(CNN) – When John McCain agreed to appear on the day-time talk fest known as The View, he may not have been expecting too many hard-hitting questions.
But the Arizona senator was aggressively pressed on VP candidate Sarah Palin's qualifications to be vice president, as well as his new negative campaign ads that several independent fact-checks have called downright misleading.
Co-host Barbara Walters immediately asked McCain about a remark he’d made that Palin might just be the most "marvelous running mate" ever, asking, "that's not a little strong?"
"We politicians are never given to exaggerations or hyperbole, as you know," McCain joked, before praising Palin as the most "popular governor in America" and one who has united a "spark in America."
Walters went on to press Palin's reformist credentials, noting McCain has served in Washington for more than two decades and asking repeatedly, "who's she going to reform, you?"
McCain began to answer by saying Democrats have held control of Congress for two years, before Walters quickly interrupted: “But tell me who she is going to reform - we aren't talking about the economy, we're not talking about housing, she was chosen to reform, who is she going to reform?"
"The Democrat Party, the Republican Party, even an independent," McCain said, appearing somewhat frustrated, "She'll reform all of Washington."
"How? What will she do," Walters appearing somewhat exasperated said. "What is she going to reform specifically, senator?"
McCain said Palin had a strong record on vetoing earmark spending. "The fact is she was a reform governor, she took on an incumbent governor of her own party and defeated him. She sold the airplane and fired the chef –" he began.
"She sold the airplane at a loss," an unrelenting Walters interrupted.
McCain was later pressed on the increasingly derisive tone of the campaign, and his new television commercial that carries the widely discredited claim Obama supported comprehensive sex education of kindergarteners as an Illinois state senator.
McCain defended the ad’s claims, as well as those of a Web ad that said Obama’s “Lipstick on a Pig” comments were directed at Palin. He added that if Obama had agreed to a series of townhalls he’d proposed, the tone of the campaign might have been more amicable.
"If we had done what I asked Senator Obama to do, I don't think you'd see the same tenor of this campaign," he said. “Why don't you ask Obama the next time he's on this show why won't he be in town meetings with me?"
"You bring us Sarah Palin and we'll ask Obama," Walters quipped.
From CNN Politics
© 2012 Cable News Network. Turner Broadcasting System, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
| Advertising practices | Advertise with us | About us | Work for us | Help
McCain is a joke. Seriously. All his interviews lately have been like this. He looks completely lost.
You pick a completely inexperienced VP to run with you, your own party knows it's a gimmick, and even after a few weeks of having her on the ticket, you STILL CAN'T THINK OF AN ANSWER?
My god people. Open up your eyes. Haven't you let the idiot faction of my party do ENOUGH DAMAGE? Vote Obama so more moderate Republicans can regain control of the party and run in 2012 – at least Obama is intelligent.
Thank God someone's asking the real questions. CNN could learn from these women that the job of the media is not to be 'fair' to candidates, but to TELL THE TRUTH. They should be called out on lies and not misrepresented to the public. Anyone else remember the run-up to the Iraq War? Apparently nobody learned any lessons except the View.
Joe in NJ September 12th, 2008 1:40 pm ET
That's right, beat up on McCain. After the lovefest you've shown Obama and his wife, it's obvious where these women's loyalty lies (except for Elizabeth).
____________________________________________________
it is soooo funny you Repubs when ever you are confronted with the truth about your demigod McCain you have to cower to your "victim hood"(stop whinning), where Obama placed flowers or some other stupid nonsense...your pathetic desperation is showing. well here's the truth...America can not afford another 4 years, we can not afford another President in the pocket of fat cat Washington lobbyist, we can not afford another corrupt VP...America can not afford the draft, no equal pay for women, no health care, no GI bill, no troop with drawl...America can not afford John McCain, war hero or NOT!
Well sorry for you Mccain do you think that the fact both of you on the same stage will turn you as a positive candidat!!!!!!!!!! Well imagine that the Obama's fan boo to you same time that you open your mouth. Obama unserstand that and was polite to decline you invitation,,,
Go Barbara! She has redeemed herself as a good journalist. She's done the best so far in getting to the real deal.
Good for Barbara Walters.
