McCain says Palin didn't hurt presidential bid

[Omaha Steve]

Source: Associated Press

LOS ANGELES (AP) - John McCain said Tuesday that Sarah Palin did not damage his presidential bid, and he dismissed as typical campaign sniping anonymous criticism aimed at her following their crushing defeat.

"I'm so proud of her and I'm very grateful she agreed to run with me. She inspired people, she still does," McCain told Jay Leno during an "Tonight Show" interview taped for broadcast Tuesday night. "I couldn't be happier with Sarah Palin."

Asked by Leno about griping about Palin from unidentified McCain operatives in the days following the election, the Arizona senator said, "These things happen in campaigns.

"I think I have at least a thousand, quote, top advisers," he scoffed. "A top adviser said? I've never even heard of ... a top adviser or high-ranking Republican official."


Read more: http://apnews.excite.com/article/20081112/D94D3RSG6.htm...

[Whoa_Nelly]

1. McCain likes to appear clueless

Thinks it's good PR

[Aviation Pro]

2. Well 63 million other Americans thought otherwise....

....

[Zynx]

10. 66 million.

[fortyfeetunder]

3. Denali -- I mean Denial!

Good grief he can't bear the truth...

[awoke_in_2003]

14. Denial...

it's not just an area in Alaska

[jimshoes]

4. Ummm...., whatever.

[Warren Stupidity]

5. and the other problem was gramps is pretty dim too

[petronius]

6. He does make one point, however - the definition of "top advisor" or

"high-ranking ... official" could be pretty loose (kind of like "Al Qaeda #2"). I wouldn't be surprised if everyone who so much as says "good morning" to a reporter becomes a top advisor...

[Packers Rule]

7. Who am I?

Did McCain even know what he was running for?  Maybe he
thought it was for high school class president.  

[ClusterFreak]

8. Fuck off. n/t

[Mojorabbit]

9. He is pretty clueless then

I know a lot of republicans who voted Obama because they were scared to death Palin might end up as Prez.

[rpannier]

11. The election is over

It shows class not to blame her.

What does it accomplish?

He was the top of the ticket.
His 'top advisors' were the ones who thought she'd be a good pick.
At least he seems to be movinmg on.
They need to as well.

He's right about the top advisors. They're all unnamed and they're always top.

on note:
Many of his 'top advisors' were chosen from DUH-bya's inner circle.
They're as classless in defeat as they are in victory

[LynnTheDem]

12. Thing is, John, the majority of VOTERS say she sure as fuck did.

Reality; it's got a librul bias.

[KillCapitalism]

13. If anything, she helped him get a lot more votes.

I remember watching the rallies where McCain was going solo. It was pathetic, kind of like a Florida Marlins home game. On the other hand Palin drew crowds like the Beatles did once they arrived here in '64 from Britain.

[Realityhack]

15. I think those rabid voters were offset by larger losses...

They would have voted against Obama anyway. She hurt him with the moderates he needed. All the polling I have seen indicates she was horrible for him.

[onenote]

16. what would you expect him to say?

Of course he's not going to blame palin. At least not at this point, just a week after the eleciton. It would (a) make him look petty -- like he's trying to blame someone else and (b) it wouldn't succeed in shifting blame since ultimately he was responsible for putting her on the ticket.

[yellowcanine]

17. Of course it didn't Johnny. Now go away and stop trying to suck the air out of the room.

President-Elect Obama needs that air.

[FedUpWithIt All]

18. Did anyone see McCain's eye winking at the end of the set with Leno?

it began winking uncontrollably and them he booked it off-stage. Thank the Stars that this man was not elected with his insane no. 2.

[MadinMo]

19. Can he really afford to admit he was wrong about her?

Everyone questions his judgment about it (me included!), but can he openly admit he truly had bad judgment? He still has his Senate career --- what's left of it.

Not defending --- just saying.

[BluePatriot21]

20. Thank the flying spaghetti monster...

That he made those guys choose Palin as VP, he did this in all his noodly starchy goodness for us. we must thank the FSM for his choice in making this world a better place, where more pirates will be welcomed with open arms and bigots will be burnt at the stake.

[rocktivity]

21. Candidate tor this year's "You Call This NEWS?" award

But the truth is, he's right. Palin isn't what hurt the McCrazed campaign--McCrazed's CHOOSING PALIN is what hurt the McCrazed campaign!


rocknation

[teknomanzer]

22. Plenty of blame to go round but who will take responsibility?

Republicans still don't get it. They want to find some individual to blame for their collective failure. The entire party is to blame. The evidence is clear. They did not just loose the presidential bid they also took substantial losses across the board. Did Palin have a negative effect on the campaign? Definitely. But so did McCain as a lack luster candidate. And so did the campaign management with their strategy of stunts and vicious hate filled negative attacks when the majority of American people wanted intelligent solutions to the grave problems the country faces. And so did Bush with eight years of repeated failure, idiocy, and cronyism that lead to two quagmire wars, a failed economy, and untold suffering at home and abroad. And so did the entire party for choosing these losers, these political strategies, and these policies.

The Republican party faces a dilemma. Accepting responsibility for their failure would require real examination. They are forced to find a scapegoat because they are unwilling to admit how as a party just they have been wrong on every level. Even now the party spin masters are out there saying that they lost because they didn't really get the party message out, and absurdly making the assertion that the nation is politically center right. However the American people got the message and summarily rejected it. Republicans may have to endure their minority status for a long time if they don't wise up. Personally I hope the in fighting continues. Its great entertainment and weakens them further. Please pass the popcorn.

[Maeve]

23. He also said he was going to win. eom