Obama, Biden 60 Minutes Interview: Obama Explains Biden Pick, Reacts To Palin (VIDEO)

In his first reaction to the choice of Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin as John McCain's running mate, Sen. Barack Obama tells 60 Minutes correspondent Steve Kroft that she is an "up-and-coming public servant." Of his own choice for running mate, the Democratic presidential nominee says Sen. Joseph Biden "can step in and become president."

Obama and Biden sat down with Kroft Friday night in Pittsburgh for an interview to be broadcast on 60 Minutes this Sunday, Aug. 31, at 7 p.m. ET/PT.

Read the full story here.

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Watch the interview below.

Comments

[sillymongoose23]

bet* (sorry)

[sillymongoose23]

baracky poo looks tired. so does joe... partying to hard gentlemen? naw, i bed it's all that whoop a$$ you've been serving to mccain...

[Knowitall]

Obama and Biden just ended a long convention week. If you've ever traveled for a job, especially to conventions with hundreds of people, you know that it's like being on the job 24 hours a day, and is exhausting. On Saturday they both went to a 3 hour funeral in Cleveland and then a campaign stop in Dublin, Ohio. I think they'll both look a little better once they come down from the emotional high of the convention.

[Bronxcutie]

My cousin who has a son in the military is LIVID by Palin. She is offended as a woman and afraid as the mother of a soldier. John McCain has had a history of cancer and is very old. This woman has not been to Iraq and has admitted that she doesn't know much about Iraq. This is not good at all!

[MaryanneAZ]

Palin was also stupid enough to reveal that her own 18 year old son was deploying to Iraq. She jeopardized him and his fellow soldiers. We learned in Vietnam that keeping information on troop deployments was critical to their security. We should remember that just a few months ago, Britain pulled Prince Harry from Afghanistan as soon as he was outed on the front line. There was too much chance that Prince Harry would be a target and that his comrades would be in greater jeopardy because of his presence among them. A VP candidate should have the sense not to make her own son a target. Biden's son made a low-key statement that he would be otherwise engaged and would be unavailable to campaign (he's being deployed as well) during the Convention. If this is an example of Palin's judgment, then we have bigger problems with her than her right wing extreme conservatism and ultra-evangelical positions on issues. Big problems. For that reason, I enthusiastically support the Obama/Biden ticket 110%. I trust Obama/Biden with my future, my son's future, our Country's future. Yes WE Can!!!!

[goplayrabbit]

three years ago bush and mccain were eating cake while the entire states of LA and MS suffered.

[njm50]

The visit today to the area, is just a photo-op. Country first, sure.

[mesmerize]

They have to put on airs now due to the upcoming election.

[Gipper44]

I'm surely glad to see that these two have been found; I was thinking about issuing a Missing Persons alert for them.

By the way, was there an acceptance speech at the DNC? Never heard a word about it.

[Knowitall]

I guess you weren't the one I wrote this for last night. Obama and Biden were on CBS, NBC, CNN, MSNBC, ABC, Fox, C-Span and all the public television stations, as well as Bill Maher's show--at least on my TV. ALL of them showed clips from the Invesco speech. C-SPAN and MSNBC have shown the speech in its entirety. C-SPAN showed it 3 times on Saturday and once already on Sunday. CNN and MSNBC showed their stump speech yesterday in Ohio. CNN and MSNBC showed excerpts from the stump this morning. C-Span showed the stump speech in its entirety this morning.

AND, both Obama, Biden, their wives, as well as Bill and Hillary Clinton and others attended the 3 hour funeral of Stephanie Tubbs Jones on Saturday. It was shown in its entirety on C-Span. The candidates, former candidate and Bill Clinton spoke at the funeral.

All of the networks showed excerpts from the Thursday speech on the talking head shows this Sunday morning. But, hey, maybe you missed all that. You couldn't have been looking too hard.
I don't know where you are, but we have been saturated where I am.

[zurcl]

pay no attention to gipper. he's got nothing.

[LongBeachDave]

You're the only one who hasn't.

[4wehttam]

Glad you missed them so much......­.....eithe­r that or your just dying of JEALOUSY. LOL LOL LOL LOL!!!!!

38 MILLION Viewers in the U. S. alone.....­..........­... Bite on them apples!!!!!!!!!!!

[terragazelle60]

Been in a coma long? Or doesn't your rock have television?

