Watch McCain discuss his relationship with Palin.
(CNN) – Despite the post-election battle between Sarah Palin and John McCain's campaign advisors, the former Republican presidential candidate told CNN’s Larry King both members of the GOP ticket remain “very close.”
McCain — who has been edging his way back into the spotlight Palin never quite left - dismissed questions over his running mate’s criticism of his campaign team. “Listen, I think the world of Governor Palin, her husband Todd, her family, I'm honored that she would run with me,” he said in an interview Thursday.
“And look, whenever there is a losing campaign there is always a little bit of back and forth, and it happens post-mortem. I am so grateful to have her as a friend, and I believe that she represents a lot to the Republican Party in the future. I think she has a big role to play.”
Palin and senior McCain aides, many of them anonymous, have traded criticism since the Republican ticket’s defeat.
Last month, the Alaska governor told Human Events that following the campaign’s media strategy was her biggest regret of the race. “I was not allowed to do very many interviews, and the interviews that I did were not necessarily those I would have chosen,” she said. “But I was so thankful to have the opportunity to run with John McCain that I was not going to argue with the strategy decisions that some of his people were making regarding the media contacts...if I would have been in charge, I would have wanted to speak to more reporters, because that’s how you get your message out to the electorate.”
The Arizona senator would not tell King Thursday whether he was personally stung by Palin’s criticism of his top aides. “Look, we're very close friends, and I talk to her all the time and look forward to seeing her, I think, in a week or so,” he said. “We're very close.”
McCain also side-stepped the question of whether he’d ever raised those comments with her. “Oh - these things always happen in campaigns,” he said. “She has my respect and my affection and that's undying.”
Last month, he told an interviewer Sarah Palin could not necessarily count on his support his former running mate if she chose to run for president.
"I can't say something like that. We've got some great other young governors,” he told ABC then. “I think you're going to see the governors assume a greater leadership role in our Republican Party," he said, citing Governors Tim Pawlenty of Minnesota and Jon Huntsman of Utah.
“...Have no doubt of my admiration and respect for her and my view of her viability, but at this stage, again … my corpse is still warm, you know?"
From CNN Politics
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Totally IRRELEVANT.
Welcome President Obama.
LOL
SARAH FACTS for those who don’t know.
Governor Sarah Palin made history on Dec. 4, 2006, when she took office. As the 11th governor of Alaska, as the first woman to hold that office, she has been a leader:
Sarah invested $5 billion in state savings, overhauled education funding, and implemented the Senior Benefits Program that provides support for low-income older Alaskans.
Sarah Created Alaska's Petroleum Systems Integrity Office
Sarah Created Climate Change Subcabinet for Alaska.
Sarah Overhauled the state's ethics laws
Sarah Developed a competitive process to construct a gas pipeline.Sarah Chaired the Interstate Oil and Gas Compact Commission.
Sarah Chaired the National Governor's Association (NGA) Natural Resources Committee,
Sarah Served two terms on the City Council and two terms as the mayor/manager of Wasilla, Alaska.
Sarah Chaired the Alaska Conservation Commission.
Sarah Presided over the Alaska Conference of Mayors.
Do Cindy and the First Dud know?
IS IT FOR SOME TLC? I DON'T TRUST THE OLD FELLOW. JOHNNY BE CAREFUL,TODD MIGHT BE WATCHING AT YOU.
Watch out McCain, she believe's in "VooDo"
I love Sarah Palin knows how to work hard, and not let nasty smears get in her way. she has a backbone of steel! I love that in a leader, and I hope she runs again, so she can prove a nay-Sayers wrong.
McCain is better off without this woman.
That wardrobe was purchased by the McCain 2008 campaign for the Republican National Convention and Sarah Palin was told to wear the clothes bought for her. They were all returned to the campaign plane after the Election and donated to charity. As for Sach’s and Neimann Marcus, Sarah Palin said in an interview afterwards that she has NEVER SET FOOT IN EITHER STORE, EVER. If you heard nasty rumors on the Internet about her family walking around the high-end stores like the “Beverly Hillbillies”, buying anything and everything in sight, these are OUTRIGHT FABRICATIONS of people that hate Sarah Palin and want to bring her down.
Was there ever such an amazing lady...with such grace and kindness. Then add to that all the attacks of the media that keep coming.
"I am so grateful to have her as a friend, and I believe that she represents a lot to the Republican Party in the future. " – John McCain
For the sake of the Republican Party, I hope not, John.
Wolf Blitzer is such a boring monotone. I'm not just disconnecting cable, I'm buying a new tv that doesn't allow blitzer.
This one is for you obsessive haters out there -> Sarah has a leadership aura. she is so engaged with everything, and brings that charismatic charm wherever she goes.
Ticker, please stop running stories about this has-been wanna be. Every Dem hungers for her to run again in 2012. She is emminently beatable. No one outside of trailer parks wants this person anywhere near the place of national power.
No Bitterness... Leave that to Barack Obama...
this woman is a sucker
McCain to Palin: " grow up "
Something else that people overlook, and this is key: Governor Palin is Commander-in-Chief of the only National Guard that is on permanent deployment.
The 176th Wing, of the Alaska Air National Guard train with and is part of the United States Air Force. They are vital to our air defenses, and are the first line of defense should Russia, North Korea, or China decide they want to become aggressive.
Recently, the 176th Wing was awarded for it's actions. It escorted 22 Russian Bear bombers out of US airspace. I'm sure you've read that Russia is flying the Bear again, and seeing what they can get away with. The award was for much more tough.
She also commands the 49th Missile Defense Battalion, which is the missile defense for all of North America in the Pacific.
As Governor Palin's position as CIC is rather unique, she receives regular briefings from Homeland Security, as well as other agencies. Govern Palin has a rather high security clearance as well. Something neither Obama nor Biden had prior to their win.
Governor Palin also has extensive foreign trade experience. Governors, that have something to export, routinely meet with foreign heads of state and work on extensive trade agreements. Again, something Obama, Biden, and McCain have zero experience at.
Senator how do you define "close"? Close as in you are situate in Washington DC and she is situate in Alaska? That "close"?
uh huh - wink wink
Let them have their self-love fest in peace.
Poor John. Doesn't know any better than to associate with losers.
"With her eyes closed,she awaited his tender kiss,alas it was not to be.His mind was on much bigger things,like,how was he going to tell her she reaked of garlicky moose sausage and cheap wine.No this love affair was not going to end happily and they both knew in their
hearts that it was best for the country that it was doomed to fail."
Oh great, another piece of meat for the hateful Liberal hypocrites.
It appears that Sarah Palin is a lot like Hillary Clinton was in at least one sense.
She is very polarizing. Unfortunately for the Republicans, she is polarizing within their OWN party.
I dare say that the Moderate Republicans and, more importantly, the Independent voters, that are REQUIRED to win the Presidency, won't ever be able to believe in the Sarah Palin Version 2.0. It will always come off like trying to sell a car that is a known lemon.
Ya know, it's almost like the GOP *tried* to lose. Notice that?