McCain Gets Testy With Des Moines Register

On Monday, John McCain had a truly combative meeting with the editorial board of the Des Moines Register, discussing heatedly everything from Sarah Palin to health care to the shine of his maverick brand.

McCain got near anger when it was suggested that the Straight Talk Express had taken a detour, challenging the questioner to provide examples. Asked specifically about the kindergarten sex-ed ad, McCain defended it wholeheartedly.

"I have always had 100 percent absolute truth and that's been my life of putting my country first. And I'll match that record against anyone's. And I'm proud of it. And an assertion that I have ever done otherwise I take strong exception n to. And you will have to provide better proof than a bill that Sen. Obama supported that clearly calls for the teaching of sex education of young children."

McCain was equally as animated when asked about the qualifications of his running mate, Sarah Palin. At one point, he seemed to catch himself getting heated and deliberately backed off.

"So, with due respect, I strongly disagree with your premise that she doesn't have experience and knowledge and background," the Arizona Republican said. "And, by the way," McCain said before cutting himself off and saying, "I'll stop there. I fundamentally disagree and I'm proud of her record. But you and I just have a fundamental disagreement and I'm so happy that the American people seem to be siding with me," he said.

McCain dismissed Republicans who questioned Palin's experience as "Georgetown cocktail party" people who call themselves conservatives.

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McCain gave another sharp answer when the editorial board noted that -- having served in the military, then in Congress, and now being over the age of 65 -- McCain has always been covered by a taxpayer-financed health care plan.

"I was out of the military for a while before I went to Congress," McCain said. "But that is an interesting statement. And I have never been an astronaut, but I think I know the challenges of space," he said. "And I have never done a lot of things in my life that I think I am familiar with. I have always been a free enterprise person who thinks families make the best choices for themselves.

"I did go a period of time when the health care wasn't very good," he added, in reference to his time as a POW.

The Des Moines Register board leans left, but they endorsed McCain during the Republican primary.

Comments

[RobertHewson]

New McCain Satire: The Impulsively Unreflective Duo in... "McCain Goes Negative!"
Hilarious, brilliant:
http://headofstate.blogspot.com/2008/10/impulsively-unreflective-duo-inmccain.html

[DangitRuss]

McCain is turning on his own party! Now that would be a meltdown of Biblical size.

[TheGeicoCaveman]

THAT OCTOBER SURPRISE IS HERE !!!!! .

BAMMM!!!

THE 2006 VETTING OF SARAH PALIN
***
COPIES FOUND IN THE ARIZONA DESERT

********* A complete 63 page report *********

A MUST READ FOR ALL AMERICANS

Over 150,500 downloads in PDF

http://mudflats.files.wordpress.com/2008/09/palin-2006-vetting.pdf

[Abby1]

I thought John McCain suspended his campaign until the financial crisis was over. Even though the bill passed, the financial crisis still looms. Why is he still campaigning? When did he lift his suspension.

[Dreadsen]

Look out Palin just unleashed her attack on Obama trying to talk about Ayers because they are failing in every other aspect.

This is all the information in one package on Palin's love for the Anti American AIP.

A lot of work was put into this Article. There is nothing else that needs to be said.

http://www.youdecide2008.com/2008/10/02/palin-as-the-treasonous-trojan-horse-for-the-aip/

You have all your video evidence and damaging audio recordings. I hope they use it.

Don't be scared spread this to everyone. This isn'tbogus boogeyman hokey like the Obama emails that are debunked by snopes either!

[Dreadsen]

Is someone going to call out Palin on her associations with the AIP! They are trying to attack Obama on Ayers. But they don't want the AiP info to come up!

[BillOReits]

Some straight talk: this power hungry, egotistical, silver spooned, military brat, despite his 72 years has never grown up. He wants the presidency the way a spoiled child just wants, wants and wants more. His sarcasm, his snarkiness and aggressive tone are sure signs that the wheels have come off the “Straight Talk Express”. Its deeply troubling but very possible that the pressure, of possibly losing the office that he has long considered his destiny, is triggering previously dormant PTSD symptoms in Sen. McCain.
Research is clear that stressful events later in life can bring on symptoms such as hyper vigilance and aggression to former POW’s. Though it seems the Senator has never been diagnosed with PTSD, it might be worth taking a second look; especially since 30% of those in a war zone have the diagnosis and those who have been POW’S are at much greater risk than combat vets.