[autumn123]

What intelligent person would think this was anything but an attempt to pander to the women's vote? Well, surprise! I’ve read posts from some claiming they're Hillary People, and they have been trumpeting that they'll now vote for McCain. I hope these are Republicans pretending to be them. Otherwise we're a nation riddled with people who allow emotions of the moment to cloud visions of the future.

If you really aren't Republicans in disguise, please be careful that you are making a thinking choice and not a purely emotional one. This commenter summed it up very well... "By selecting a VP candidate who has nothing more in common with Hillary Clinton than ovaries, McCain just slapped 18 million people in the face. "PUMAs" should be furious that the Republicans are co-opting Clinton's landmark campaign in order to elect a candidate that believes the exact opposite of everything Hillary stood for."

To the Republicans pretending to be something you aren't... stop posting things pretending you are the other side. Instead proudly proclaim why you think your candidate is better. This twisted way of doing things is what turned me off to begin with. I used to admire John McCain and thought he would honor his word when he said he would run a different type of campaign..­. sadly, I guess not.

[M4DN3SS]

If we were dealing with intelligent people this blog would not exist.

[bugsbonzai]

But then where would you go to type your own stupidity?

[uheardme]

Neither would Townhall.com,Redstate.com, Stormfront.org and your other haunts.

[hydenorhare]

Hurricane victims suffer.
Tornado victims suffer.
Families with seriously ill kids or spouses suffer.
Crime victims suffer ... if they survive.
You jokers don't know what the he// suffering is.
Grow up and stop looking to the government to provide mandatory pre-school so you don't suffer.
Geezuz.

[zurcl]

whoa, wait a minute, are you complaining about pre-school education? where've you been. education is the future of this country. and if you've raised any children, then you know the earlier you start the better it is. "Country First" is more than a slogan.

[blindjester]

Most liberals who support the idea of government-paid preschool don't have kids that age.

In other words, we're concerned with helping other Americans. We're not begging for help for ourselves.

Even if you have no compassion, you have to recognize that educating Americans better will help the entire nation. Having more people with better jobs improves the standard of living for everyone.

[kamenwati]

The jester part of your handle say everything.

[MandieD]

*gasp* How dare people suggest the government provide children with education! Whatever will they think of next?

[mesmerize]

Commonsense should tell you that the Government is not providing much if people are still complaining. For you to fix your mouth to say something about what govenrment shouldn't have to do for Americans when they can waste Billions in places where America is hated is outrageous.

[Liberal2]

Obviously you don't understand suffering, or the role of government in an industrialized society. The people in the Soviet Union suffered for decades under an incompetent government, the American people have suffered under incompetent rethug rule (Nixon, Reagan, Bush 1, Bush the inferior). The people of the Soviet Union, after watching the party officials grow wealthier while their lives became shabbier and shabbier, simply quit. Americans are sick of watching the rethugs officials get wealthier while their lives become shabbier and shabbier. One more rethug administration and the America people may simply quit too.

[jean22]

I’ve never seen a greater disparity in intellect, character and temperament between two presidential candidates than the disparity that exists between O and Mc lame. With that obvious disparity combined with record foreclosures, outsourcing of jobs, death and maiming of loved ones due to an unnecessary war, lack of health care and the overall lack of respect for the American people displayed by the repugs time and time again one would think this campaign would be no where near close, yet the polls show it is. Are the american people really so foolish that they would let the repugs dupe them a third time or are the polls wrong? ,

[isisdawnra]

I am so pleased our next Pres. is such a bright articulate and eloquent speaker.
In a few words your compelled to be engaged in what he conveys.

Hes down to earth, very good on the eyes and actually has a sense of humor.
(unlike what we've been forced to endure for 8 yrs)

Recognizes what is important.­..... Thinks ahead...fo­r One thing....r­unning mate.

Not like the sexist ,sleaze bag on the right,

I'm sure Palin has many qualitys..­...but a running mate is not one of them

[BTJ46]

I think Obama's reaction to the Palin pick is exactly right. The key is that Palin makes no change in the policies promoted by John McCain. The problem with her lack of experience and expertise is not simply a quantitative measure of her years of experience -- experience as a mother, as a small town resident could be valuable in setting some perspective in the White House -- but that her lack of clear positions on the issues of the day mean that she is in no position to challenge a McCain's ideas.

McCain advisor Charlie Black's comments expose the real intent and position of women like Sarah Palin in a McCain administration: ""She's going to learn national security at the foot of the master for the next four years." There you have it: while pandering to women, their real position is "at the foot of the master."

