McCain DID criticize the press

Posted: Monday, June 09, 2008 12:02 PM by Mark Murray

From NBC's Mark Murray
Earlier this morning, we clipped an interview McCain did with Newsweek, in which he told the magazine that he didn't criticize the media in his speech Tuesday for overlooking Hillary Clinton's attributes. "I did not [say that] -- that was in prepared remarks, and I did not [say it] -- I'm not in the business of commenting on the press and their coverage or not coverage."

But as Politico's Martin writes, "video from McCain's address shows him giving the line as written... Presented with video showing that the GOP nominee did in fact read the remarks as they were prepared, McCain spokesman Brian Rogers said Newsweek's account of McCain's answer is 'paraphrased and unclear.' Rogers said he was not questioning the magazine's transcription, but pointing out that they included brackets."

Martin adds, "But given that he was responding to a direct question about a portion of the speech, it's unclear what else McCain could have been alluding to when noting twice that he 'did not.' That he also pointed out that the same section had been 'in the prepared remarks' only clarifies that he was referring to the passage in question."

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Comments

Are the circumstances regarding John McCain's divorce from his first wife fair game in this election assuming that he's going to attack Obama's personal character to win the morals and values crowd?

What about McCain collecting disability from the military when he supposedly has a clean bill of health under his free Senate healthcare?

And why does John McCain attack government controlled health care when he's receive it his entire life since his father was in the military, he was in the military, and now he's in the Senate?

"That's Not McChange You Can Believe In!"

Mister Anderson (The Matrix) (Sent Monday, June 09, 2008 12:08 PM)

I wonder if McCain misspoke, was taken out of context, did not state his point clearly, or lied? In the end isn't it all the same?

John B, Des Moines, IA (Sent Monday, June 09, 2008 12:09 PM)

OLD MAN YELLS AT CLOUD!!!

Janice Rockett - Glenwood, IL (Sent Monday, June 09, 2008 12:10 PM)

OMG - McCain was critical of the sacred order of the news media! How will the sensitive lads and lasses of the press ever recover from such insult? McCain should set aside some of his campaign cash to pay for their consoling services.

Two words: Grow up.

Justine Toms, Boston MA (Sent Monday, June 09, 2008 12:11 PM)

OK, take out the McBrackets and you have:

QUESTION: Want to back up a little bit and talk about press coverage. One of the things that you mentioned in your speech in New Orleans was that you felt that the media hadn't recognized had overlooked some of the attributes that Hillary Clinton had brought to the race.

McCAIN: "I did not." "I did not."

Pleeeeeeease.

The only questions now are:
1. Was he just lying?
2. Is he 'slipping'? (It's awfully early in the campaign for that...unless you're just too old.)

jmp (Sent Monday, June 09, 2008 12:11 PM)

I love it! McCain's team will have to spend all of their time cleaning up after McCane's Poo-poo's. It's "Depends" time for McCane!

McCane needs "Depends" (Sent Monday, June 09, 2008 12:11 PM)

McCain says that frequently. I did not say that. McCain maybe you are not in tune with the technology in this election, but everything is recorded. this is not like in previous years when people did not have evidence of your comments and you can refute them. once a tape is mentioned you can longer deny your comments. soon, it appears that you are lying. welcome to the world of technology.

voter (Sent Monday, June 09, 2008 12:12 PM)

Is he just a liar ... or is senility setting in?

OBAMA '08 & '12

I'm An Olbermanniac - Glenwood, IL (Sent Monday, June 09, 2008 12:12 PM)

If this media would investigate, they will probably find out several lies that this good "christian" told.I sure wish we had a media who would do their jobs. Then maybe we could find out why the gas and food prices keep going up. Remember the laws that "regulate" that Sen. Graham and this great "conservative" administration got rid of? I wonder if McCain would tell that his "economic genius" is the one who put that law on? Of course, it was after the bill had been passed through Congress.

