McCain on 'FOX and Friends': Transcript (9-30-08)

McCain gets interviewed by the Republican parties propaganda arm, FOXnews, by those three airheads, Doocy, Kilmeade, and Carlson. Read the complete transcript.

MCCAIN: I have talked to the president this morning and recommended an increase from $100,000 to $250,000 FDIC-insured on deposits. I also strongly recommended that the exchange stability fund that the Treasury has has available $250 billion to shore up these institutions. Also the Treasury has at its disposal about $1 trillion that they could begin without congressional authority buying up some of these terrible mortgages and help stabilize the situation.

So I’ve talked to the president. I know that we have to act. Even though we failed yesterday, even though I went back and was able to get more Republicans on board, or help get more Republicans on board, we will go back to this, and I will be engaged always where I think America needs engagement.

CARLSON: So, Senator, are you saying that you went back to get more Republicans on board, so then you were in favor of voting “yes” yesterday, and in essence, then, going back to...

MCCAIN: Oh, absolutely.

CARLSON: OK, well, then, going back on last week did not change enough Republicans’ minds?

MCCAIN: No, it didn’t change enough Republicans’ minds. We’re going to have to change enough Republican and Democrats’ minds. It was 95 Democrats that voted against it.

CARLSON: Right.

MCCAIN: People’s credit is at risk here. The ability to buy a car, to make your home loan payments, to -- for small businesses to get credit. Look, this is affecting Main Street, America. And we’re going to have to resolve it, and we’re going to have to act.

$1.2 trillion of American savings, pensions, IRAs, mutual funds, investments, et cetera, was wiped out, and that hurts Main Street. I’ve got a plan for cutting spending, for keeping taxes low, for making sure that people can keep -- stay in their homes, and a long- term plan.

In the short term, we’ve got to take these measures I just outlined to you, and let’s go back, and let’s make Americans understand, who are opposed -- I was watching your program earlier -- how this affects not Wall Street, but Main Street and working families of America.

They Put Politics over Patriotism

Representatives yesterday chose to put fear of voters at the poll booth in November over doing the right thing. And it wasn't a partisan issue since 40% of Democrats voted against it. If you listen to the politicians they make it sound as if it were the fault of one party over the other. Nonsense. Both are to blame. We have a Congress that has failed the American people for decades. The mess we've gotten into was because that body failed to curb the excesses of big business. The same big business that lobbied them and paid them off. Because it is the lobbyists whom control our government.

Then there is this disastrous President. He is principally to blame. This psycho has bought great harm to our country.

But there is plenty of blame to go around. How about a press that chose to ignore the greed on Wall St. Then again, they wouldn't criticize something that pays their salaries. Real journalists would've warned about the fragile economy sustained by debt and a housing bubble.

The politicians running this country should've have put their country first and kept their mouths shut. Instead we had politicians appearing in the press as the negotiations were going attacking the other party, and some cases Bush's plan. You even had a presidential candidate threatening to pull out of a debate so that he could save his floundering candidacy. In the process he poisoned the negotiations helping to the voting down of the bailout. The debate should have gone on in private. It should have included the best people on Wall St., economists, and representatives from abroad. This is a worldwide crisis. No grandstanding. And then the Congressmen and women should have done a better job of explaining the plan to the public, which would've decreased opposition to the plan. The people opposed it because they didn't understand it.

The politicians should have followed the example of founding fathers whom put their pride and prejudices aside and gave us a great document and nation.

McCain, Palin Interviewed Together by Couric: Transcript, Video (9-29-08)

This essentially part 3 of the ongoing interview done by CBS' Katie Couric of Governor Palin. This segment includes the running mates together. Read the complete transcript and see the video (below) of the interrogation interview.

Katie Couric: Over the weekend, Gov. Palin, you said the U.S. should absolutely launch cross-border attacks from Afghanistan into Pakistan to, quote, "stop the terrorists from coming any further in." Now, that's almost the exact position that Barack Obama has taken and that you, Sen. McCain, have criticized as something you do not say out loud. So, Gov. Palin, are you two on the same page on this?

Sarah Palin: We had a great discussion with President Zardari as we talked about what it is that America can and should be doing together to make sure that the terrorists do not cross borders and do not ultimately put themselves in a position of attacking America again or her allies. And we will do what we have to do to secure the United States of America and her allies.

Couric: Is that something you shouldn't say out loud, Sen. McCain?

John McCain: Of course not. But, look, I understand this day and age of "gotcha" journalism. Is that a pizza place? In a conversation with someone who you didn't hear … the question very well, you don't know the context of the conversation, grab a phrase. Gov. Palin and I agree that you don't announce that you're going to attack another country …

Couric: Are you sorry you said it?

McCain: … and the fact …

Couric: Governor?

McCain: Wait a minute. Before you say, "is she sorry she said it," this was a "gotcha" sound bite that, look …

Couric: It wasn't a "gotcha." She was talking to a voter.

McCain: No, she was in a conversation with a group of people and talking back and forth. And … I'll let Gov. Palin speak for herself.

Palin: Well, it … in fact, you're absolutely right on. In the context, this was a voter, a constituent, hollering out a question from across an area asking, "What are you gonna do about Pakistan? You better have an answer to Pakistan." I said we're gonna do what we have to do to protect the United States of America.

Couric: But you were pretty specific about what you wanted to do, cross-border …

Palin: Well, as Sen. McCain is suggesting here, also, never would our administration get out there and show our cards to terrorists, in this case, to enemies and let them know what the game plan was, not when that could ultimately adversely affect a plan to keep America secure.

- Related Posts

• Palin Interview with CBS' Couric: Transcript (9-24-08)
• John McCain Interviewed by CBS' Katie Couric: Transcript (9-24-08)