"The View" Debriefs On McCain Interview: Did McCain Know What Was Coming?

The ladies of "The View" debriefed Monday on their headline-making interview of John McCain from Friday's show — and the reaction it received in the press.

WATCH THE INTERVIEW

Elisabeth Hasselbeck, the show's token Republican, said she thought the interview was something of a Rorschach test — that is, one's reaction to it was a fairly good indicator of that persons' political leanings (those who support McCain tended to think they were too harsh, while Obama supporters tended to view the interview as fair).

As for McCain himself, Barbara Walters speculated that he wasn't exactly prepared for the kind of questions that the ladies would throw his way.

"I think he, I don't know, maybe thought he was going to have a more folksy ride with us or something," she said.

Whoopi Goldberg disagreed, saying, "I think Johnny Mac came on, and he knew what he was coming into," arguing that now that he is the Republican nominee he should expect different kinds of questions than he received during the primary. "And the same with Barack Obama," she continued. "Any candidate worth their salt should not be afraid to come onto this show."

Whoopi also described the unique position "The View" is in to discuss both serious issues and lighter fare with the candidates: "One of the things that everybody talked about was the fact that, unlike other groups, like newsgroups, we have the ability to ask tough questions and then ask what kind of underwear they're wearing."

Watch:

Previously: McCain Grilled On "The View": Sarah Palin, His Abortion Stance, His Obama Attack Ads, And More

Comments

[FirefighterJack]

I have seen both interviews with Obama and also McCain's interview. Johnny Mac must have thought be would get the same folksy, adoring reception that Barrack received. It didn't happen! Ms. Walter's wouldn't even let Sen. McCain finish an answer during her grilling of him. But McCain no doubt received worse hospitality from the North Vietnamese captures and he survived. He still is standing after "The View". I suspect that Gov. Palin won't get the same warm welcome as either Sen. or Mrs. Obama. Maybe if they played had hardball with Obama as they did McCain, then there would be little chatter left out there that people really don't know Obama. I have seen more investigation, slicing and dicing of Gov. Palin in just 2 weeks then I have in the total time that Mr. Obama has been above the radar. I do like his ability to deliver an inspiring speech. But, I'm just not sure is I really know who he is. He has been molded and polished to fill the bill as the Democratic presidental candidate. But deep down, who is he and who does he really listen to for guidance?

[UWorlds1]

Okay, where did my post go?

[Mia23]

Awww... poor John. Did you think all women are like Caribou Sarah? Opppsss. Not quite. I guess the gals in "The View" showed you what REAL WOMEN are made of == "sugar spice and everything nice." NOT!! ... BTW: In case you don't get it, picking Ms. Sarah was an INSULT to most women. Take good care of yourself now.

[stevespelling]

Obama was treated to a Love-in while McCain was treated to a Lynching. This is unbiased treatment according to the left.

[itsafreakingame]

If McCain wants to answer questions he likes he should go on Fox!

[Phoenixredux]

Well, it WAS McCain who was called out for perpetual LIES, even by notable conservatives like David Brooks. The Lib Ladies only asked him why.

[happys1]

The View, even today, still defend themselves saying that they have a right to ask tough questions. Again they miss the point, it was not that the questions were tough, it was the rude and disreceptful manner in which the questions were delivered and answers sought. It was calling someone a liar because they had a different point of view,
Their words, actions and body language were so very unprofessional bordering on infantile. Totally beneath them. Or just their true colors showing?
It was disrespectful, biased and mean spirited. Again, contact the sponsors of the view and let them know how you feel. Its the only way ABC will take the host of the view to task and own up to their accountability.
How about an apology to us the viewers and to John and Cindy McCain-on air-by each of the host-sounds good to me!

You know they really screwed up bigtime!Now if Obama comes back on the show, they had better be...what? Be just as unprofessional? And if they behave like professionals, we would probably cry foul, unfair tame approach--so really either way they conduct themselves with a pending Obama interview, they are sunk. Time to move on ABC. They owe us and the McCains an apology! ABC be accountable and come forward with an on-air apology.

