Read the Full transcript (pdf) of John McCain's appearance on CBS' Face The Nation.
Schieffer: Let's start right in with what you were talking about the other night. You did something really extraordinary at that convention. I've never been at a political convention where I heard a candidate get up and not only go after the other party, but go after your own party. You even said at one point your party had lost its way. You said that Washington has to change, and you're the one that can change it. But that's going to be a tall order, isn't it? I mean, because normally it's out in the wilderness, it's the group that's out that says, "Throw the bums out." You're saying it was your party that was part of the problem and that you can be the agent of change. How do you convince people of that?
Sen. McCAIN: Well, Bob, I think we have to show them my record. I think we have to show them that I took on the big spenders, I did campaign finance reform, I reached across the aisle to Democrats. And obviously, I was very unpopular in some parts of my own party, whether it be on the issue of climate change, or against Rumsfeld's strategy and the president's strategy in Iraq, or whether it be on campaign finance reform or a number of other issues that I have fought against the, quote, special interests. And the point is real. We now have former members of Congress
residing in federal prison. So it was corruption. And I guess I'll say again what I said, we came to Washington to change Washington--we came to power to change Washington, and Washington changed us. And I real--I understand--but I--the challenge. But I have to make a strong case that we're going to bring about that change, and it's the right kind of change. And I know we're going to be talking about my running mate, but I think I got the right kind of running mate who has that record also.
SCHIEFFER: We'll get to that in just a minute. But let me ask you just some specifics on how you're going to do it. Are you going to try to form some sort of unity government? Are you going to try to have Democrats within your administration as well as Republicans?
Sen. McCAIN: You have to. You have to. Look at the approval rating of both Republicans and Democrats now. Look at the loss of trust and confidence. When we do all the town hall meetings and people say, "I've lost all trust and confidence in government," they don't say, "I've lost confidence in Republicans, Democrats." They've lost confidence in everybody. And the way you restore it is obviously to have a very bipartisan approach. But they're in gridlock now. We all know that. They're going to go on to session tomorrow, actually, and they're going to be gridlocked for a month, and then they're going to go out. Whether it be energy or whether it be
passing the necessary appropriations bills, whatever it is. And then the American people will-frankly, who are hurting more, are going to be more disillusioned, if that's possible.
SCHIEFFER: So you're going to have Democrats in the White House?
Sen. McCAIN: Sure.
SCHIEFFER: Will you have Democrats in your Cabinet?
Sen. McCAIN: Yeah, of course.
[...]SCHIEFFER: Charles Krauthammer, the very conservative columnist...
SCHIEFFER: ...said the other day that the only constitutional job of the vice president is to be ready to become president at a moment's notice, and he said flatly, "She is not ready." How do you answer him?
Sen. McCAIN: Well, let me say first that, in all due respect to any commentator, this is the most popular governor in America. She has a clear record of doing what Americans want first and uppermost, reform. Reform. She's not only talked about it, but she's done it. And she took on the people in her own party. She took on a sitting governor of her own party and she reformed--and they passed ethics and lobbying reform. And they--and she gave money back to the taxpayers and they cut spending. They did the things the Americans want--she did the things they--that Americans want most. So in all due respect to any of the critics, what we want is the change in
Washington. Who better in the political landscape could do that than Governor Sarah Palin, whose whole life had been engaged in that, taking them on and winning? I've taking them on and won less than she has.
SCHIEFFER: Well, let me just quote him again.
Sen. McCAIN: Sure.
SCHIEFFER: These are his words, not mine.
Sen. McCAIN: Sure. Oh, I understand.
SCHIEFFER: He says, "Barack Obama is the least qualified presidential candidate in living memory."
Sen. McCAIN: Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm.
SCHIEFFER: But he says when you picked Palin...
Sen. McCAIN: Mm-hmm.
SCHIEFFER: ...the case against Obama, that case evaporates.
Sen. McCAIN: Well, again, I--again, in respect to many of the critics--and I understand that criticism, it's part of the business. But I also would like to say that she's not only excited our base that you pointed out, she's excited Americans all over this country. We've been campaigning together, the electricity has been incredible. And I'd like to say it's all because of a charisma injection on the part of John McCain, but it's not. They're excited about this reformer, this lifetime member of the NRA, the person who's a point guard. She has it. I mean--and I'm sure
that Governor Palin has failings and I'm sure she's made mistakes, because she's had a long career, from city council to mayor to governor. But the fact is she's kind of what Americans have been looking for. And again, in all due respect to any critic, I think being mayor is a very important job nowadays, especially the way America's hurting. There's people who are mayors right now who are saying, "Hey, there's an abandoned house over on this street, the people have left it. What are we going to do?" You know, "How are we going to provide people with the goods and services they need with declining budgets?" So all I can say is I think that her experience and her background not only qualifies her, but brings to Washington a kind of an energy and a fresh wind that maybe is necessary in our nation's capital.
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