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

[elkabong]

He's losing his cool 'cause he got caught in a lie.

[partyofone]

OOPS. This is pretty clear. McCain told a flat out lie, a reporter called him on it, and he lost his temper. Let's put that man in charge of the nuclear arsenal.

[VivaZapata]

NO! The surge is working. My friend, The surge is working!

www.rollingstone.com/politics/story/18722376/the_myth_of_the_surge

Don't question me: it's working! the surge is working! My friend.

[BeyondGoodAndEvil]

This is exactly how the Democratic candidate can win the nomination. McCain is a liar, and he is also forgetful. He forgets his lies, and that's what made him irate. All the Democratic nominee needs to do is wait and see him lose his temper. He is irrational and easily angered.

[afgail]

You miss the point. McCain is busy sucking up to the neo con lunatic fringe and does not want them reminded that he was considered Democratic Vice Presidential timber only four years ago.

[RogerHWerner]

Much of this describes Bush and he won two elections (albeit with help). McCain's temper would only be a benefit of the press opted to push McCain's button whenever they got the chance. It would be fun to watch him blow a gasket.

[researcher]

mc war hold that temper wont be long you will be able to lose your temper and bomb the hell out of the world. anyone you want and you will have nancy crawling to you on all foursasking you how much money you need to bomb anyone you want. you the man.

cool it mc war bide your time. your goal of bombing iran is near so you can make up for your loss in nam.

you have picked the perfect country to follow you into war. americans never saw a war they did not want to fight. just tell them iran has nukes and they are on their way to america.

go get them bomber. you the guy. god bless you john mc cain truely an american hero for bombing women and children in vietnam. even obama thinks you are an american hero for bombing women and children in that other illegal war. that is how imperialistic this country is.

[nolalily]

I agree. He's got alot of anger and I can't blame him for it, but, unfortunately, it makes him unfit to lead.

[Xspackle]

I'm not a McCain supporter but this doesn't strike me as a temper tantrum. So, the reporter was trying to pry some information out of him that he didn't want to divulge, and he was firm in his refusal.

Gotcha journalism. I don't like it when it's used against my guy, Obama, and I don't like it here, either.

McCain's got lots of real flaws and goofy positions, why don't we go after them instead of this prissy personal crap?

[mole hill]

Agreed: he sounds like Bush, coming out of a pretzel-coma.

He is no where near as petulant as Bush is on a regular basis (or WAS when the press had access to him).

This was pretty disappointing for me in that regard... someone needs to tweak him harder.

[Infostream]

He's obviously a little ticked off and given his reputation he should know he can't do this kind of thing with reporters.

But the bigger issue to me is that, he's WRONG, again. And LYING, again. Everyone in America DOESN'T know that he talked to Kerry about being his VP, and McCain knows America doesn't know it, which is why he's ticked off a reporter is bringing it up.

This is the most disturbing thing about McCain to me, the ability to disconnect from the facts and the rules, I used to like him for his campaign finance reform stand, until I realized he never seems to get his own rules also apply to him, he's so sure that he's a wonderful stand-up true american he doesn't realize when he breaks his own rules: "um you mean me flying around on corporate owned jets is the thing i'm against, whoops i didn't realize it because of course i'm so pure, well oopsy, sorry, won't do it again... until the next time."

[HumeSkeptic]

This is not "Gotcha journalism". I wish more American journalists do their jobs and dig for truth. I am an Obama supporter as well, but I would very much like him grilled by reporters.

[ttlms]

I agree with Clemsy and Xspackle. McCain didn't raise his voice, had his arms folded, and, other than interrupting the reporter several times, was not threatening or confrontational with her. He's no more "irate" or "angry" then Bill Clinton is the many times the media have reported him to be irate or angry when he doesn't cooperate with them. (P.S. I'm a Hillary supporter.)

[Beolarry]

You can hardly call "prissy personal crap" the fact that just one election ago, John McCain was so desperate for power he was willing to run with liberal John Kerry on the Democratic ticket. This information provides further proof that McCain is America's oldest and most experienced flip flopper-one moment a Republican, the next, a Democrat.

I do have 2 questions for you, though, Xspackle: As a right wing Republican of principles,why are you supporting Mc Cain and do you believe, that in the likely event McCain loses this election, he will run in 2012 as an Independent, since it is highly unlikely that your party will renominate him again after the enormous magnitude of his defeat?

[nellie]

This is a good example of why we need to keep McCain and his temperament far away from the presidency.

[CintiBlue]

Hi, Nellie!

I saw your post on MSNBC this AM about 8:50 a.m.

[CintiBlue]

Smooth. Only 29 hours to post this puny reply.

[transendentilist]

And even farther away from the nuclear "football."

[forpeace]

*

McCain Embraces Endorsement from Anti-Catholic, Anti-Gay, Anti-Muslim Televangelist John Hagee

Republican presidential nominee Senator John McCain has openly embraced the endorsement of controversial televangelist John Hagee, the founder of Christians United for Israel and the senior pastor of Cornerstone Church in San Antonio, Texas.

Hagee has come under criticism for his views on homosexuality, Islam, the Catholic Church and even the victims of Hurricane Katrina. We speak with Sarah Posner, author of God’s Profits: Faith Fraud, and the Republican Crusade for Values Voters.

http://www.democracynow.org/2008/3/7/mccain_embraces_anti_catholic_anti_gay

*

[gonavy]

That is old news and has nothing to do with this thread.

Hagee endorsed McCain, McCain did not endorse Hagee. Nice try though.

[DanaGarrett]

It's 3:00 AM in America and President Hothead answers the phone.

Scary man.

[gonavy]

So don't call him a 3 am, or me for that matter.

[Ramirez]

It's doubly scary if you are the one who pissed him off.

[forpeace]

*

McCain Courts Secret Radical Religious Conservative Group For Support In Presidential Bid

............... McCain is continuing his tradition of courting the bigoted right-wing fringe. This afternoon, McCain addressed the Council for National Policy (CNP) in New Orleans in a “make-or-break pitch” for support from the secretive, ultra-conservative group that describes itself as a “self-selected, conservative counterweight” against “liberal domination of the American agenda.” McCain advisor Charlie Black said McCain “was anxious to appear” in front of the group.............

http://thinkprogress.org/2008/03/07/mccain-cnp/

*

[forpeace]

*

McBush simply Loses cool with a reporter regarding a Fair question, imagine how would this Freaking Warmonger handle Foreign Policy!

*

[Plank]

I am not a McCain fan but this is non story. That wasn't an angry response at all.
Are we running out of important topics?

[RightBrain]

Given the NY Times phony lobbyist sex story I am surprised he bothers to answer their questions. A shameless newspaper attacking a righteous man, our next President thanks to the Obama/HillBill three stooges series.

[incontempt]

This lil nut is gonna crack!!!

[Bushgirlsgonewild]

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After the discussion ended, Senator McCain proceeded to chew the arm off the seat he was in and asked if he could fly the plane into a mountian side. The pilot reportedly said "No".
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