There was a lot of misogyny around Senator Clinton's campaign from both left and right.. It seems to be returning with a vengeance now around Governor Palin -- as an appalling example, Maureen Dowd's column in the Times. But please, let's not allow that to dominate this discussion! Let's not focus on beauty contests, or sports reporting, or wardrobes. The head of the republican ticket is John McCain. The debate we need to have is about his policies and his judgment. That is a debate we can win and winning that way is essential to achieve real progress in the next administration.

[hydenorhare]

As I've been saying since Friday, the Pubs have a genuine reform ticket with 2 people who actually have reform accomplishments.

You have someone who wallowed in and benefited from Chicago corruption and a fraud who claims to have a working class background but doesn't.

[picodegallo54]

hyse, whatever you're smoking, pass it around.

[teron678]

reform??? .. LOL .. but continuing bush failed policies ....

[pineapplegal]

Well said. However, this choice for VP is yet just ANOTHER bad judgment on McCains part. Does he really have that little regard for this country to CONTINUE to do whats best for him and the "party" at the expense of the rest of the nation. HORRIBLE choice for VP. It freaks me out and over that this lady could very well become President.

[instagladiator]

Give me a break! She WAS NOT McTwit's choice. He doesn't have a say in who it should be, the closet people make the decisions, not him.

[ThePeacemakers]

Words of wisdom, BTJ

[Bronxcutie]

I predict over the next month Hillary and the other female leaders in the party will come out swinging. They know that Barack and Joe cannot attack this woman in fear of being labeled sexist. This was truly a token pick. It proves that Barack has better judgment. You don't ask someone that you have only met twice to watch your kids, much less run the country. I find it sad that people that supported Hillary are voting Republican out of spite, not issues. It's a slap in the face to Hillary and middle class Americans that are suffering. It is the most selfish thing someone could do.

[hydenorhare]

"...Americ­ans that are suffering.­"

Are you suffering?
Who do you personally know that's suffering ?
How are they suffering?
Most people say they're doing fine themselves but they're told everyone else is suffering.
Are you one of those?

[djelimon]

Move along folks, nothing to see here.

The millions of uninsured - they aren't

The stagnating wages and millions getting laid off - it's all in their heads

[HadEnoughCrap]

Hey, A-hole, I struggle every month to make my over inflated mortgage and have lost my equity and I'm one of the lucky ones. I see a lot of foreclosure signs around and get calls and e-mails from others in my industry looking for leads on jobs.

Glad you're doing so well - hopefully you're in a high enough tax bracket that you'll be able to do your part to help those that aren't once Obam in POTUS.

[motherfather]

You are an a....hole. Get an education. A high school one maybe. ughh.!

[LongBeachDave]

Emergency gall bladder surgery with no health care left me with a hospital bill of over $50,000...­I was 45 days away from qualifying for health care on my job, which had a 6 month "waiting period" before I became eligible. So, yes, I am hurting.

[ThePeacemakers]

I have two friends and a number of family members that are struggling with mortgages. One even wanted to try to use me as a co-signer to refinance.­..not that I could help.
I struggled and paid off my credit card debt. Now I find, the credit card companies give the run around to do anything possible to keep old things on as long as possible because they want to keep people with low credit scores so that they can charge interest rates in the high 20s.
But I took money saved and hired a company to deal with them...the jury's still out.

Also, just an alert to people, if you go to the doctor/hospital, and can or can't pay any amount due at the time, beware of boxes that ask you to agree to credit arrangements that claim to be able to offer credit of 1 1/2 to 19 percent. The biggest and most dangerous thing out there is the credit industry now making money off health industry with these scandalous health insurance credit cards. You can see a $100 bill at the doctor come back to you at $1,000 to $2,000.

[gopSTEALSyourTAXmoney]

It is also quite sad that Republicans cut funding for children with autism and other
disabiliti­es---famil­ies need help with the expense of health care because it is extremely
expensive----how is Sarah Palin caring for her child with downs syndrome?

[LongBeachDave]

She makes $125,000 a year,, and her husband made $93,000 last year...so guess what? Under Obama's tax plan, they STILL will get a tax cut.

