(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
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Babs is a quarky as a Lincoln Chafee.
Both in my view are a funny view.
Obama is a joke as well
Go McCain
Cracks me up. Every time someone tries to pin down mccain on a real answer to a question, it's o'bama attacking.
I was an undecided Hillary supporter. After watching Mccain's speech (how long can someone actually say nothing) and after seeing how Palin handled herself last night in that interview, I'm going with O'Bama.
It's not an attack issue. I'm not voting for any other reason than the reps have NO answers. McCain seems a little foggy. Maybe he's becoming forgetful?
Kudos to John for going on a show with Obama supporters. This man has courage Barry can only dream of....
His answer to Walters is so pathetic, and she or someone should have said to him:
Since you didn't get your way in those townhalls meetings you asked for relentlessly, that justifies your child-like behavior of throwing tantrums and trying to convince the American people your way was right by going negative, being divisive, insulting, lying, and taking the low campaign road; Senator is that your strategy....is this your solution? Do you believe the America people deserve this type of circus clown show ? You need to seriously give thought to making an apology to Sen. Obama and the American people, and I mean right NOW !
Anyone out there with half a brain that is willing to forget any party loyalities and look at the individuals for who they are? We are certainly not getting that from the media from either side. Is Obama btter than McCain? Don't care, as long as they are smart enough to choose the right people to support thrm and be able to clearly communiucate, something lacking in one apect during the last 8 years and the other rom teh previous 8. Let get a full package deal in the Whitehouse that can pick the right people and communicate clearly. Who is it? I am not et certain, still trying to learn aout the respective canidates, despite the "noise" most of the public is getting caught up in.
PELOSI AND REED HAVE HAD 2 YEARS TO DO SOMETHING PRODUCTIVE IN THE SENATE AND HAVE ELECTED TO DO NOTHING. GAS PRICES ARE THROUGH THE ROOF AND THEY WONT DRILL IN THE CONTINENTAL U.S OFF THE COASTS OR ANWAR. THERE IS ALSO NO LEGISLATION FOR ALTERNATIVE FUEL RESEARCH. WE WERE SOLD A BILL OF GOODS BY PROFESSIONAL LIARS IN THE 2006 ELECTION. NO WONDER CONGRESS HAS AN APPROVAL RATING IN THE TEENS. LETS GET RID OF ALL THE TREE HUGGERS IN CONGRESS BEFORE WE ARE PAYING 10 DOLLARS A GALLON. THE ONLY THING GETTING DRILLED IN THIS COUNTRY IS LARRY SINCLAIR BY OBAMA.
I wish I had seen the view, but it is clear from last night's interview and based on Pain's academic credentials and what she considers to be sufficient experience to be vice president she is not qualified to teach government to fifth graders. Most millenials have more experience traveling aborad and interfacing with diverse cultures. Her Freudian slip during the interview–that she he was selected to help the ticket and thought she could compare herself to a violent dog to show how tough she is. But we teach students that bullying is unacceptable behavior–and knowledge empowers and gives one more factual choices in problem solving. Personal development that leads to self control and requires human virtues to do so –separates humans from the beasts (Aristotle)
I see the cue cards won't help you with this one McSame.
Wait til Ms Bridgetonowhere gets on the talking circuit
We've all got lots of questions for McPlain that you've been hiding
QUESTION
1.Your trying to stop your corruption investigation til after the election
2. Where did the money for the bridge to nowhere go?
3.How many times did McWar meet you before he said you were vetted?
4. Did you try to use your power as Gov to get your brother-in-law
fired?
5. Is Trig actually your baby?.....National Enquirer says NO
Enough....you wouldn't even answer these questions....those
softballs on ABC were a laugh.
Its pretty sad that The View gives a tougher interview than CNN, NBC, ABC, and Fox News combined. CNN, start asking questions!
carolflowery said: "where was Michelle Obama,"
Where was Todd Palin or Cindy McCain?
I have newfound respect for the View.
I think we're going to start seeing 'More of the Same' in the coming weeks......I hope the media was just getting the facts together before they stick it to McCain on his pick of Sarah Piglin....Oops!!
McCain – Palin = World War III
He will respond by blasting the liberal meeting for daring to question the GOP. Also, just to remind everyone it is McCain v Obama and not Palin v Obama
Barbara: So who is she going to reform Mr McCain?
John: Maybe she should start with you Barbara, I mean you were married and sleeping with a married man all during the 70's were you not?
Audience: either complete silence or roaring laughter. You decide.
Curious that it has to be a day-time talkshow making the hard questions to a candidate when the "real" journalists don't.
Hey 'Hitler Youth for Obama', do you mean the same "adulation", "bias", and "double-standard" that Palin is getting for the, oh, two weeks she's been running vs. the 19 months he has?
Barbara, I lost respect for you when you published that "autobiography". By asking questions like this, you are earning some of my respect back. Please keep earning it back.
Since most of the posts on this board are anti-McCain/Palin (he's washed up and she's a wacko), why are not the poll numbers reflective of the people? who do they poll?
They kissed Obama's but!
It is another sad day in America when the only television personality who has enough integrity to ask John McCain what exactly he means by change is Barbara Walters on the view. Our political system has been done no justice by a press corps which cowers from asking hard questions and refuses to call a lie a lie. Being president was described by our current president as “hard work.” A few tough questions is not going to break them. Throwing softballs to “appear” neutral is shameful. Please throw the tough questions at all four candidates. This campaign is a job interview and as Americans we need to know what each candidate stands for and we need to learn more than what their respective campaigns spin.
CNN MCcain has been lying to the american people but you still have not admit this on your webb site the hard facts conclude that McCain has been lying you wont report that a lie is a lie.
Barbara WaWa is a journalist... Wolf, you and the boys and girls @ CNN try it. Ratings won't suffer that much and you can get your self-respect back!
sarah is a whinner–she runs around making charges that are proven to be untrue and then whinnes when her lies are exposed. she does her pitbull act and then runs to hide behind the big strong man to defend her because she is a women-if she wants to play on the big boys turf she should be ready to take it as well as try to give it.
as for mcCain he is a noun, a verb and hanoi i hilton.
two losers being held up by the nutty right who care nothing about the country only about roe v wade
God protect us from the smucks!!!
Where o where is Joe Biden ---it appears Cnn is doing to Joe what they did to Hillary---Palin is not the only one running in this election.
Obama isn't met with hostility because he doesn't LIE!
McCain and Palin will CRUMBLE under real questions from reporters and others. They have done nothing but STEAL ideas and propose CHANGE after the platform of Obama already spelled that out. If McCain was interested in real change....why didn't he propose that in all the years he's already been in office?