If McCain/Palin get elected, it will be the beginning of the end of the Age of U.S. of A in the world. Actually that has already started during the last 7 years of Bush presidency, but election of this ticket will make it irreversible.
The View did the job that the media should have done. Good for them. Take that, Best Political Team on Television (yeah right).
Sick and tired of people saying McCain's campaign is all negative. Have you heard Obama talk! He is always knocking McCain/Palin. But of course the sainted one can do no wrong. His whole acceptance speech was a smear campaigne covered by what people wanted to hear. I was undecided, but now I know McCain has my vote.
Barbara sounded like a stupid liberal. I thought she was better. This is a show and not an interview. I guess sound bit is much more important. McCain did well.
Finally, a group that's not afraid to combat the "bullying" tactics of the Republicans!
Go "The View"!!!
This country has denegrated the President and Vice President's position to a popularity contest. Deep within each heart, most sane people know that Obama/Biden will do more to get this country out of it's current mess than McCain/Palin but deep rooted biases, fears and again a lack of respect for these most high politcal offices, keep people from voting what's right.
I will take a day off from work to watch Sarah on the View! A
cat fight for the history books!
Anybody who observed carefully Palin's family should be concerned about the way it is being managed. It is a family in a mess:
A. herself being pregnant at age 44 and of course having a baby with disability,
B. her 17 years-old teenage daughter is pregnant from an 18 years-old teenage boy
C. her son has to go to the army because he could not go to College,
D. her spouse an Alaska Independist, etc.
With all of this mess in Palin's family life how anybody can trust Palin with the management of United States of America? God please save America from McPalin..
anon September 12th, 2008 1:41 pm ET
He should have known that the ladies on The View don't fret with words. I'm not a big fan of the show but I do know they don't skirt around issues and they speak their minds. He walked right into that landmine!!
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Other side of the coin when it is Obama. Funnt.
How come the view and N.O.W. have not supported Palin? Is it because she is a women? Or is it because she is not a hard left liberal? Hmmm.
All liberals remember, Palin will be around for 30 more years to torment you all.
Who exactly is Obama going to reform? How? Who specifically?
Doesn't the question go both way?
Oh, I forgot, the media has been in the bag for the lightweight Senator from Illinois for months. Am I right Hillary supporters?
Now i know exactly why i quit watching this stupid show, NObama had a walk in the park but they grill the one with experience? BAN this show.
palin is a maverick as well as mccain, she is a jockey mom and he is a war hero, but above all they are elected republicans who are above the law, righ, let's ask Karl Rove...
How pathetic is it that THE VIEW has to do the job of the press?
CNN, you should be ashamed.
Wow, McCain sure got grilled. Way to go, Barbara. I'm sure Joy got some licks in, too.
so we finaly know where we stand on ROE v. WADE
Barbara wah wah would be better served asking Obama why he thinks he has the experience to be President – Palin has far more experience than Obama - It is just Obama knows how to blow hot air better than Palin
To: Anonymous
John McCain and the Republicans once again used 9/11 as a political tool in showing the footage of the towers falling to the ground during their convention. He certainly didn't "respect" the dead, or the families who have lost loved ones by once again showing us that horrific site. He and the Republican party should be ashamed of themselves. He'd rather lose an election than a war? Well, he'd rather politicize the lives lost on that tragic day, than lose an election.
J,
"don't forget that Obama is running as president, he did NOT know that Russia has VETO power in NATO when he was interviewed."
Russia is not part of NATO. Please know what you are talking about before posting.
Sarah Palin is smart and a fighter. But she is in no way qualified to be VP or president. Lightly credentialed, Journalism degree which took her 6 years and 5 different colleges? There has to be a story there. Obama and Biden are intelligent, highly educated, know constitutional law, both teach at high-ranking universities, both have been in the senate and on the national scene. I would not be so concerned about Palin as VP if John MCCane was not 72 years old and a cancer survivor. This is not an election for head of the PTA but an important election that has world-wide consequences. Not a popularity contest – place in office the most qualified.
Vote Obama dnd Biden
From Obama supporter: If I recall correctly, Obama has already been on the show . . . but I must agree with McCain, Obama should have agreed to the townhall meetings – it had indeed already occurred to me that such would have prevented the campaign's descent – and I support Obama