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

[ObamaEdwards]

Beware of people who want to lead you, and who refuse to ask a straightforward question. All she wanted to know was: Since you were quoted in 2004 saying that this conversation with Kerry did not take place, and you now say it did (in fact, you insist that everyone knows about it already), why did you say in 2004 that it didn't take place? And I would like to know the answer, too. It's vital, because John McCain needs to address whether the multitude of contradictions he's stated are due to deceitfulness, a desire to keep private some matters which seem public to the rest of us, or mental lapses.

[Impeachthechimp]

McCain is crazy. No need to over analyze this!

[gonavy]

You know we read this post the first 6 times and now everyone is just ignoring you.

[fjcarb]

Puh-lease. I like a good tantrum more than anyone, but this barely registers as a hissy fit. From the headlines, I thought he had decked her.

[jadez]

more proof as i have posted here before that this guy is mentally unstable.
he will get worse.

50/50 that he even survives all the way to the general.

watch close to see who is picked to be his VP

[BOfever]

Mentally unstable? I think liberals are mentally unstable if they actually believe the government health care and more government is the answer to any of your problems. I also think you may be mentally unstable if you think this country can afford to foot the bill for 350 million Americans.

[musselmanm]

we also should not pay for freakin tax rebates for the rich, endless occupation of soverign nations unlawfull spy programs, absitinence only education, unlimited test so that students can only study for tests not for life.

[sullydog]

More government? Thank George W Dippshit and 6 years of a Republican Congress for the largest expansion of government in history, a squandered surplus, and tanking economy. Who do you think is footing the bill now for uninsured Americans? Think before you post, please.

[gonavy]

The democrat candidates don't think this will pass either, it's just bullshit to real in the government dependent liberals. If they win (NOT) none of this will see the light of day. Same thing that Ms. Pelosi pulled in 2006. When will you people learn.

[gopSTEALSyourTAXmoney]

And you think this counrty can afford this fraud of a war with OUR TAX DOLLARS?

[bikerdude]

If there is one attribute that john "insane" mccain lacks its cool...We need to keep pushing his buttons to give him every opportunity to explode in public.

[Impeachthechimp]

Hillary will! She will push every button he has! Go girl!

[scooperss]

Pompous ass.

[naturallight]

I fear Kundera i correct. He will be the next President.
50% of Democrats hate HRC.
so....%50 of Democrats, 100% of Republicans...how does this 'fuzzy" math work out for HRC?

[Kundera]

Sorry, saw the video. No Big Deal. That's not losing your temper. Keep trying lefties, McCain is the next President and you'll have 4 more years to march and threaten to leave the country.

[HeyFella]

Next President? With this economy? Yeah right.

[Kundera]

The election is not until November and the primary job of President is Commander in Chief.

[BOfever]

And the answers the Dems have to the economy is spend, spend & raise taxes. That won't work. Sorry but there will be no free health care, no free college, no changes to NAFTA (it guarentees our oil supply from Canada).

[iPolitics]

His temper is an established fact. Dole said it this week. McCain won't beat Obama. Americans don't want more wars, 100 years in Iraq, or this terrible economy that he admits knowing little about

[bushdoescrack]

Sorry, saw the video. No Big Deal. That's not losing your temper. Keep trying lefties, McCain is the next President and you'll have 4 more years to march and threaten to leave the country



after bush, there really isn't much of a country left.

[ObamaEdwards]

The country won't last four years if John McCain is president.

[NeverRepublican]

Check the value of the dollar and tell me the republicans will win in November 08. Try 2016...and even then...maybe.

[LVLefty]

Wow. Imagine McCain lying. Hard to believe. Bumiller should be asking when his wife will go to work in a brothel, since he would sell her into prostitution to be elected.

[Ammobob]

So he responded 'forcefully' ? Wow, how about 'sternly'? Emphatically? Passionately? Oh, that's right, clearly,concisely, and directly without raising ones' voice displays temper. Well, we definitely need more of that from all candidiates.

[HowietheScreamer]

Poor Ammoboob... just cryin because YOUR OWN PARTY won't support this stooge. Sucks to be a repube this year.

[BOfever]

I wished he would just respond to stupid questions with "yes we can"

It works for the Dems.

[jubo]

Well obviously you cannot, I mean, 'can't', couldn't, wouldn't, etc...

[Mike169]

How about stupidly - like you.

[ornery]

There is apparently some great footage of Citizen McKane browbeating some witness testifying in front of one of his committees.

A bit of an overmatch, apparently.

Op research needs to start on the McCrazy tapes.

[BOfever]

Was it Roger Clemens or Mark McGuire?

[iPolitics]

Even Bob Dole said he has a bad temper. This guy is too crazy to control the military.

[Ajita]

Yup, he's a soldier, descended from a long line of soldiers. He reacts aggressively, not diplomatically. 100 years of war will be good news for his offspring. They will all have jobs, for sure.

[Prakosh]

I'm not sure, given the low estimation that many in America have for the press and especially those on the right, that McCain's exploding to a question by a reporter from the New York Times would necessarily hurt him. It might actually help him with the base. I am glad to see Ms. Bumiller actually asking this question though. She was pretty obsequious as a White House reporter covering President Bush. Most of the crap she wrote about him during her time in that job was pure puff. She seemed genuinely intimidated by Bush, and in one interview even admitted as much, perhaps she is getting stronger, or maybe McCain is just less intimidated.

[Ramirez]

This is just an opening salvo. Over the next few months the MSM and the Democrats will flood the zone with macacas trying to push the McCain button. McCain may even be goaded into saying something really, really harsh.

[margotb822]

If he is "goaded" into saying something harsh, it will prove that he isn't the best candidate. As president, a person is going to hear a lot of things that are meant to elicit a response. Our leader has to be someone who can keep their cool, no matter the situation. McCain is a lazy jerk, and this is just one way to prove it.

www.serveoutloud.blogspot.com

[biglover]

It won't matter folks. We lost 63,000 jobs, the economy is tanking, foreclosures are happening too fast to count, food prices are skyrocketing, gas prices too - what have the puglie rethugs to run on? Iraq and the surge. In two days bombings took the lives of over 00 people in Iraq. The pug thugs have nothing to run on and then all they have to do is show McCain hugging and kissing Bush and that ridiculous press conference yesterday where McCain didn't even know what to do with himself. Hardly presidential.

We willl survive the bickering
We will have our candidate =and we will win

YES WE CAN AND WE WILL

[ornery]

It's going to be very hard for John to hold his tongue.

He's accustomed to administering tongue lashings.

[Synoia]

Truth will out. As an aside, as a McCain supported, are you concerned about his longevity?

[gappytoofcondi]

That MyCane. such a maverick. Guess he feels a little full of himself, having captured the nomination from the GOP. He has been rumored to have a temper. Perhaps his arteries are hardening, causing him to be a bit persnickity.