McCain defends vetting of Palin
[cnn-photo-caption image= http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnn/2008/images/09/02/art.mccainpalin.ap.jpg caption="McCain is defending his choice of Palin."](CNN) - Presumptive Republican nominee John McCain defended his campaign's vetting of newly named VP candidate Sarah Palin Tuesday, amid a stream of revelations about the Alaska governor that could potentially harm the GOP presidential ticket.
"My vetting process was completely thorough and I'm grateful for the results," McCain told reporters in Philadelphia.
The comments come a day after Palin announced her 17-year-old daughter was pregnant and news surfaced the Alaska governor had hired a lawyer weeks ago to act on her behalf as state legislators investigate whether she may have abused her power in the firing of the state’s police chief for refusing to fire her ex-brother-in-law, a state trooper.
Watch: McCain defends vetting process
Speaking on Fox News earlier Tuesday, former top Bush aide Karl Rove echoed McCain's comments that Palin was fully vetted.
"They knew all of it," Rove said of the recent revelations on Palin.
McCain has previously faced fire from Democrats over the fact the Arizona senator only met with Palin once in person before offering her the No. 2 slot on his ticket.
Related: Top Republicans defend Palin and vetting process
UPDATE: Speaking with reporters in Ohio Tuesday, McCain reiterated his support for Palin.
"I just want to repeat again how excited I am to have Sarah Palin, the great Governor of Alaska, as my running mate," he said. "America's excited and they're going to be even more excited once they see her tomorrow night. I'm very, very proud of the impression she's made on all of America and looking forward to serving with her."
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Small time mayor for VP = McCain's judgement in action
Wow so many negatives from Palin that have come out. The pick already did not make sense but now we need to focus on McCain.
Is this the way he will handle things in the White House?
We need a more stable & smart president. 8 years (feels like more) with Bush was way too painful!
McCain + Palin's "journalism" degree = 0 economic fixes!!
Obama 2500+ staff, $30+ million monthly budget
Palin 50 person staff, $12 million annual budget
Palin's qualifications; female, pro-life
This is an INSULT and poor judgement!
McCain – putting himself and the election B4 COUNTRY!!!
The only reason they picked Palin because she is a woman and can get woman votes. If it was a guy with same credentials, there is no way he would be picked for VP spot.
I am so disappointed with John McCain's VP pick! His moto is "ready to lead", but he picks someone who is woefully under-qualified just to pick up a few vote. Well he may pick up some from the far right or the man-hating feminists, but this moderate Republican is staying home in November.
The fact that none of his advisors had a hint that McCain was going to select Palin; the fact that he has only met her once, 6 months ago, and the fact that all sorts of alarming facts regarding Palin are coming to the surface through the media and not through the McCain campaign confirms that she was a desperate pick, and not thoroughly vetted.
By picking Palin as his running mate, John McCain has clearly demonstrated that he is completely and totally clueless. She is definitely not qualified for the position and carries a lots of baggage
Can I direct fellow citizens to the Anchorage Daily News (www.adn.com)?
My guess is that Palin will be bumped from the ticket not long after the convention, if not before its end.
McCain was juat as shocked as the public with this VP choice! If it was up to McCain Joe Lieberman would be his VP choice. If McCain was the true "Maverick" he would have went out of the box instead of going with this hand picked unqualified nobody. James Carvile was On Larry King last night and he showed us a picture of what Palin's City Hall looks like and I could not stop laughing, it was the size of a friut stand! I think that they should do a recount of how many people actualy live in this town.
Uh, I appointed her because she's a wom...uh...wonderful parent...and..uh...fisherman...uh..or...fisherwoman...yea
Interesting remark.
Is it me, or does it suggest that McCain had little to no say in the process? This strengthens my belief that they have thrown this rising star under the bus. Who wants to be on a 3rd Bush ticket anyway?
He pick her to create drama after Obama's speech to steal his bounce.
He dug a ditch for Obama and fell in it.
The republicans have no specifics to say about Palin. They divert every question to talk about Obama. Does she have any specific qualifications or not?
C'mmon CNN! No need to censor comments – just do your work and report the news instead of trying to shape it!!
I'm speechless ...
I am proud of the fact that McCain is standing by Gov. Palin. The media is nitpicking and looking for a reason to degrade her. Her daughter being preganant,her husband getting a DUI over twenty years ago and things of that nature do not have anything to do with what kind of leader she will be. I believe that leaders are born not made. You are either a natural leader or a follower and if nobody is going to bring Obama to task as the Dem's nominee, than they dont need to nitpick over Palins background. Realistically, Joe Biden is ten times more qualified and Obama knows that. On the other hand, McCain has been qualified for years and maybe he is doing his part to make a positive change in American history.
It was completely thorough and you still chose her? Even with the troopergate scandal? Even though this person wanted her state to secede from the union? Even though she preaches abstinance only with a pregnant teenaged daughter? YOU STILL CHOSE HER? After all of that you still chose Palin? Why did you send a "jump" team to her hometown? So they can jump on any new skeleton that falls out of closet? Maybe?
DO YOU BELIEVE?
I DON'T
OBAMA '08 DEMOCRATS '08 AND FOREVER
John McCain: either you're lying, and your vetting process wasn't thorough; or, you're telling the truth, you did properly vet Palin, in which case you are a complete idiot for picking her.
Take your pick.
I can't seem to understand how any of the GOP "runner-ups" in the Veep Stakes could even support this guy. He turns down talented, qualified, fully vetted candidates such as Romney, Jindal, and even (God forgive me for this one) Huckabee. This hockey mom from Alaska may be the worst nightmare in GOP history.
Don't forget her 4+ year membership with the Alaska Independence Party, a political party that among it's agenda items/party platform calls for Alaska to declare its independence from the US.
Why does Palin hate America?
McCain is lying. He is doing whatever his campaign heads are telling him. If Mr. McCain wants to really win on honesty, he really has to be honest with himself and the American people. Personally, I think that by him choosing a woman says something about him. That is, he is not looking at the issues American people are facing, but just trying to get votes. That's not right and that's not maverick, nor a judgment of a war hero.
McCain – Palin to insignificance '08
I am a Hillary supporter who is pretty excited with McCain's pick. She seems to be a pretty amazing woman, and i would estimate about a third of Hillary voters are up for grabs, so pretty smart on McCain's part if you ask me.
Senator...I will bet you that you don't even know this woman personally. I'll bet you, how much??
Senator, you talked to her once before making an announcement. How am I gonna believe you?? And let me go further. When it was the last couple of hours before you made the announcement, I knew that somehow Pawlenty was gonna be in there. And I really thought you were gonna pick him. And not to mention that Joe Liberman was somehow in there and Karl(Rove) called him up to tell him to not get involve of the party??
Is that simple GOP, this is what you want, and this is what you're gonna get...
Don't say I didn't warn you because I did...
McCain's selection of Palin highlights his reckless, shoot from the hip leadership style AND his lack of judgment. Palin is totally unqualified to be VP and has extreme ultra-conservative views.
This just keeps getting better.
McCrypt cannot admit the vetting process was incomplete therefore casting doubt on his judgment(?), which would be a fatal blow.
Palin cannot back out due to family issues without making the entire Republican party look like hypocrites.
So, McCrypt is stuck with the Clampett Clan which has more baggage than Barnum & Bailey!