After rebuffing CNN, John McCain talks to ABC News

After CNN anchorwoman Campbell Brown's on-air catfight with John McCain spokesman Tucker Bounds on Monday, the McCain campaign canceled the Arizona senator's planned interview with Larry King, whose show is also broadcast on the cable network.

"We decided John McCain’s time would be better served elsewhere," was how McCain campaign spokeswoman Maria Comella tersely explained the cancellation.

"Elsewhere," apparently, is ABC News. Because that's where McCain went. The network just released a transcript of the senator's interview with Charlie Gibson, which is airing tonight on “World News with Charles Gibson.”   

The exchange was more civil than the Brown vs. Bounds tussle, although Gibson did, like Brown, press McCain on his running mate Sarah Palin's foreign policy experience. Here is their tête-à-tête on that, courtesy of ABC News:

GIBSON: But as you know, the questions revolve really around foreign policy experience.
Can you honestly say you feel confident having someone who hasn't traveled outside the United States until last year, dealing with an insurgent Russia, with an Iran with nuclear ambitions, with an unstable Pakistan, not to mention the war on terror?

MCCAIN: Sure. And one of the key elements of America's national security requirements are energy. She understands the energy issues better than anybody I know in Washington, D.C., and she understands. Alaska is right next to Russia. She understands that. Look, Sen. Obama's never visited south of our border. I mean, please.

-- Kate Linthicum

Comments

[tiptop]

"Alaska is right next to Russia." That qualifies as foreign policy credentials. McCain is a disgrace if he really belevies that. I feel sorry for his media people who came up with that line.

[COL. A.M.Khajawall [Ret]]

Dear concerned citizens of America and mass media of the U.S.A.

As a concerned disabled American Veteran and American citizen, I consider it my duty and responsibility to address the following critical issues facing the voters of our Greatgrand nation, the United States of America [USA].

The citizens of the United States of America [USA] have the ultimate power and responsibility to elect the Right Ticket with the right joint "temperament, judgment, and statesmanship" to lead our nation as well as change our nation's present and future moral, political, economic, educational, health care, energy, military, and foundational soul.

In my firm professional, personal, and political opinion, the media should help the common voter to explore and discuss the following attributes of the present Republican and Democratic presidential slates:

1. Does the joint ticket have a calm, cool, and collected " temper and impulse" [Presidential Temperament]?
2. Does each ticket have sound and sustained "Judgment and Caliber"?
3. Does each ticket have a "presidential depth and degree" in regard to their purpose, policies, and positions?
4. Does each ticket have adequate, "understanding and knowledge" of workings around Washington"?
5. Does each ticket have enough "vigor, wisdom and Vision" for the future of our beloved Great-grand Nation?
6. Does each ticket possess enough joint foreign policy experience and ex-poser based on "American Values, Virtues, Vastness, and strong soul"?
7. Are their campaign talk, slogans, ads, plans, and programs based on facts and are they free of fear, fiction, frivolous labels, unfair attacks, negativity, and impulsivity?

If your answer to a majority of the above questions is yes, I suggest you vote for that ticket. As a Independent registered voter I have decided to vote for Obama-Biden ticket. I am sure they will protect our national security, Strong's, stamina and strong soul. Rebuild our nation from bottom up in all areas of need, OBAMA-BIDEN ticket will once again restore and rebuild our global standing with the use of maximum international humane diplomacy and minimal force if and when indicated.

Yours sincerely,

COL. A.M. Khajawall [Ret] MD., Forensic psychiatrist, Colonel, US-AR / MC Combat Stress Control[Ret], Disabled American Veteran and Iraq Freedom team.

PS; This confirms that Hon. Senator McCain is impulsive, temperamental, and has compromised judgement. USA can not afford to have him our next president.

[Barbara, an Independent voter from CA]

Col. Khajawall, M.D.,
Thank you for your concise and cogent criteria -- well considered & well stated.

Even more, thank you for having the courage to stand for the truth. All concerned and thinking voters appreciate your service in our armed forces, and here.
Most sincerely,
Barbara

[Darlene]

My grandfather, father, brother, brother-in-law, nephew all served in the miltary and the ones that are still living will be voting for McCain because they know the importance of keeping a strong military especially in the dangerous times that we now live in. McCain has never left the US to go to other countries and play the US Senate Celebrity game. I was very disappointed in the showman ship he created, he would make a wonderful president for another country as I felt he threw the US under the bus, that's when I decided to vote Rebublican. While Obama was so busy running for President these last two years he didn't even fulfull his job as Illinois Senator, so while out campaigning what did he actually do for us here in Illinois? Nothing that I can find. This will be the second time in my 50 years that I have voted for a Republican but I do it because I think Obama-Biden will be a very bad decision for this country.