[carpeDM]

The Democrats have posited that a vote for Sen. McCain is a vote for a third term of President Bush. Observing Sen. McCain recently and specifically his demeanor and responses to the Des Moines Register Editorial Board should suggest the Democrats redefined its position on "McSame". It appears that a vote for Sen. McCain would actually be a vote for a third term of Vice President Cheney. We currently have a VP who has disdain for anyone not ideologically onboard the "Straight Talk Express." The country needs an even-tempered, thoughtful leader. We seem to have a "McCheney" on the top of the Republican ticket blaming the "elite" media for employing "gotcha" journalism against he and his hand-picked running mate. Even conservative columnists who have critiqued his choice of running mate, he calls "Washington cocktail party pundits". Does all this sound too familiar?
Let's hope Sen. McCain moves to the higher road in the next four weeks.

[Seaglass]

Strategy: Tell a whopper enough times, and maybe folks who don't read will buy it:

The last thing the US needs after eight years of Bush and Cheney is another rigid, secretive, lying, hot-tempered, war-happy pair in the White House!

[rajoro]

WTF! Is mcCain honestly trying to compare Palin to Reagan and Clinton? Now he is being as ridiculous as his VP!

Reagan was a successful, actor, union head and well travelled political pitchman and speaker for decades before he became Govenor of the most populous state in America. He suceeded at a very high level and was a competent govenor even if you disagreed vehemently with his policies he came in at a time when the nation was in a social upheaval and was tested in crisis.

Clinton wasn't as ready as Reagan but shared a history of acheivement, Rhodes scholar, studying in London and Moscow, two term Govenor well steeped in both national and foreign affairs. We see how they governed. Obama shares this too, although not as prepared as Clinton, he hs suceeded at a high level in everything he has done as a successful; Scholar, Community Organizer, Editor of Harvard Law Review, Attorney, Law Professor, State Senator, Presidential Candidate and hopefully Nominee of his party.

The devastating investigative article in this months Rolling Stone:

http://www.rollingstone.com/news/story/23316912/makebelieve_maverick/print

says it all, he and Palin are near do wells, getting by on the strength of story, ideology and tribal membership.

[javagirl322]

Well, what do we expect? This is the same man who called his wife the "c" word, remember?

[TNT2008]

This fellow is just plain scary! He looks like the top of his head is about to come off in parts of this interview. When have we seen this kind of arrogance before........oh, that's right the entire eight years of the Bu$h administration! $ucks to have all the answers and no one will listen to you; $ucks to always be right about everything; $ucks to be 100% honest about everything and no one believes you! Good luck McStoopid! You know, I truly believe that before we were put on this earth God held each of us and said: "Brain; no brain, Brain, no brain; Brain, no brain; No Brain...good luck!" That's why we have so many idiots in this country singing the praises of a person who they know has bad judgement and is losing bits and bits of his mind daily! What other reason could there be?

[druidlady42]

WHY IS THERE NO MENTION OF THIS INTERVIEW on the MSM this morning???

You can bet your last dollar (if you have one left!) that, if Obama had conducted such an interview and made such outlandish statements, they would be being plastered all over every network right now, 24/7!!!

I also wonder why HuffingtonPost has moved this story out of the limelight so quickly? If Americans were exposed to this damning tape in its entirety, I believe most of them would be horrified to see the REAL John McCain revealed! This is the LAST person who should be Commander in Chief and guardian of the "red button"!!!

[javagirl322]

I wonder how many of these "Georgetown cocktail party people" have contributed to JM's campaign or could it be he no longer gets invitations...

[lilena]

CHILLING. Should he win, imagine the following: a White House that holds few and only combative press conferences, a president who bristles at media scrutiny and scoffs at intelligent query, a president who feels no need to justify controversial decisions, and when he responds to tough questions, it's with barely concealed hostility. So what we'd end up with is DICK CHENEY.
Oh, John McCain, and to think I once respected you.

[dickybell]

"And I have never been an astronaut but I think I understand the challenges of space"
What the f***!? If anyone can tell me how this relates to his reliance on taxpayers for his healthcare, I'll donate my next unemployment cheque to Alzheimer's Relief.