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."
I am from the left, but my question is how the heck does Palin's numerious "family issues" represent the "family values" of the right??? And did you lead by example when you flew more almost a half of a day knowing she was in labor with her Down Syndrome child?? What kind of judgment and leadership does this show? More importantly, I am from the left, and 'we' have much higher standards for family values than this.
I think in the next few days, she will step down citing family reasons. Too much dirt, and McCain can't afford the 24 hour news cycle on the unknown Mrs. Palin...
Check out the recent national polls (CNN's being totally out of whack with everyone else)...seems the voters may be vetting Mrs Palin.
There was a posting on TMZ of the daugher's boyfriend's MySpace page this morning – pretty incriminating – now it's GONE. Is this the "vetting" that is now being done?
The photos show the daughter in various stages of under-age drinking. (and other not very religious right behaviors) Yes, underage drinking, etc., occurs; but have the savvy to keep it out of the public eye (not on MySpace) when someone in your family is running for national office.
I would have thought McCain's "team" would have found this when they vetted her and confiscated it sooner.
My dog has more foreign experience then this woman. At least he's been out of the country more then once. What a joke.
This underscores the philosophy of Bush and McCain; make judgment based on hearsay, and later try and justify it. This is the same philosophy that landed us in Iraq.
I bet Mitt Romney is wishing he had gotten a BACHELORS DEGREE IN JOURNALISM! Apparently that's all it takes to be VP.
Everyone is saying that this is a private, family matter.
I could not disagree more and here's why:
This is the party that runs on the platform of moral purity.
This is the party that touts traditional family values.
This is the party of the Moral Majority, Focus on the Family, and the Family Research Council.
SO – how dare anyone, McCain, Palin, pundits and bloggers claim that this a private, family matter.
Hypocrisy!
This is the party that has been wagging their finger in my face for years (I'm a gay man) telling me I'm morally bankrupt.
The height of chutzpah!
All if fair game when you're a heartbeat from the presidency, ESPECIALLY when you run on a platform of morality.
It shows that even when he is dead wrong, John McCain will continue to push in the same direction no matter what because he will never admit he's wrong. He thinks that lying about it and sticking to his idea will make it become the truth. John McCain said he never want's to lose a war, therefore that probably means that he would rather throw nuclear bombs on a country than admit no succeeding in it's conquest.
It's a good thing the Palin letters will be easy to remove from what I see on the picture.
I don't doubt McCain is satisfied with his choice. To this voter it means:
1. This exemplifies what I can expect from a McCain Presidency. This tells me his judgment is questionable, at best. Looking at his record in the Senate (not counting his personal life decisions) I find him to be a candidate who is weak and lacks depth and does not possess sensible judgment.
2. McCain won't back down from a bad decision. He is another Bush who will stay the course even if it is the wrong one.
If this is John's idea of a thorough fact finding mission before making a decision, no wonder he thought Bin Laden was in Iraq. This man is pitiful. He just shoots from the hip and covers it later with B.S. , just like his mentor Bush.
Yep the process may have gone well, but the conclusion to have Palin as your running mate is off the wall. Guess you can't use Obama's "lack of experience" as a weapon anymore John boy. Palin, you need to stand by your conservative ways and stay home in Alaska with your family. Your daughter needs you more than the country does right now. She should be your top priority, not your own gain!!!
Obama/Biden 08/12
Simply incredible. CNN, make more inquiry about the firing of two staff members when Palin was mayor. She also raised earmarks for her village, was for the bridge to nowhere before she was against, and so on. How come we don't hear she was for an secessionist party in the 90'ies. great Patriot. What about the team of 12 lawyers flying to Alaska to bury the scandal. Or the fact they try to slow down the whole inquiry so she can run for her vp bid.
Hopefully, US can now see what som nay said before. McCain, with his temper, his impulsivness, is unfit to be President.
Palin's better than HRC!
I think she is beautiful. That alone is enough for me to vote for her.
wow McCain's VP pick sounds like 4 more years of the last 8.
making an important decision for purely political reasons before having all the facts. McCain = Bush
Just what we need - another president who thinks with his gut rather than with his head.
Leave McCain to his decision. It is the same judgement question- we have discussed over and over again.
The Obamacrats have McCain dying within the next 4 years and and saying Palin is not qualified. IF the VP becomes president she will be surrounded with advisers just like Bill Clinton on everything from the economy to military matters so whats the big deal!
I guess if it were just about the pregnancy I might not mind that much...accidents happen. But earlier today I saw pictures of the same 17 year old daughter clutching bottles of Captain Morgan rum and tequila. Would seem Pailen's "experience" managing a family of five children isn't all its cracked up to be.
A pregnant daughter is the result of the ignorant sex-ed policy of many christians. When you teach anbstinence only it is no real surprise that someone doesn't use a condom.
Huff post is reporting that Palin in the 90's wanted Alaska to be a separate country..
Vote Palin!! Alaska First!!
Politics is like driving. To go backward, put it in R. To go forward, put it in D.
Obama – 8yrs as Illinois Senator, 4 yrs as US Senator, is a Constitutional Law Scholar and Professor and has run an undisputed brilliant campaign. John mccain hounded Obama as inexperienced yet Sara palin has 1.5 yrs as governor of Alaska. Bachelors in journalism. mother of 5, currently under investigation...uh, am I missing something here???
This is a Rove/Schmidt trick to energize the base – the religious fanatics – by rewarding the pretty woman who chooses life (not nasty abortions) with votes. Once she's in, she'll say the Wash DC pace is too much for her beloved family and return to Alaska a genuine GOP heroine. McSame then gets to pick one of his cronies: Lie-berman or Lindsay and life goes on for the rich and famous...
Wake up America!