[AC]

Wow. I can't believe he repeated what that moron on Fox news said, as though foreign policy credentials were a product of osmosis. I'm praying he says this at his RNC speech.

[Laura]

I'm also an independent voter. I chose to wait and watch the past year and initially started out favoring Obama but after watching him this year and learning more about his track record (there isn't much to go on, much that he has actually shown us he stands for by his voting record or lack there of) I don't believe he is ready to be President at this time. Sadly, they should have waited another four years and he should have used that time to "do" things in congress, to take action and to show us what he stands for through his actions. I"m originally from Missouri so "show me". I would also like to see his ability to work with both the republicans and the democrats - the ability to get both parties working together is vital to our future. He should sponsor and work to pass important legislation that proves/backs his words.
I read your seven criteria for selection and I don't think your criteria is an endorsement or rubberstamp for the Obama/Biden ticket. I also see that it fails on the domestic side. Our president needs to work to grow our country, protect our citizens and also work on foreign policy. A president needs courage, wisdom, experience, and a vision of how to get to the goal. As a reformer - and I believe we need reform - I am very impressed with Sarah Palin (she quickly eliminated the governors private jet, driver and chef) she's all about reform and that's what I want. I want someone in the middle, someone who has the experience (I don't see that for Obama - he's not running to be the VP - he's running to be the President, the commander-in-chief). Obama's words sound good, is polished, calm and has a nice vision but lacks experience and past to back up his words. Voting "present" 130 times was very disappointing - he shouldn't be ashamed to pick a side and vote yes/no, be "decisive". Sarah takes action. John McCain knows what he stands for and he doesn't waffle. I want experience and I want reform - the Clinton/Bush era is over and our country needs reform with a vision and viable action plan for the future. So at this time I'm still watching and waiting but my vote has swung much stronger in the direction of McCain and Palin.

Laura

[Tim McGarry]

What kind of journalist uses "catfight" to describe Campbell Brown's persistence in questioning Tucker Bounds?

[Michael]

It's clear that the Obama/Biden ticket has issues with the very thing you speak of, Col. I, as an active CWO2 in the U.S. Coast Guard, and a former Army enlisted man of four years, see this as a stark contrast of socialism v/s federalism.

McCain/Palin offers a more reliable form of U.S. leadership than the social program, big government plow of the Democratic Party. I disagree with your assumption of McCain/Palin, but I do so in honor of your sacrifice to our country. Gods Speed.

[Janet Van der Dussen]

Dear Col. Khajawall, M.D.,

I think you said it all and said it well.

Thank you,

Janet

[Heidi]

Thank you Campbell! I have heard nothing but dodging this issue from everyone on the Republican side - and yet they're all cheering! Guess they don't really care, as long as a Republican gets in the house. This is insanity. After all McCain said the VP should be ready to step in as President on day 1, and clearly she can't. She has a Journalism degree and has been in Alaska all her life. I'll take a Harvard Law degree over that any day! I'm one of those swing "Independents" by the way, working mother of three, and married 22 years - and I say enough! Every time anyone is asked a question you hear "Well, Barack this, Obama that..." just answer the question! I'm waiting for an answer...

[Ms. Watts]

Let me first say that I am an Independent. After watching the Democratic Convention and now watching the Republican Convention I must say that the two can not be compared to each other. McCain's VP pick Palin is slap in the face to all women. He is using her to get the women voters that supported Hilary and still are supporting Hilary. I am shocked that she is letting him degrade women to that degree as if we are uneducated and that we will vote for him just because she is a woman. The Republican are really hitting below the belt.

[Alfred P of NY]

I'm for Gov. Palin ! Finally, someone (man or woman) who is not afraid to say on national TV & Cable what most folks discuss in privacy. Let us praise those who protect us and give their very lives for this country, yes the Republicans have alot of ground to make up, and lots of financial problems to sort out, but lets give the job to people who actually know how to get things done. She is telling Americans how it is, and if America votes in the Dem's, then we will become isolationists, highly taxed, confused about priorities, and be permanently in denial that we put a rookie in the White House!

