McCain Goes Vindictive On CNN, Cancels Larry King Live Appearance

Remember how yesterday night, CNN's Campbell Brown asked McCain flack Tucker "Anchorman" Bounds a simple question, then chortled and smiled at the sight of Bounds struggling to not answer her? Well, John McCain remembers! And as punishment for CNN daring to impose some level of journalistic rigor, McCain has abruptly canceled a scheduled appearance on Larry King Live tonight. Via TPM:

Wolf Blitzer just reported that the campaign has canceled a scheduled interview with Larry King due to an unfriendly segment last night on CNN -- the segment we flagged last night where the network's Campbell Brown grilled McCain spokesperson Tucker bounds over Sarah Palin's lack of foreign policy experience.

...

Blitzer said the McCain campaign complained that Campbell Brown's grilling of Tucker Bounds over Sarah Palin's lack of foreign policy experience was "over the line."

"Over the line?" Really? What would have been in bounds? Repeating the words "war hero" until overcome by the vapors?

Oh well, the joke will be on McCain once he finds out that the only unfouled restroom at the convention site is at the CNN Grill.

Comments

[sightpicture]

04:04 PM on 09/07/2008

Palin won't answer any questions (until she finishes her training), this guy Tucker refused- refused mind you - to answer legitimate questions, and now McCain refuses to go on Larry King. McCain was simply looking for an excuse to avoid answering specific questions, and Carl Rove thinks he can turn it all against CNN.

On the other hand we see Obama being interviewed by Bill O'Reilly.

Now, who has the courage of their convictions? Who is willing to face up to intense scrutiny? Who is really confident that their message is true? Clearly not the Republican candidates.

[tcbatts]

10:16 PM on 09/05/2008

Cnn has gone so far left it makes me sick. So now I get my news from fox news only, for the the executives at CNN to back Cambell Brown makes me ill she was so out of control she sholud have been fired. Cambell will say well im just reporting the news but we know she would never talk to mr. an Obamination like she did with the rep from the RNC. so so long cnn

[joycekoster]

09:32 PM on 09/05/2008

I am so disappointed in the media this week. CNN used to be my favorite newsreporters but what has happened to them? They are so biased and one sided it is crazy. I didn't think newsreporters were supposed to show what party they belonged to but now it is so obvious it is crazy. What are reporters for? I thought they were supposed to report facts not harrass a guest to get them to say something they don't want to say. How about being a little kind with your guests and let them talk. It is so obvious Cambell just wants to dig up any possible dirt she can find and only because she is a Republican. No Democrate would be treated that way by her. What person in the world doesn't have something in their lives they aren't proud of. Do you have to drive her in the dirt? Give her a chance you might like her.

[coreypaul]

06:31 AM on 09/04/2008

I just wrote CNN the following:
To CNN:
I just watched a video where Campbell Brown interviews Tucker Bounds on Sarah Palin's national security experience at:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UYYiw_y2qDI
I thought CNN was a lost cause.
I hope you do not fire her when the RNC complains about her to CNN, media and supporter big wigs.
Campbell Brown is an asset to CNN.

[joycekoster]

09:14 PM on 09/05/2008

She was over the top. Not being a good reporter and surely not unbiased. I lost so much respect for her. I hope CNN does take action with her.

[Airborn]

09:40 PM on 09/05/2008

Journalistic integretity is essential to a free society....and that often requires tough questions...not fluff...Campbell did a great job. Thank you ,Hank in MT

[jamjim]

02:47 PM on 09/03/2008

There is a wonderful piece about this at Coup by Memo: http://www.coupbymemo.com/gendercard.

It's a nice re-framing of the debate over McCain's charges of sexism-- pointing out that McCain is the one playing the gender card here.

[crossuab]

02:32 PM on 09/03/2008

McCain probably didn't cancel out of vindictiveness. He was probably afraid that what happen to Tucker would happen to him. He's buying time until he can sufficiently answer the question about Palin's credentials. This is what happens when you pick a VP candidate without doing sufficient research.

[joycekoster]

09:18 PM on 09/05/2008

Not vindictiveness just out of respect to VP candidtate. I think he did plenty of research. He and his staff wouldn't be that stupid that is for sure. Give them a little credit.

[UnknownSoldier]

02:16 PM on 09/03/2008

Let us not be distracted by the Republcian Noise Machine. Not one of these Right Wing Nutz has answered Mrs. Cambell Brown's question. Can a supporter of J W McBush and McMooseKiller please answer the question seeing as how Tucker Bounds could not.

