McCain Leno Interview: Don't Blame Palin (VIDEO)

John McCain says he doesn't blame running mate Sarah Palin for his loss to Barack Obama.

In his first interview since losing the election last week, McCain told Jay Leno that he is proud of Palin and he dismisses the anonymous criticism of her that has spilled out in the wake of his defeat, according to the Associated Press.

"I'm so proud of her and I'm very grateful she agreed to run with me. She inspired people, she still does," McCain told Jay Leno during an "Tonight Show" interview taped for broadcast Tuesday night. "I couldn't be happier with Sarah Palin."

Asked by Leno about griping about Palin from unidentified McCain operatives in the days following the election, the Arizona senator said, "These things happen in campaigns.

"I think I have at least a thousand, quote, top advisers," he scoffed. "A top adviser said? I've never even heard of ... a top adviser or high-ranking Republican official."

McCain also joked that since Election Night, "I've been sleeping like a baby... I sleep two hours, wake up and cry. Sleep two hours, wake up and cry," reports People magazine.

Noting that Americans "don't like a sore loser," McCain defended his choice of Sarah Palin as his running mate and of Joe the Plumber as his campaign everyman.

Asked why he thought he lost, he deadpanned: "I think my personality. Or maybe too many people saw me on the Jay Leno show"...

On the day after the election, McCain said he and wife Cindy celebrated, if not a political victory, at least their release from the smothering oversight of the Secret Service.

"We got in the car and we went down to get a cup of coffee," he said. "Not the newspaper though. We knew what it would say."

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McCain called Barack Obama "a good and decent person," adding, "I salute and admire the Senator, uh, President-elect Obama"...

But don't expect another McCain-Palin ticket.

"In 2012, you'll be 76..." said Leno.

"I'll be ready to go again," McCain joked to cheers. "No, I wouldn't think so, my friend. It's been a great experience."

McCain also joked that his defeat was "all the press' fault" and sternly noted that "Our party has a lot of work to do. We just got back from the woodshed."

Comments

[fiftyplusnfedup]

At the end of his segment on Leno, McCain told a story about one of his fellow POW's sewing an American flag, being severely beaten for it, and then immediately sewing another. Has anyone heard this story from McCain before? I haven't and I think it's pure fiction, newly minted to replace his over-told (and documentedly dubious) story about a Viet Cong guard making a cross in the dirt. Oh, and the flag-sewing POW's name was Mike Christian, which seems to me a little too perfect. Anyone?

[comehomenow]

Perhaps, but he has told it before...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a_2ktwwsij0

[haval2]

Thank you again my fellow americans for keeping this man far far from being president. he is just as scary with a little sleep behind him...wond­er how cindy is faring in the aftermath of mac's smackdown?

[juzcuz]

maybe Johnny and Cindy are having wild and passionate sex in their spare time... uck... the thought of that makes me want to vomit. Yuck.

[Lizzieruth]

Am I the only one who finds it condescending when McCain says he's "proud" of Palin? To me it sounds like a father talking about his daughter's report card, not a running mate who's expected to step into the same position if necessary. Can you imagine Obama saying he's "proud" of Biden?

[NewSusan]

You're right. He's "out of it" which may explain why he continues to use the "my friends" refrain . . .

[sunny555]

I actually posted almost the exact same thing on this blog earlier today. I've heard Mac say this repeatedly, too, so it's not a mistake. I think it's an awful thing to say, in terms of it reveals how he really feels about her. It's as though he had a new pupil, which is fine if he was a teacher, but so NOT okay for a vice presidential candidate. My blood still boils at how he tried to pass her off as a viable choice.

[robXdion]

Well, like it or not, Palin is nearly on that level. He's 28 yrs older than her and she has all the mental acumen and maturity of his daughter in interviews. Obama wouldn't say that about Biden because Biden performs at the level of an actual experienced adult. Just saying. Gender has nothing to do with it. Behavior does.

[LMKay66]

Yeah, he talks about her like his little daughter who got an A on a test. I wish he would just admit that he made a bad choice in picking her. But he'll never admit to that. He doesn't want to screw up her chances of a 2012 run.

[londongal]

Both McCain and Palin are responsible for their campaigns. Palin turned me off completely. I could NOT have voted for McCain with that woman on the ticket. She was the wrong person for the job. Period. And the VP became an overly-important job because McCain is too bloody old to be assuming such a high-stress position.