[William Ferrell]

I sense a certain smugness in your Obama supporters' comments. Their inference is that this election is over and all McCain backers should accept this and just mark it up as a bad decision. Maybe so, but I doubt it,

Seems like this McCain/Palin ticket is catching fire without a lot of pie-in-the-sky promises.

It's gonna be interesting.

[Dena Mars]

I am continually astonished at the disconnect between the small government,
federal-bashing rhetoric of the officeholders from those states that rely
the most not on themselves but on federal handouts.

From Mr. Huckabee's speech last night:

"I'm not a Republican because I grew up rich, but because I didn't want to
spend the rest of my life poor, waiting for the government to rescue me.

John McCain doesn't want the kind of change that allows the government to
reach deeper into your paycheck and pick your doctor, your child's school,
or even the kind of car you drive or how much you inflate the tires."

And from Ms. Palin's:

"Our state budget is under control.

We have a surplus.

And I have protected the taxpayers by vetoing wasteful spending: nearly half
a billion dollars in vetoes."

I guess that's not that hard if your state, Alaska, gets $1.84 in return for
every federal tax dollar paid (3rd best of the 50 states of the Union).*
That's an 84% rate of return per annum. Mr. Huckabee's Arkansas - $1.41.
Mr. McCain's Arizona - $1.19.

By contrast, Obama's Illinois received $0.75 for every federal tax dollar
its citizens paid (44th in the nation), with Biden's Delaware right behind
at $0.74 (45th).

Perhaps the first step toward realizing rather than repeating the mantra of
"discipline" in federal spending would be to end any payment to a state that
bites the hand that feeds it.

[TRACY FAULKNER]

OH PLEASE, LETS ELECT MORE LAWYERS TO WASHINGTON. OBAMA AND 30 YEAR WASHINGTON INSIDER J. BIDEN, BOTH WELL EDUACATED LAWYERS VS. A SENATOR FROM ARIZONA AND A YOUNG GOVERNOR FROM ALASKA. WHICH TICKET IS THE ONE FOR CHANGE? FINALLY,WHICH SENATOR HAS GONE OFTEN AGAINST HIS PARTY AND WHICH TWO HAVE NOT?

[Frank]

it is fascinating when people try to make obama and biden out to be big government tax and spend types when it was a republican in george bush who has expanded government expenditures to record levels while also expanding government powers vis-a-vis citizens and the powers of the executive vis-a-vis the congress. those who say obama and biden are about higher taxes to anyone but the the wealthiest u.s. citizens and corporations are simply not listening. also the idea that lower taxes result in more jobs, well is a fallacy. what have the past 8 years of bush "tax cuts" (primarily to the wealthy) given us: higher prices for basic goods and services, devalued investments and homes, more unemployment, lower incomes, and a vaster gap between rich and poor. helloooo!!! another vet who knows we have fought before so we wouldn't have to fight more, more, more. a strong military is the one that rarely has to be used.

[scott sexton]

First see Pickensplan.com Then ask yourself what did Palin offer up other than more cheap shots and more of the same attitude and Bushisms ie.drill,coal,nuclear,Obama will raise your taxes and expand gov.and Im tough dont mess with me Im a hockey mom from Alaska hehe.OMG ! How about being more professional or Presidential at least in front of the camera.So Palin is a pit bull in lipstick to use her own words and the Gov.of Alaska that some would say a microcosm of the lower 48 I really doubt that ! Did you know up in Alaska you get a check (hush money)as a resident for your share in the deal with the oil co.How much money has she and her family or for that matter the whole state of Alaska collected from big oil ? And if the lower 48 is just like Alaska then where is our kickback from the oil co.?Real easy see why she would be in favor of drilling.And the city she was mayor of she left in debt a great example.The tax increase mentioned is on the rich that earn more than 250k that arent paying the same tax rate the rest of us pay so fair is fair or better yet a flat tax and no shelters or off shore accounts with stiff fines/prison for offenders.As for bigger gov its going to take something to get universal health care and stop the health care for the rich and out of control costs.The USA is one of the last countries to not have universal health care.Why ? big profits .And McCain aka McNasty that cant take the heat of a interview with CNN and goes to another station "that is a better use of his time"with his inability to have straight tough talks on the real issues is beneath him seems to be the answer.But what else can be said other than the obvious he picked a women to get the female vote.He's just praying all those upset Hillary supporters wont notice the difference.... that she's nothing like Hillary other than she was born with ovaries !
Shame on you John

[Marva Lloyd Redd]

Palin is running for Vice President not President. What's up with continuing to compare her to Barack? Why not Biden?
MRedd

[Marva Lloyd Redd]

Palin is running for Vice President not President. What's up with continuing to compare her to Barack? Why not Biden?
MRedd

[Gigi]

I will no longer watch Campbell Brown. She was unprofessional and biased and I am a democrat female. There was no need to adopt that snippy, condescending tone of hers.

