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

[jmsent]

John McCain comes of much different outside of campaign mode. Even Leno said that. But what really bothers me is that McCain still insists he ran a "clean" campaign. He uses the word "tough", when the correct word is "dirty". He did us all a big favor, though, by sowing the seeds of doubt about the effectiveness of these tactics. Let's see if the Republicans can figure this out and begin to run on substance instead of just tearing down the other guy.

[rayall01]

That would be impossible, as the republiturds have no substance.

[moderngentleman]

McCain, defender of a way-right-of-center American named Joe the Plumber, only one thing you need to know - the real-life average American, the actual most statistically average American, discovered after a long nationwide non-partisan search, voted for Obama, according to the search's website:

http://www.theaverageamerican.com

[Sock]

There is a strong chance he will also lose hi senate seat, especially if Napolitano is chosen for AG.

[AmericanInLondon]

I don't mind seeing Sen. McCain in interviews now, but for the love of God can we please stop seeing or hearing about Sarah Palin??? When will this nightmare end? I've had enough of her, Todd the great inspirational snowmobile racer guy, the Special Needs Child, reformer, maverick, taking on her governor etc. etc. etc. Can these people please go into the proverbial dustbin of history where they belong?

[CSE]

Would you mind if I second that?

The media follows the hype - and unfortunately so does HuffPo. Palin remains relevant as long as the news hacks keep her in the limelight.

[PoliticalPartyPooper]

That depends. How long do we have to put up with Harry Reid and Nancy Pelosi?

[old lady]

I wouldn't mind the Sarah Media Blitz to Rebuild her image.. if it were accompanied by a lengthy press satement about the real agenda behind this mad, mindless, evangilcally manipulated woman.

[rockyb26]

agreed. i'm so tired of her and i wish they would move on already. it's not like they don't have anything else to talk about. we're at war, in an economic crisis, yet the media still thinks we're dumb enough to only want to hear about SP. yuck

[Jaxy]

Good luck trying to place any reliable distance between Guv. and a television camera! She just might have to wear out her welcome, and hopefully, that will occur SOON.

[tcedu]

I've come accross this article in the NewYorker that have left me really balanced, while whatever McCain could have done or behaved, I still think it as political mistakes and can't question his loves to the country.
For those who want to go further, here is the link
http://www.newyorker.com/reporting/2008/11/17/081117fa_fact_grann

[Sock]

He and Palin love "Real America" not the rest of us.

[tcedu]

I truely don't believe so. I think that there are basic rules for running a political campain, mainly in a country like USA.
The true revelation of this one, is that it can be also run without Drama. That was the main lesson of Obama campain.
Think a little about the Rev. Wright 'problem' indide the campain, and with how dexerity Obama came out of it with a brillant speech about race issues.
David Plouffe mentionned after Obama's acceptance that his motto was "no drama" and sinec the debut he wanted to run a gracious campain.

[dagdavid]

The question was never whether or not he loved this country, but if he loved his own ambitions more. The contemptuous pick of Sarah Palin answered that question. You judge a man by his actions today and yesterday.

[tcedu]

May be you're right dagdavid. That's may be what has balanced me in the NewYorker article.
The problem is that I'm off balance also of all that revelations.

[Sock]

Zzzzzzzzzz...what?...were you saying something, John?

[silemck]

'nk, was the band really playing "I am Everyday People" in his intro? Oh, the irony.

[Oldbuck]

The thing that brother me is had the Republican won by just one vote they would be out bragging about the mandate given them by the American people. How much capital they had amassed and how they would spend it. But since the Democratic won by a practically landslide we should some how apologize for kicking their backside what wrong with this picture.

[ricland]

When do we get rid of this rotten human being?

He lost. He's 73 years old. He'll never win another election again, so why do we care what he thinks about anything?

And let's make sure besides his fake war hero sagas, he goes down in the history books as the author of the most dirtiest campaign ever.

That's his legacy and that's what he should be remembered for.

ricland

[mitchoz]

Sarah Palin did inspire people... she inspired them to vote for Obama.

[eden4barack08]

Spot on!

[bbridges1962]

Yes, and Bush encouraged even more to vote for Obama. Did you ever stop to think that the REPUB's knew they could not win again? Did it ever occur to anyone that Bush has done everything but sabatoge the presidency for Obama? Our new President Obama has his work cut out for him. Rememeber to vote out all incumbents in 2010...get rid of more REPUB's !!
North Carolina...we are voting AGAINST Richard Burr in 2010.

