- White House Christmas Tree Arrives
- Specter Prepared for 2010 if Opponent is Chris Matthews or Not
- Bush Calls Troops on Thanksgiving
- Bush Calls Indian Prime Minister
- Russian President Gets Red Carpet Treatment From Venezuelan Leader
- Russian President Gets Red Carpet Treatment From Venezuelan Leader
- Bush Bails Out Birds: Pardons Pumpkin and Pecan
- Barbara Bush Recovering from Abdominal Procedure
- Barbara Bush Hospitalized, Condition Not Life Threatening
- House Race Update: Ohio Sup. Ct. to Rule on Franklin County Votes
- Come Get Your Money -- $266 Million Worth
- Obama Points to Farm Subsidies for Budget Cuts
- For Obama, a Cautionary Tale on Budget Cuts
- Gates Cabinet Appointment 'A Done Deal'
- McCain to Seek Senate Re-Election in 2010
- Ballotwatch
- Biden, Joe
- Bush, George W.
- Clinton, Bill
- Clinton, Hillary
- Dodd, Chris
- Edwards, John
- Giuliani, Rudy
- Gravel, Mike
- Huckabee, Mike
- Hunter, Duncan
- Inauguration
- Kucinich, Dennis
- McCain, John
- Obama, Barack
- Palin, Sarah
- Paul, Ron
- Richardson, Bill
- Romney, Mitt
- Tancredo, Tom
- Thompson, Fred
- Veepstakes
- Vote 2008: Democrats
- Vote 2008: Republicans
- Washington
- White House
« Bonnie Raitt and Jackson Browne Open for Edwards | Main | Obama Discusses Drinking, Drugs »
Patriotism Over Past Injuries, Says McCain
Email
ShareNovember 19, 2007 8:34 PM
ABC News' Ron Claiborne Reports: It was a routine campaign stop: a Rotary Club luncheon at a country club in Nashua, New Hampshire. Senator John McCain R-Ariz., sat patiently through the ceremony, spoke for 15 minutes, then fielded questions.
It was the third question that was probably unlike any he's heard before. A man rose and said, "Eight years ago in the South Carolina primary, the Bush campaign -- Karl Rove, of course -- spread a false rumor that you had fathered a black child and, uh, if you knew that Karl Rove could win the election for you, would you have him on your campaign." Nervous titters in the audience quickly turned to laughter.
McCain first joked that after he lost the South Carolina primary and his campaign was effectively over, he slept like a baby: "Sleep two hours, wake up and cry, sleep two hours ..."
Then he turned serious.
"I think the important thing in our lives, and I meant this is the utmost sincerity, is to put past differences and real or imagined injuries behind us," he said. "I did that with the anti-war movement in the 1980's after the Vietnam War. I did that with the people who didn't want us to normalize relations with Vietnam. I did it with previous political opponents of mine. I did it when Jerry Falwell ...came into my office and sat down across from me and said 'I want to put our differences behind us.'
"I think the important thing for us to do with our lives and I think one of the greatest problems in the political environment in America today is that we dwell on injuries and we dwell on insults and we question each others patriotism and love of country. I question no one's patriotism and love us country. I am going treat Senator Clinton with respect when I beat her in the next election."
The references to Hillary Clinton is a recent campaign theme: that he can defeat her in election and, at the same, time that she should be treated respectfully. A senior McCain campaign aide said the Arizona Republican has been disturbed by the stream of flippant cracks about Clinton coming from some of his rivals. Former New York City Mayor Rudolph Giuliani in particular has sometimes ridiculed Clinton with a mocking imitation of her.
McCain went on: "But I believe that the best thing to do in our lives is to put things behind us and move forward. If I had stayed angry about the things that happened in South Carolina -- and, by the way, I spent about three days, the most enjoyable three days of my life, feeling sorry myself. There's nothing more enjoyable than feeling sorry for yourself and then I decided to stop it ... So, I would welcome the support of any American who wants to support my campaign, who shares my values, my vision and my beliefs for a greater America. And that includes Republicans and Democrats and libertarians and vegetarians."
And maybe even Karl Rove.
November 19, 2007 in Vote 2008: Republicans | Permalink | User Comments (6)
TrackBack URL for this entry:
http://www.typepad.com/t/trackback/433071/23509342
Listed below are links to weblogs that reference Patriotism Over Past Injuries, Says McCain:
Good on McCain. I think that what Bush/Rove did in '00 was unethical but I have to agree that you have to put it behind you and move forward.
Keep up the good work John!
Posted by: CH | Nov 19, 2007 9:09:21 PM
McCain is thoroughly compromised by his father's cover-up of the attack on the USS Liberty.
Posted by: vigilant warrior | Nov 20, 2007 11:24:17 AM
Mr. McCain,
I have always been a registered Democrat and still do believe that their way of doing things are best for me. However, I want you to know that I respect you thoroughly and will be voting for you this year. I don't believe that I ever respected what people like you have done for our freedom until my only child decided to join the Army. Loves his choice of career, went to Special Forces school, flight school, IP school and finally OCS in the past 14 years. Now a Lieutenant, he is a great man. Thanks to you and all before and since you.
Posted by: Judy | Nov 20, 2007 2:00:24 PM
The senator's words reflect the wisdom of a great man, one whom I greatly respect. The Republican party needs to have more than one of his kind aboard. Nonetheless, the dirty stuff done to him by the likes of Rove should have been dealt with properly by public exposure and rejection. This has as yet to happen. Those political scoundrels have played on the goodness of McCain and the American people in general for large personal gain and profound public loss.
Posted by: Scot Abbott | Nov 20, 2007 8:06:16 PM
McCain is a good man among thieves and cowards. I like his answer that he would welcome help on his campaign, but I would like it more if he said he would welcome positive help and would not tolerate slandering and lying about others. He needs to use these moments to say what he stands for--which is a lot, and what we need.
Posted by: M. McBride | Nov 21, 2007 1:55:17 AM
Try to be real. In 2000, as soon as he pointed that bus South, McCain was through. He doesn't share our beliefs and values and we were prepared to show him. Rumors spread about him meant nothing. Words out of his own mouth sank him, both then and now. He might as well go home.We're not listening.
Posted by: fred | Dec 10, 2007 5:07:51 PM
Post a comment