What foreign policy experience does Obama have? He has handled exactly NO situations EVER in foreign policy. Gimmeabreak.

Obama ran with NO experience and was never subjected to a nasty little tone like that of Brown. I personally hope Palin appears in an interview with Brown and dismantles her with big words Campbell will need to look up.

[Marilyn Hazelton]

Bravo Campbell! You asked questions that need to be asked and you did not let yourself be distracted by the fog of the non-answers. You are the kind of news reporter we need more than ever now. The Republicans are sending up a smoke screen and attempting to manipulate the media into projecting that screen as reality. Sarah Barracuda's choice as a potential VP is an embarrassment to our country. You, however, would make a great U.S. President. I hope you run for office some day.

[BJ]

I watched Campell's expression after she heard Palin speak... she was AGOG!!! And in awe of Gov. Palin, as she should be!

[MFerras]

I am a female in MI and I consider myself to be an independent. I had been undecided until Palin was brought on as the VP choice. She being so unknown I did some digging on the internet and what I found greatly displeased me. She has gone back and forth on her position on earmarks when it benefits her circumstance, she opposes abortion in cases of rape or incest, and the kicker was this Palin quote from 2007: "I've been so focused on state government, I haven't really focused much on the war in Iraq"
I had an admiration for Mccain and his independent spirit before this choice of someone whose opinions and actions are not inline with my much more moderate beliefs and my belief that the Iraq war needs much focus to correct the circumstances. The notion that she could be president is somewhat frightening to me as a Mom, as a women, and as a American.

Thank you as well to COL. A.M.Khajawall for an opinion well stated

[Carol Kuhlman]

My heartfelt thanks to Campbell Brown the other night when she interviewed Tucker Bounds. I actually watched that interviewed and thought Campbell was so professional in every way! It made me feel better just knowing that Campbell Brown is not one of those media reporters ( which is a majority) that are paid by the Republicanism Party, or might I say the majority of media has sold their soul to the Republicanism! Go Girl Go!!

As for McCain and Palin, well, God help us!! I will be praying more than ever for a real change!! I am ready for Barack Obama to be our First Black American President and Joe Biden as our next Vice President come November!!

And last, I am so furious at McCain to think that the people of America are so stupid! The nerve of him to allow this Palin to be his running mate, what is really going on? Is he that deseperate? You know, I am not so sure that this will be a fair election, after all, the past two elections were questionable! The Republican Party just can't be trusted and I am praying that God will overpower the evil!!

[Troubled]

God Bless America if the Democrats win the White House. It was on Clinton's watch that the September 11 attacks were planned; it was on Clintons watch when our military was gutted and it was on Clintons watch when all of the outsourcing of jobs began. Hey, does anyone remember how Clinton and his staff trashed the White House?

[Barbyrah]

And it was on Bush's watch that a document crossed his desk on August 6, 2001 entitled "Bin Laden Determined to Attack Inside the United States.''
Here's more: "U.S. government agencies issued repeated warnings in the summer of 2001 about potential terrorist plots against the United States masterminded by Osama bin Laden, including a possible plan to hijack commercial aircraft, documents show.
While there were no specific targets mentioned in the United States, there was intelligence indicating al-Qaida might attempt to crash a plane into the U.S. Embassy in Nairobi. And other reports said Islamic extremists might try to hijack a plane to gain release of comrades."
Oops.

[Troubled]

As I said, it was on Clinton's watch and it was Clinton that gutted out military. LA Times article December 5, 2001:
Clinton Let Bin Laden Slip Away and Metastasize
Sudan offered up the terrorist and data on his network. The then-president and his advisors didn't respond.

By MANSOOR IJAZ
President Clinton and his national security team ignored several opportunities to capture Osama bin Laden and his terrorist associates, including one as late as last year.

I know because I negotiated more than one of the opportunities.

