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

[ObamAtomic]

His legacy is ruined..si­nce the moment he went to Alaska.

[lefty247]

He just can't understand why everybody thinks he's a lying little twit.

OBAMA/BIDEN

[ObamAtomic]

Is fine,,(he)­,,,,,,will be saying,Mr President Obama How I can serve better Sir.......­..

[cinthia7]

Senator McCain....­. You are losing your dignity. This is becoming pathetic. Let it go. Your blind delusional ambition is ruining your legacy.

[Mark99]

There really is no McCain legacy or dignity. Beyond a certain point, one's misbehavior starts to erode whatever legacy or dignity existed, and he's way past that point. He's a dead meat special.

[ObamAtomic]

The manure is everywhere,sandwich *crap are in sale,,he tried to compare Sarah
with Bill,he lost all the rationaliz­ation,Sara­h compare to Reagan,,here we go again!
He lost sense of reality and time......
OB/08

[moongal6]

Just from the interview, the questions seemed pretty fluffy.
They didn't ask about Sarah saying bring on the troopergate investigation and then his/her campaign stonewalling it, didn't ask about the lies, bridges, planes, etc.
The interview was pretty tame, and he still got priggish.

[Lotus19]

Funny how troopergate that has not been brought up at all

[Sammy00400]

Did I hear McCain correctly when he said on camera at this meeting that he aspired to be a dictator?

[Jezreel]

Yes you did hear correctly ,Sammy.

[MATOS]

WOW

[whatsthatsound]

A dictator who puts country first.

L'etat? C'est moi!

[Cinnamonape]

One has to really wonder about McCain's strategic capabilities to make a "come back". He goes to Iowa, a state going blue...blu­e...blue and then gives an extended interview to a newspaper that was likely to be unsympathetic that goes TERRIBLY. I mean, Obama can go on O'Reilly and pull it off...but McCain is driving nails into his own sarcophagus here!

[ObamAtomic]

Castro visit,oh,,,I forget,he do not talk to dictators and Spain.

[lthuedk 1]

http://www.light-to-dark.com/witches_tongues_and_sara_palin.html

[jsob]

Whether or not McCain read SB0099, he should know that Obama did not write or sponsor the bill, and if it had become law it would have required comprehensive health education programs to provide “medically accurate and objective” instruction that is “age and developmentally appropriat­e.”

McCain also keeps saying Obama wants to let the government control medical care, which is false. McCain’s attack implies our current system does not get between doctors and patients, which is also false. My medical insurance limits what is covered and which doctors are reimbursed the most.

[LettuceB1]

"And I have never been an astronaut, but I think I know the challenges of space," he said.

If he knew the challenges of space then why did he pick Palin? She has enough space between her ears to be a challenge that anyone should have seen coming.

[piggybackmom]

McCain says he is a maverick.

The definition of a maverick taken from Webster's dictionary is an independent individual who does NOT go along with a group or party.

He says he is bipartisan, but how can he be a maverick and work with congress to make a change.
There have been many mavericks in history some were famous(good)and others infamous(bad).
Which one is McCain?

[rosal]

The old man looks tired and stressed, he knows his temper is an issue and he still cannot control himself? He knows he needs to be on his best behavior so he can be elected, and he is acting this way? I can only imagine how he would behave after winning the election, how many wars can we handle on the next four years?

[I-Am-John-McCain]

>> how many wars can we handle on the next four years?

"I think -- I'll have my staff get to you. "It's-- I'll have them get to you."

[seanseamour]

Anyone still thinking of voting McCain, cure that urge forever by reading the extensive article "Make-Believe Maverick" by Tim Dickinson. http://www.rollingstone.com/news/coverstory/make_believe_maverick_the_real_john_mccain/page/3
Even if you only accept a small part of this investigative report, after this you will understand the duplicitous and mischievous construct of John McCain's campaign.
To all the Republicans out there, surely you cannot aspire to let this ticket reach the White House, it would be cause for reckless endangerment of your fellow citizens to facilitate such an outcome. Surely those who are proud of the values and traditions of this badly Bush/Cheney battered party cannot further discredit their heritage with the spectacle offered. It is sad the campaign has focused to theatrics versus content, it is McCain's choreography, our nation needs to be governed by a strong center with a responsible left and right, Obama set the stage for a true debate on societal values that would have enabled our political process to evolve after so many polarized years. Time is running out but it is never too late to save one' s honor, I was mislead with the impression that McCain adhered to such principle.­..

[iPolitics]

McBush is down 16% in Iowa. What is he doing there? hahahaha

[pjburns11]

Talk about a Grumpy Old Man! And frail too....

Check out this site on McCain's health:

http://thetruthburns.wordpress.com/2008/09/26/mccains-maverick-left-eye-a-history-of-presidential-infirmity/