syndrom, what does five years in a POW camp do to the mind? This outburst of anger toward someone questioning his denial of the truth should get some of us questioning just how stable is this guy?

McCain was born into a military family, believes the only way to solve a problem is through the use of military force. We now find ourselves in the fifth year of the biggest failed foreign policy blunder in years with McCain telling us it could go on for another 100 years. He has assured us of many more wars while advocating tax cuts. How will he pay for all this military spending?

Anyone who is a conservative should ask themselves whether or not McCain will live up to the values of conservatism.

[BarryChamplain]

Dear all you "This is a NON-STORY!!!" McCain apologists:

Oh. It's a STORY, all right. Just not the one you think it is.

Here is a helpful hint: whenever someone is about to out you for some trangression or lie, the best defense is a good offense. "Righteous indignation" works spiffily, because most human beings (especially in Amurca) are trained from birth to back down at the assertion of Authority, even if that assertion is pure bullshit.

McCain, the War Hero [tm] and Straight Talker [tm], is uncannily good with this. He can make a reporter feel as if she or he just walked into High Mass, and peed on the altar (see also: Cheney and Tim Russert. When Timmeh asks an Inappropriate Question, this cocksucker has it down to where he doesn't have to say a word; he just GLARES, and the interviewer apologizes and wets himself... not necessarily in that order!).

To get down to brass tacks, here, folks:


MCCAIN WAS LYING THROUGH HIS ASS TO ELIZABETH BUMILLER. In case you didn't see it, it turns out his Outraged act about the Kerry camp coming to him about the vice-presidential slot, was pure 100% USDA-certified bullshit. HIS people went to KERRY... NOT the other way around. His "temper" thingy was a DISTRACTION. You losers fell for it beautifully.

Here's the video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jVQEaUZDjiU



Here's the original expose:

http://www.mydd.com/story/2007/4/3/11936/97033



Do me a favor, wingnuts? Start developing a capacity for skepticism and critical thinking? Please? Your willingness to follow any glib, lying demagagoue has really screwed this country good. and will continue to do so, as long as they keep allowing you dimbulbs to vote (if it were up to me, I wouldn't even allow you to own an OPINION, until you could prove that you actually KNEW SOMETHING!!).

[kirksong]

How would you like this guy to answer the phone at 3:00 AM, Mr. Diplomacy? Mr. McCain is more like the Vice Principal archetype from your old high school - the one who does the punishing because the Principal has to remain dignified and unhated. "This will hurt me more than it will hurt you " could be John McCain's campaign slogan - he has promised to continue with the Republican policies into the unforseen future. His slogan could also be: "IF IT IS BROKE, DON'T FIX IT". Yes, this is his real message!!!

I hope the Democratic party will get it together very soon. It is clear the Republicans will be doing everything in their power to prolong the battle between Obama and Hillary. It is very transparent that they want to compete against Hillary and Bill in November, have no doubt. They will drain the Democratic party of its capital, enthusiasm, inspiration, and hope. It is their only hope for survival!

[disqo21]

that's not that bad. hardly a temper-explosion like the headline would suggest, he is definitely getting a little short with the reporter, but look at what these guys have to endure. the reporter did get scared after she asked why he was so angry, "excuse me???" mccain starts... "nevermind, nevermind..." ducking away. haha.

[Star123]

This is nothing. Just wait.

[HumeSkeptic]

McBomb says that he knew that Iraq war was not going to be easy.

‘He “claimed that he knew the Iraq war was “probably going to be long and hard and tough,” and that he was “sorry” for those who voted for the war believing it would be “some kind of an easy task.” “Maybe they didn’t know what they were voting for,” McCain said.’

http://thinkprogress.org/2007/01/04/mccain-iraq-easy/

Now let’s review what he said in 2002 and 2003:

“Because I know that as successful as I believe we will be, and I believe that the success will be fairly easy, we will still lose some American young men or women.” [CNN, 9/24/02]

“We’re not going to get into house-to-house fighting in Baghdad. We may have to take out buildings, but we’re not going to have a bloodletting of trading American bodies for Iraqi bodies.” [CNN, 9/29/02]

“But the point is that, one, we will win this conflict. We will win it easily.” [MSNBC, 1/22/03]


McBomb is congenital liar, in the same league as Bush and Cheney, possibly worse.

[Doofus]

At least now we know that Kerry & McCain were talking in 2004.

Does this mean Kerry has first dibs as McCains' VP? It must!

Does this mean that McCain is such an angry hothead that he

shouldn't be President. Probably not, and probably he will be anyway.

'It's all about National Security, you idiots!'

[mirandawilde]

This man should never, ever, ever be President.

[landmine]

Come on, Huffington! Is content so hard to find you have to characterize a conversation as something it wasn't? Not saying McCain hasn't got a temper though. But haven't sent it lately. Is he on meds or did he have an operation?

[Mahavishnu]

I am not fan of John McCain. But, the press is blowing this out of all proportion. I saw the tape. Irritated? He certainly was. Lost his cool? Certainly not. The sensationalism of the press in this campaign is just beyond reason....

[TimN]

Well at least, unlike Obama, McCain speaks to the press.

[tumblewind]

I have heard some disturbing remarks about McCain's temper. It frequently goes beyond temper into being irrational rants of temper where he looses all objectivity. That's all this country needs. Another nut case with his finger on the nuclear weapons trigger. Bush has been frightening. enough for the last 7 years. I personally don't find the terrorist's as frightening as I do the infantile Bush!

[degjack]

This is good...and shows the true colors of this man. I hope the press lays it on THICK, and expose the inner man. The hotheaded, hubristic, hardheaded, power-grabbing war monger that he is.

[nolalily]

This is very scarey. McCain loses it on an insignificant reporter. That tells me he doesn't just get angry, he gets irrational. Think of what this type of guy can do given unbridled power? Do we trust him to protect us? McCain has alot of baggage to unload before he can lead. Even his fellow Senators say that his temper is legion.

Not good.

[JohnFromCensornati]

Way too emotional to be considered for the presidency.