From 1996 to 1998, I opened unofficial channels between Sudan and the Clinton administration. I met with officials in both countries, including Clinton, U.S. National Security Advisor Samuel R. "Sandy" Berger and Sudan's president and intelligence chief. President Omar Hassan Ahmed Bashir, who wanted terrorism sanctions against Sudan lifted, offered the arrest and extradition of Bin Laden and detailed intelligence data about the global networks constructed by Egypt's Islamic Jihad, Iran's Hezbollah and the Palestinian Hamas.

Among those in the networks were the two hijackers who piloted commercial airliners into the World Trade Center.

The silence of the Clinton administration in responding to these offers was deafening.

As an American Muslim and a political supporter of Clinton, I feel now, as I argued with Clinton and Berger then, that their counter-terrorism policies fueled the rise of Bin Laden from an ordinary man to a Hydra-like monster.

[Natasha]

Campbell Brown-CNN...Shsss baby!...Palin's daughter pregnancy, parenting skills, and her decision to accept the VP nomination, while juggling 5 kids is none of your business...BABY!!!

Campbell Brown of CNN is a disgrace to serious journalism.

Jon Klein, president of CNN, has issued a statement in support of Brown's interview. "Campbell Brown did what journalists do," Klein said Tuesday evening. "She asked fair and important questions in a respectful way and was simply trying to get a straight answer to a straightforward question." Jon Klein, President CNN.

To Jon Klein, President of CNN:

I am not surprised with your idiotic statement. You have the audacity to call Campbell Brown's utterly rude behavior, "respectful"???!!! Either you think that we are stupid or you must be smoking something funny, or for that matter you yourself do not know the difference between "polite" and "rude" and the difference between "calm and collected" and "neurotic-psychotic" behavior.

Yes, Campbell Brown is a neurotic and rude anchor lady - this is not the first time she has been rude to her guests. Perhaps Mr. Klein=clown you were better off having done your own homework in "VETTING" Ms. Campbell Brown. She is a disgrace to serious journalism together with Mr. Hafferty!

With the exception of a few anchors and correspondents, whom I have always respected (and who keep you still in business) such as Wolf Blitzer, John King, Christian Amanpour, Candy Crawly, etc. the rest of your "pretty faces" are "knuckle heads" who - I repeat - are a disgrace to serious journalism.

I prefer to remember the good old CNN that you have destroyed, Sir.

No wonder why - for example - BBC World News and BBC America are increasingly more and more in demand by American households. The fact that most satellite services and cable operators offer BBC World News instead of CNN International - offered only to 6 million households in the US a country the population of which is 300 million should tell you something Sir - that more viewers prefer BBC over CNN!!

I am very glad that the McCain campaign pulled the McCain interview from the Larry King Show at CNN. I am also very happy that the McCain campaign has informed the CNN circus network that they will no longer answer any questions by your staff concerning Governor Palin's private family life or any questions by you regarding her vetting, which in the final analysis is none of your business. Senator McCain and Governor Palin are doing the right thing to ignore you CNN! They are not going to allow you to treat Governor Palin the same way you treated Senator Hillary Clinton during her campaign. Alleluia, it is about time somebody has the guts to tell you off CNN - Long Live McCain!

In the mean-time, I suggest that you put Ms. Campbell Brown on some tranquilizers or better yet - FIRE HER!!

Shame on Campbell Brown and Jon Klein's=Clown CNN! Leadership starts at the top! And, your top advertisers are taking notice CNN - trust me!

[Jess]

Integrity is foundational to every leadership position, so I say, " Ask the questions Campbell Brown that gets to the heart of Palin and anyother candidate's thinking and actions." If you shut the media out that tells me, you have something to hide from America. Amercans are not idiots. The Republican tactics of character assination and media attack will not work. Is this insight into how John McCain will respond to questioins that exposes the real person as the President of the United States of America. Wow! more of the same, attack, destroy, keep secretes, spend, outsource, wiretap, earmarks, mavericks that run wild with no control and will say anthything to destroy another individual , and chose a running mate without even considering, "What if this person becomes president" -just to get elected. When you lack integrity, your war record nor your promises are very meaniful. This election is not for the party of the rich, it is about every American, protecting America, renewing our relationship in this global society, and economical stability. We don't need division and hidden agendas by the elite- The Republicans, we need real change! Obama/ Biden ! Keep it up Campbell- you get my vote!