[pupbayer]

Wow...you'­re really an age bigot, aren't you? Hey, your right...no­t admirable but certainly your right.

[LMKay66]

It's not age bigotry. Look, what's the average lifespan for a man? McCain's there, pushing the limit. He may live another 20 years or not. We don't know. But it's reality, not bigotry.

[Abby1]

I agree with you.

[sunny555]

Even if he wasn't too old, she was a poor choice. I heard her say on an interview, in response to a question about foreign policy experience, something about Putin "rearing his ugly head" and "flying over Alaskan airspace." That did it for me. She was so unqualified for the position, and Mac clearly did not put "country first."

[RTIII]

The ONLY thing of value in this series of clips is in the second half of the last clip wherein we hear the story of Mike Christian in the Hanoi Hilton...
.

[fiftyplusnfedup]

Maybe, maybe not... See my comment above.

[fayegibson]

Sara Palin, is loved by the right due to the fact that she goes direct at the dem.making false statments such as Obama pals around with terriosts. In my opinion, she 'll say anything weather it facts or fictions to get ahead. She's a female I have no respect for. She talks loud but says nothing

[jwatso7]

I watched this interview last night with a high degree of disgust. I found it disturbing that he was so rough, so accusatory, so willing to misrepresent Obama on the campaign trail, and last night he was happy to show off the many jokes he had memorized to be a happy talk show guest. I used to have a moderate level of respect for John McCain, but the 2008 campaign has changed all of that. This man has no honor. This man doesn't take responsibilty for his actions. This man deserved his loss.

[LisaLisa1234]

What was very strange to me was how he said, "You have to keep the campaign respectful" in response to Jay commending him on responding to the "Arab" woman. "Tough, but respectful".

It's as if he thinks that refuting her and praising Obama at his concession speech means he ran a respectful campaign.

Watching the interview, I felt like I was in the Twilight Zone.

[RTIII]

"I've never known a finer man than Joe Lieberman.­"
.

[dhertzfe]

Anyone tired of the P.O.W. stories yet?

[CRhae]

God yes, what about the ones who were in prison along with him????

I am married to a Lt. Colonel who served in Desert Storm and two tours of Iraqi Freedom, he isn't physically scared but he is emotionally scared.

[dhertzfe]

He winks almost as much as Palin. GeeWhiz and it still didn't work? Notice how he repeats Bush's old rhetoric so often, "It's Tough", "Things are Tough". I'm glad America wised up.

[claudeboo]

Until recently, there's been a haunting paradox I couldn't escape when trying to come to terms with my perspective of McCain. On one hand, I couldn't help but admire his service and his courage. I understand the serving in the military doesn't automatically make you a couragious or any more patriotic than someone who doesn't. I also understand that serving political office does not make you any greater a public servant than someone who works a soup kitchen, but taken all that he's done, I have to admire it. I simply can't help it.
On the other hand, it's clear that his public career has been consistently marked with behaviors that mar his reputation: The S&L scandal, Sarah Palin, moving to far to the right and away from his (at least occassional) centrist positions.
I reconcile this by realizing he has achieved what the Peter Principle calls "reaching one's own level of incompetan­ce." In other words, his body of work has taken him as far a he will go. Not bad, just not enough to take him all the way to the White House.

[truth2008]

McCain is still lying the man has no honor! Maybe he can have a career as a talk show guest, he is not president material.

[RTIII]

What looo-zerrrrr comments are these?! He said (roughly):

Arizona Mothers can't tell their children they can grow up to be president?!

Was seen on the David Letterman show too often?!

Boooooooo!
.

[sunny555]

Maybe he doesn't blame Palin for his loss, but as an independent female in the demographic she was supposed to appeal to -- she didn't. I liked her until I realized I knew more about foreign affairs than she did. I will give her that she is knowledgeable about oil and energy, at least within her home state. Other than that, she was appallingly ignorant on most issues. When I vote, my decision is based on MUCH more than a candidate being pro-life.

Perhaps hard-core conservative women loved her, but I personally know many women who liked Mac but wouldn't vote for him because of his choice of a running mate (and these women would have loved to see a woman in the White House). I truly believe he lost a lot of votes because of her.

[LeaderofMen]

Of course she's the reason you lost, you toad.