[cila]

happys1, I agree. I am a Dem (not voting that way this time). There is no excuse for the disrespect shown to the McCains. Tough questions would be fine - would have been fine for Obama also. Instead, they were a gaggle of post-menopausal women "humping his leg." The Obama lovers adore this sort of thing - it is "cool" I suppose. But to an intelligent black person, the Obama interview had to be condescending and insulting. He must think the liberal side of the Dem party are dumb pushovers, thinking they can't investigate him or ask him hard questions, just because he's black. He's not porcelain, people, grow up!! What if he's elected and turns out to be a damaging president, who knows nothing about anything??? How proud will you be then, that you fawned over him instead of making real inquiries. He does as many negative ads as the other side, and made fun of Hillary and Bill Clinton, along with calling them racist. This is so wrong. They were our best Dem leaders of this century and you let this Chicago hack spit on them. I never watch the view but this shameful clip was shown on TV. Now I remember why I nevery watch you.

[c1ee]

It's people like you with this warped sense of 'fairness' that is ruining American political discussion. When one side is being truthful and the other side is lying constantly, then it is only right that most of the scrutiny should be placed on the lying side. Getting to the truth and having an honest discussion are the most important things, and that applies to when Obama lies or stretches the truth also.

[Mr. Cobb]

I'll bet you're a fundamentalist, too, LIAR.

[Mr. Cobb]

Nobody called anyone a liar on The View, so I will call you a liar, liar.

[WildElf]

They didn't claim McCain was telling lies for his "different points of view". They took him to task for flat out lying about the facts. If calling someone out when they lie is disrespectful, I want a new definition of respect.

[merrill1]

Sandbagged by Whoopi and Babs on the VIEW? Geez, COME on apologists, there are bigger bad boys (and girls) out there in the world who a president must to deal with. McCain blew an interview with the LADIES OF THE VIEW, for heaven's sake. He FAILED a supremely easy test that he could have aced with just a little bit of skill!

McCain has risen to his highest level of incompetency.

GObama

[freedomalert]

The American dream is not made by one man, or a group of man gather together to decide on issues. It is made by individuals, who take the opportunities in front of them and work their way to get and to reach their goal. All I hear here is whining crying babies. This sounds like the "third world communist complainers" chat. The government didn't give me this, the government didn't give me that..., I don't have this, the government don't let me collect more money, the government don't let me buy another cellular..." woah! woah! I have never seeing Americans whining and complaning like in this era. Is like Michael Moore that weights 300 pounds and complains for not having health insurance. Yet he refuse to go live in Cuba, which he says is better than USA, and he says this while he holds a coke in one hand and a hamburguer on the other. Bush did this, Bush did that, I don't have my bottle! woah! woah! GROW UP!

[freedomalert]

Yeah, like Whoopi has really help the country. Obama is always bad news, just like any communist. He always said the country is doing bad, we are bitter, we cling to guns and religions, there's nothing to be proud of, is bad to be rich, is bad to struggle for what you want. He and his wife are cry babies and he wants all Americans to have a pitty party and feel sorry for ourselves and then he the "saviour" comes and gives us all a book of welfare stamps so we can have it easy. The spreading of misery continues. This is the first time I hear people in politics making fun of someone because he is old. This is one of the countries where old people are most respected. For the first time in my entire life I hear "in America" that being rich is wrong and that middle class has to unite to bring down rich people. Where does the American dream go? I thought we were supposed to get better each time. Obama is running to run our lives and to settle for what he wants to give us. He is encouraging Americans to be irresponsible and leave their lives in his hands. No way.
Vote McCain.

[marinmaven]

Welfare was conjured by the Nixon administration.

It is under the Bush administration that we are seeing government ownership of private enterprise (i.e. AIG)

It is under the republicans where we have economic downturns, irresponsible spending, and incompetent governance. Your republican heroes don't care about small business owners or the middle class? They think middle class folk make 4 million a year. The republicans have overseen the greatest transfer of wealth to the top 1% ever and now we have to bail them out when they have gambled their money.