[PrincessAnnie]

I agree...Hi­llary will not let Palin walk into the Presidency after she worked her butt off for the nomination and lost. This is not what Hillary, and most women, had in mind after the "18 million cracks" in the glass ceiling. Competent women working their butts off so beauty queens can be handed things on a silver platter? That won't sell to most women, and it doesn't for me, either. If Hillary did not have a compelling reason to campaign for Obama, she does now.

I wasn't voting for Hillary under any circumstances, but it had nothing to do with her intellect and competence. Her corruption and win-at-all-costs ambition turned me off. Still, if you gave me a choice between Hillary and Sarah Palin, I would pick Hillary any day.

I predict a HIllary vs. Palin matchup very, very soon.

[silvertongue]

Congresswoman Debbie Wasserman of Florida has already come out swinging. I caught her on two cable shows on Friday. I'm sure she's just getting warmed up. Hopefully, she can persuade Hillary to really get on board.

[Shellly]

Yes, Debbie Wasserman's first comment was 'I know Hillary Clinton, she is no Hillary Clinton!'

Senator Kerry also said this morning that he was not attacking her personally, but to think the Clinto supporters are so stupid as to vote for someone just because she is a woman who doesn't support any of the cause Hillary has fought for her entire life, is really insulting.

[nirek]

Spred the word VOE OBAMA/BIDIN in November!

[ChristiB]

7 million was raised for McCain in 48 hours since the announcement of Palin. Think mega-churches. This election won't be about oil, foreign policy or anything that matters. Its gonna be decided by abortion and guns and where you stand on those two issues. McCain won't even have to speak practically. He'll use Palin to rally the base. And then when elected, she'll be used for decoration and smokescreens.

[PrincessAnnie]

You're assuming they are telling the truth about how much money they raised. The FEC filings will tell the real story. But I agree...if it is true, it's the mega-churches behind it. I think the religious nuts know this will be their last election cycle where they think they will be (somewhat) relevant. We all see what eight years of "good Christian leaders" gets us...war, war, more war, greed, corruption, plunder, lying, murder, torture, bullying, disregard for the Constitution and the law, blatant incompetence, political cronyism, "executive privilege," rapid inflation, and "drill, drill, drill." Last I checked, that wasn't very Christian, or Jesus-like for that matter. And these churches aided and abetted.

If Jesus were walking amongst us right now...

[MyGoodMojo]

Granted, Palin will rally the conservative base, but I don't think it'll do a single thing to expand the base, do you? I think something that seldom gets talked about in the media--they're deferring to more pressing issues, ie lapel pins, et al-- is the tremendous ground organization that Obama has in place. A large part of Obama's winning margin is going to be as a result of newly registered voters.

[instagladiator]

I'd like to know who donated the 7 million?

[MandieD]

I find it ironic that the same God-squadders who back Sarah Palin's conservative stances on guns, abortion etc will secretly want her to be chained barefoot and pregnant in the kitchen.

Poor bastards can't win!

[MaryanneAZ]

McCain can no longer raise funds. He accepted public (taxpayer) financing. Remember? He will have to return any monies that came in now that we are in the General Election phase. If the money was donated to the RNC, then that is a different story. There are FEC rules at work here. Of course, Republicans are not well-known to follow the rules.
Second, it does not matter if Palin bolsters McCain's support with the Party's base. Those people were going to hold their noses and vote for him as the Republican anyway. He needed to win over Independents and soft Dems. The choice of Palin does nothing to help him with those people. I find it extremely odd that McCain won the primary because he was the non-Republican Republican, someone who was apart from the unpopular Republican red meat, and then he "selects" the most Republican Republican red meat VP possible to rally his own base to vote for him. What's up with that? I wonder what their internal polling showed them. I'm just saying....­.

[Goldie9]

McBush has now shown just how much of a non-Maverick he really is -- picking Palin for his VP is just another way that he has bowed down to the religious extremists of his Party.

MYA (Maverick My Ass)!

[separatingwheatfromchaff]

“Often my haste is a mistake, but I live with the consequences without complaint.­” This is a quote by John McCain from one of his self congratulatory books,Worth the Fighting For.I don't think most Americans want to live with his mistakes or consequenc­es.This is his temper and poor judgment he's talking about and everyone should heed his warning.Th­is pick is one of those "hail Mary" passes that could seriously affect all of us if John McCain is unable to finish a first term.Ask yourself Republicans,would I vote for Palin for President?I really don't care if the consequences were borne by McCain and the Republican party,but they're not,they're borne by all of us,which includes the rest of the planet.