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McCain, Palin Discuss Pakistan Remarks with Couric
By
Jen Chung
Published Sep 29, 2008
Modified Sep 29, 2008
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By
Jen Chung
Published Sep 29, 2008
Modified Sep 29, 2008
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Katie Couric had another exclusive interview tonight--one with both John McCain and his running Sarah Palin. And in the video above, Couric asks Palin about her remarks--made while getting a cheesesteak in Philadelphia, to a Temple University graduate student--saying the U.S. should cross the Afghanistan border to Pakistan ("If that's what we have to do stop the terrorists from coming any further in, absolutely, we should").
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 [to Palin]: 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.
Of course, McCain had criticized rival Barack Obama during Friday's debate for that (McCain is pro-negotiation, whereas Obama is more hawkish, especially if al Qaeda were "in our sights and Pakistan is unwilling or unable to act"). So the Republican candidate used his Sunday appearance with ABC News' George Stephanopoulos to retract Palin's statement.
And since she did such a great job with Palin's interviews last week, we hope Tina Fey gets to recite Palin's response about being a VP candidate, "Well, not only am I ready but willing and able to serve as Vice President with Sen. McCain if Americans so bless us and privilege us with the opportunity of serving them, ready with my executive experience as a city mayor and manager, as a governor, as a commissioner, a regulator of oil and gas."
Politico's Jonathan Martin says there's a "still-undisclosed clip" from Couric's interviews where Palin is asked about Supreme Court decisions and was "apparently unable to discuss any major court cases" besides Roe vs. Wade--she was just silent.
Tagged
cbs news
john mccain
katie couric
sarah palin
Jen Chung
Jen Chung is a former WNYC and Gothamist editor.
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Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
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