[votesmartUVA]

02:07 PM on 09/03/2008

THIS IS ALL BECAUSE JOHN MCCAIN DOESN'T HAVE TO COURAGE TO HANDLE AN INTERVIEW. He is using Campbell Brown as a target. Someone who was solely doing her job, and his adviser was thoroughly unprepared. I must say, the most interesting event before Nov. 4 will most assuredly be when Obama and McCain debate. Obama will wipe the floor with McCain--who knows, maybe McCain will try to distort THAT and twist and turn it so he won't have to attend. Too bad Tim Russert won't be around come the debate season; he would have been the best moderator out there.

[Jced]

01:54 PM on 09/03/2008

What happened to the pictures of Mrs. Palin in a Bikini, who deletes this stuff? Hmmmm Interesting.

[Jced]

01:50 PM on 09/03/2008

I hope CNN just keeps publicly asking McCain to come on for an interview,I hope he keeps turning them down. At this point CINDY looks more intelligent than John or Sarah. Good for Cambell Brown,why shouldn't they be asked questions?

[joycekoster]

09:21 PM on 09/05/2008

One thing to ask questions another to try and belittle them without any substance. She knows less than anyone what she is talking about. How much knowledge about her does she have?

[crossuab]

01:19 PM on 09/03/2008

She cut him off because he wasn't answering the question. He brought up the commander-in-chief title to say she had foreign policy experience, but when asked to name one example of a decision she made in this role, he tried to attack Obama. She was trying to keep him on point. Why bring it up, if he wasn't prepared to back it up? Don't pee on my leg and tell me it's raining!! Don't tell me she is in the closest state to Russia, like that means anything. Don't tell me that being mayor city that has 6,000 people is sufficient experience a person needs to be president. Don't tell me she is a reformer, and not tell me what reforms she has made. She was for the Bridge to Nowhere before she was against. She stood up to a corrupt politician? Oh yeah, that was a risky political strategy. No one wants to go down with a sinking ship.

[Synergist]

01:50 PM on 09/03/2008

Duh!!! He put it back at Obama because she is asking for experience he has not had either. He just started roaming the world to meet leaders of other countries so he could look presidential. And visiting with those in opposition to our policies rand with our enemies, underminds our country. It is the president and vice presidents job to handle foreign diplomacy. No one should ever go to other countries during an election campaign and solicit money and support to allow a foreign country influence over ours. Our forefathers would of slammed this guy for such irresponsible behavior.

[UnknownSoldier]

02:09 PM on 09/03/2008

I would ask if you are stuckin Foopid, but the answer is painfully obvious.

[crossuab]

02:27 PM on 09/03/2008

So it was ok for McCain to go to Columbia and Canada and send someone to Georgia? If Tucker had answered Campbell's question may have let him go on to attack Obama, but he couldn't even answer her question. Obama didn't solicit money overseas. Foreigners can't donate to presidential candidates. Your argument lacks facts and substance.

[Wuzzup]

11:58 AM on 09/03/2008

JMc to Media Question My Bad Judgement in picking a Hockey Mum as VP to your own PERIL....

[Aby]

11:51 AM on 09/03/2008

I feel sorry for John McCain.

So much in his life is scary right now. They wanted him to talk to Larry King....he's waiting for Sarah's next bombshell.....Cindy changed her hair to look like Michelle Obama.

If this guy's going to be our next President, we need to go easy on him!

Let's agree that for the duration of this campaign, certain people should not be scrutinized: Bristol Palin, Bristol's boyfriend, Bristol's mommy, and John McCain.

Everybody else is fair game, and this includes Barrack Obama and Campbell Brown.

[relentless63]

01:10 PM on 09/03/2008

And after adopting the position that the children should be left out of it, she arrives today with her daughter's self-proclaimed redneck boyfriend in tow. The McCain bunch are hypocrites and liars.
Now they'd put her children in a position to be fair game. What are they thinking?

[UnknownSoldier]

02:12 PM on 09/03/2008

Who said this: "Chelsea Clinton is ugly because her Father is Janet Reno"? if you answered J W McBush, YOU'RE RIGHT.

More of same Republcian Hypocrisy.

[leftoflennon]

11:39 AM on 09/03/2008

Roland Martin was on point last night.

They are whining spoilt brats!

They finally got a hard question and because they cant answer it, they throw a hissy fit.

[votesmartUVA]

02:01 PM on 09/03/2008

Amen! Typical whiny babies. Boo hoo. How many questions like that has Barack Obama had to answer? Too many to count.

[londonrainbow]

03:42 PM on 09/03/2008

i agree Roland was right.

[Synergist]

11:33 AM on 09/03/2008

She just got on the scene and he couldn't possibly know enough about her and all her past activities and experiences to be doing that interview. All the interviewer did was try to find a spot where he was not fully informed and attack that same issue. Very lame. He should of just backed off and said look I'm not her biographer and I think it would be best for you to ask Sarah these questions.