(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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Way to go Barbara Walters!!
It is funny when the View hits harder than the news media.
THANK GOD SOME ONE ASKED HIM SERIOUS QUESTIONS ABOUT SERIOUS ISSUES...
Wake up everybody.... if you vote for McCain/Palin, you will regret it...
OBAMA 08
Wish they would have asked Uhbama what his qualifications are. The 'Liberal' view.
this was the most ridiculous interview. can you say BIAS, jesus. i had to turn it off when whoopie asked if she should afraid that she may become a slave.
the stupidity on that show is like no other.
Perhaps we should only allow The View to report on the issues surrounding the election. At least they're willing to ask sensible questions and attempt to hold McCain responsible for the foolishness and circus that this whole thing has become.
why people keep goin after sarah when she has as much experience
that obama has, at least mccain will have a lot of experience if he is
elected, NOBAMA will have none, plus sarah aint the one running for
potus. GET YOUR HEADS OUT OF WHERE THE SUN DOESNT
SHINE.
One more reason to vote third party!!! No more voting for the lesser of two evils (or the evil of two lessers.)
LOVE IT!!!! LOVE IT!!! LOVE IT!!!
Its about time someone says it straight. The questions were fair. I'll bet McCain is furious that he got called out on all his crap.
Not going to "townhall meetings" with McCain does not justify the mudslinging on his part.
How can you in any sincerity pledge your vote to Biden who doesn't even want to be in this race? How good of a VP will this man be? He doesn't even WANT the job! Biden has been going around looking like he just want's to jump off a bridge. He is so out of touch that he asked a wheelchair bound Democrat to STAND UP for applause! LOL
Former Hillary primary voter ~ now for McCain/Palin
So they invite him on to the show so an aging woman can cut him off and grill him for an hour on a show she produces?
Yeah, I'm glad she's SO bipartisan.
Just wait for the episode in which they have Obama, I'm sure they'll be just as harsh.
Yet another indication that the media could give a crap about impartiality.
Man now I wish I had watched.. Sounds like they asked ome really good questions I have been wanting to know.. Kudos to the View women and Walters on those questions.. WTG...
Obama/Biden 08
Anonymous,
Are you serious? It's common for someone to toss a rose on the grave or memorial of those who have died. As they lowered a family member of mine into the ground, the family all threw roses on the casket.
LOL, i saw that yesterday and thought to myself, "Watch some idiot bring that up on a blog"
Thanks for never letting me down.
GREAT JOB Walter. I know Elizabeth probably angry at Barbara because she is the same loser as Sarah Palin!
I think this is great that McCain was put on the spot. He better get used to it. More to come I bet. He and Palin are not going to win in November. This Hillary Clinton supporter will vote for Obama.
AWESOME!!!! Finally someone willing to call BS on McCain like the media should be doing. His campaign has been nothing but lies and BS for the last 2 weeks.
Why not try see about doing something about the gas prices. In Ky. right now it is almost 4.50 a gallon and food prices are just as bad . This what important to the people now . To much fussing not a enough action on what is happening now . People that make less than 20k a year is hurting over all prices NOW!!!! Storms are just a given reason for all the prices .What will happen at Thanksgiving and Christmas When People do not the money to shop the stores??
So Johnny, if Obama agreed to structure his campaigning like you wanted him to you really expect us to believe your ads would be more civil? Wjy would I believe that? Seems like you would just use that to twist his words more.
Answer the questions McCain. Not so confident without your flash cards are you?
This is too funny!
Get him Barabra. I am looking forward to seeing Palin get eaten alive by the media interviewers.
I think everyone & their momma knows that she is a loser expect the majority of Republicans.
The questions from Barb are fair enough. I want her to ask Barak the same..... I keep hearing change, change, change but what specifically other than the occupant of the oval office.
They hypocrisy of the liberal media, lead by the likes of Bawbwa Wawa, is enough to make even liberal voters cringe. The constant misuse of their positions as TV or journalist celebrities is laughed at by common Americans. The Left Coast and Liberal Easterners are about the only ones nodding their heads (while snickering) in agreement.
I wonder why Obama had the gut to ask for help from the Clintons.
I still remember his disrepectful remark on Hillary when saying: " Someone, someone had been talking about Health Care for more than 8 years, but still could not fix it ..."
don't forget that Obama is running as president, he did NOT know that Russia has VETO power in NATO when he was interviewed.
Do you have the guts CNN? LOL McCain got grilled. I love it.
The repugs better keep lil McBush and Sara "Cheney" hidden until the election if they don't want to get the truth exposed.
The repugs are running a great "Soap Opera" campaign, but I hate soap operas.
Obama/Biden 08
On most occasions I find Barbara Walters most annoying. I'll have to give her some serious brownie points for this! I am so bummed that I was at work and missed this interview.
Thank you Barbara!! Someone FINALLY had the nuts to stand up to McCain and his Rovian attack machine! I love it.
Was Elizabeth pouting the whole time?