It is astonishing how people still cling to republican policies that have been proven a failure.

[Mysticalsister]

blah, blah, blah -- and so much of it. put your head in a bucket and bang on the side with a hammer. then you'll know what it feels like to read your garbage.

[Imichael]

Well it is easier for a camel to get through an eye of a needle then for a rich man to get into heaven. I wonder who said that?

[Call me Sweety]

Wow....talk about being out of touch, What world do you live in? I can see that you're one of the over $250,000 a year people, and I think you're having a mental lapse(like McSame) Hello...this is earth calling....hellooooooooo this is the REAL WORLD. Nobody would make fun of McSame about his age if he at least had a sharp mind and could remember anything...but again...you can't remember something if you NEVER knew it to begin with. Nobody has said-it's wrong to be rich, it's just wrong for the rich to get tax breaks while we little people don't. Barack Obama has never said -it's bad to struggle for what you want -and he's an example of exactly that. How can you say He and Michelle are cry-babies? They are shining examples of The American Dream...and they got where they are by using their brains...and that is what so many people hate about them..including you.

[KRayRPh]

Well said.

[gevan]

Luckily the $85 billion pledged to save AIG wasn't your money. It was American taxpayers money. You know, those who speak English as their first language or at least know the syntax of sentence structure. If you don't cling to guns or religion you will always have John McCain and the McCainiacs to hold on to. They, however, will no longer have a use for you after they and thier friends have picked your pockets clean.

[southieboy]

All discussion about lipstick, talking in tongues,bridges to no-where, age, sex, teenage pregnancies, lying by John Mccain in his sound bytes, aside-- I'm a retiree. I'm on Social Security and Medicare. John McCain wants to follow George Bush's policy of privatizing Social Security. Private accounts for present day working men and women would be doomed to failure and in order to finance these accounts, benefits would have to be taken away from those of us presently on Social Security or payroll taxes would have to be increased drastically to fund our benefits and also finance the Savings Accounts. Get a copy of the book: The Plot Against Social Security by Michael A. Hiltzik. The author explains why private savings accounts can never work. It's a Republican ruse to privatize Social Security. Also McCain is on record as cutting the budget by guess what ? If you guessed, cutting Medicare benefits, you're correct. McCain has no economic plans of his own that's why he's recycling Bush's

[finwiz]

"Should have asked him why he ditched his first wife for the beer baroness?"

Come on..even a democrat knows that answer to that one.

[goplady]

are you serious? give me a break! mccain and his wife have come out with all of their dirty laundry. they've talked about his affair, her addiction, etc. you have to respect them for that. they've put it all on the table, which is unusual for any politician. obama's the one hiding alot! ( rev.wright and his sketchy chicago connections)
let this organizer organize and elect someone who can actually make a decision.

[njtomato]

Cindy has involved herself in helping children in Aftrica, people in Georgia, in the U.S. etc. She may be from a wealthy family, but does not conduct herself like a spoiled brat. She is deeply involved in helping others and charitable work. Just what does Obama's wife do that compares? What happened in John McCain's 1st marriage 26 yrs. ago that caused him to look elsewhere is frankly non of our business and doesn't have any effect on him being a presidential candidate. It certainly didn't both Bill Clinton, who couldn't be faithful for a month at a time.

[jdbk52]

Or Ronald Reagan or Sarah Palin for that matter. His first wife? She did an article about it on his behalf. So it was meant to be our business. Research..

[Mysticalsister]

the $300,000 dollar dress she wore to one day of the RNC convention could have put 2 kids through college, or bought some poor family a house. I don't respect anyone who could spend that much money on a rag to cover their body when people in this country are doing without every day. shame on her and her husband.

[z222]

Well all the plastic surgery she has gone through could have fed a small country.

[mole hill]

Wait a minute! Didn't Cindy steal drugs from her own charity? What would happen if Michelle had done that and gotten addicted, like Cindy? Would the media report it? You bet they would!