[lwilkerson50]

You go. That's exactly what she did. Because I saw where even repubs were willling to jump to the Obama side. Way to go Sarah. Do it again .... we look forward to you helping the Dems win again. If she decides to run in 2012, she still has to get past the primaries. I wonder how her party will tear her down. Can't wait.

[PoliticalPartyPooper]

As an Independent, I feel I have the right to say this. Her party didn't tear her down, unless you can honestly say that a few National Enquirer-like "anonymous top advisers" or "unnamed sources" are viable. Being non-biased, it's easy for me to see that you all have been duped.

As for any republicans here who might think they can rally around me, I got news for you. Your party got what it deserved in this election, and hopefully, both parties now have just enough rope to hang themselves, so we can be done with this fiasco of a government once and for all. A true democracy doesn't need political parties, and all you people have lost your sense of what Government by the people, for the people actually means. If you think Barack Obama is going to change anything in Washington, let's get back together in four years, and see how he's done.

I'm pretty sure NOTHING will change, because after all, he's a democrat, which means he puts his party first, and the people second. His voting record is all the evidence you should have needed to see that.

For us independents, we long for the day when our elected officials will shrug off the shackles of political parties, and finally do what's right for the nation.

I do have to admit though, I got a huge chuckle out of McCain's slogan, Country First. As if any party member would ever put his nation first.

[gmonet]

You know what, I'm not watching this video. Anything having to do with these two LOSERS (read presidential and otherwise) I move on. These are empty people, with empty stories, enough of these two.

[Sigger]

I couldn't or wouldn't watch it either - no honor, no integrity, no fame.

[bellabeach]

DITTO!

[HWNA]

While President Bush inspired the C students, Sarah Palin inspired the D and F students:

"You too, can be on the Republican ticket as the nominee for Vice President."

[exPatPatti]

Where's the lie-o-meter?

[LAR1969]

I think the McCain lie-o-meter exploded in July. Technology has come a long way, but nobody could have expected his level of bullsh*t.

[PoliticalPartyPooper]

It's focused squarely on the Democratic party, honey. They are the ones with power now. We independents will be making sure we keep the spotlight on them, so that when they lie and cheat and steal, as all party politicians must do, we will be there to tell the nation.

Political parties are dying in America, for good reason. The people no longer want their BS. Give yourself two years with Barack Obama. I guarantee you, nothing will change in Washington, and all he'll do is blame someone else. Although how he could have any excuse, what with a democratic congress and near super majority in the senate, I don't know, but he's smooth, I'm sure he'll find some lie the MSM, and thus you, will buy.

Do us citizens a favor. When the Democrat party fails you, as it will, please stop voting for political parties. Please don't give your vote to either party. Let's run them out of Washington for good. Do yourself a favor, and believe in something better than power grabbing, money loving political parties.

[jnratliff]

I don't know if the republican party will ever understand that being hypocrites is not the way to influence friends and voters. But he might not have made it through his first term if he had been elected.
That is one of the things that did it for me. All the talk about experience and then he chooses mrs palin that has no experience that would do her any good in the office of the president.
It has become more and more evident over the last twenty years that the republicans care much more about themselves then doing what they were elected to do.
Plus the fact that most of them got elected with money from people with big interests in the laws that could be influenced to go in their direction.
Nothing wrong with trying to get someone to see things your way, but should you be allowed to buy your own private senator or congress critter?
I can see from watching this for so many years that having your own legislator is the way to go!
It's expensive but if you play your cards right you will get a hundred times what you spent. After all most criminals, you know people that rob peoples homes when they are not there, or in other ways take what does not belong to them have an attitude of easy come easy go.
Can you tell me that is not the attitude you see prevail in our government?
Think about it!

[sherbug]

WOW!!! Todd Palin races snowmobiles. Now that's a qualification that we need.

[LAR1969]

Yes, and he finished a snowmobile race after breaking his arm with 250 miles ago. He finished! As if he had options. I guess a lesser man would have built an igloo and lived in the Alaskan wilderness.

[Shashi0224]

And, he wants Alaska to be on its own, no longer part of the United States of America....... That makes him a true patriot! What is it with the hypocritical republicans?? Will they ever realize that the educated Americans, who thankfully are the majority, won't fall for their bull crap anymore? Todd Palin and his wife are both guilty of treason in my book for wanting their state to leave America.......why was this rarely mentioned by the MSM?? Can you just imagine if Michelle Obama belonged to a group that wanted Illinois to leave the United States of America? Just imagine what the press would have done with that and then you'll know there is NO liberal media. It's a falsehood of the right-wing who own most of the media.