An old geezer OH (Sent Monday, June 09, 2008 12:12 PM)

We have a president that sent 4100 troops to there death with faulty and fabricated intelligence. This should be the number one story on MSNBC and every other channel across America. It is sad to see that the journalism in this country has lost the meaning of responsibility to the American people. 4100 troops are dead in from the Iraq War; and know one cares mainly because the media has made it that way. Bush sent them and McCain voted to back Bush this is the real story.

Now McCain is crying over the media, come on McWar you are a big boy if you can't handle this; can you handle anything. Your answer to every thing is to bomb. Now are you going to bomb MSNBC, CNN, and CBS?

Capt. Smash, Salt Lake City, Utah (Sent Monday, June 09, 2008 12:13 PM)

Criticizing the press? As Snagglepuss and my old friend the Cowardly Lion might say ... "heavens to murgatroyd."

Haven't you guys been reading this blog? We criticize the press every day, and it gets about the same reaction. Maybe some day the press will realize that this is NOT all about the press.

Amy Andersen, Eden Prairie, MN (Sent Monday, June 09, 2008 12:13 PM)

Ut oh. McCain is already losing it. Clearly, he had criticized the New York Times for its unsourced story about his "affair" with lobbyists. And he'd also criticized a report about his volatile temper. So either McCain is losing his short-term memory or he can't control others who are complaining about the media against his wishes. Neither bodes well for his candidacy.

Is THIS who Republicans want for president?

Cindy Lou, TX (Sent Monday, June 09, 2008 12:13 PM)

So McCain's strategy is say something stupid, then a week later say he didn't say it? When there is video evidence?

Not a great strategy in the YouTube era. He must really be counting on the uneducated vote.

CitizenJ (Sent Monday, June 09, 2008 12:14 PM)

OOOOOKKKKKKK?

Is he suffering from dymensia?

GREAT COMMANDER AND CHIEF CREDENTIALS, WHAT DO YOU THINK? LOL

MR (Sent Monday, June 09, 2008 12:14 PM)

It's bad when McCain is pulling fast ones on the press. Real bad. And it's the press that is saying that McCain is 'old and out of touch'. Looks like we see who's really out of touch now.

Ty Reaves, Provo Utah (Sent Monday, June 09, 2008 12:14 PM)

Either he's a liar, or he's 'confused', ( as Oprah's character described herself after being released from a long, and brutal imprisonment, in the movie,
'The Color Purple', no pun intended.

Either way, I won't vote for McCain. His policies are horrific, he is no maverick, and his better days are behind him.

The Presidency needs a candidate who is at the peak of their moral, mental, emotional, and physical strengths.

donna (Sent Monday, June 09, 2008 12:14 PM)

Maybe he is just a liar.

Check out this little tidbit about the REAL John McCain.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-1024927/The-wife-John-McCain-callously-left-behind.html

After this, maybe he will tell us he was never married to anyone but Cindy McBeer.

CitizenJ (Sent Monday, June 09, 2008 12:16 PM)

He's just confused. His campaign should stick with commercials, where they can control every word. And if John starts to get disoriented, they can stop, let him take a nap and then begin again.

Eric Rudolph (Sent Monday, June 09, 2008 12:16 PM)

His advisors must in the future, explain the speeches to him that he will be reading. Maybe if he read the speeches before he delivered them, he would also know the proper times to smile. How could he get into the Senate year after year? It shows how local politics are the key to changing our country.

tj, dallas, tx (Sent Monday, June 09, 2008 12:16 PM)

McOld is so...old. He just does not remember. Or....another flip-flop. Rule #1. When you are losing, blame the media.

Ron Indiana (Sent Monday, June 09, 2008 12:17 PM)

The War Gnome McCain is beginning to be looked at closely and man is it about time. He should be piggy-backing Lieberman wherever he goes so he can keep things straight for a few hours anyway. His fake Clinton concern in order to divide democrats is obvious and weak. His very unhero like support of only the rich and priviledged is going to become pretty obvious.

bill, okla (Sent Monday, June 09, 2008 12:18 PM)

Did McCain:

a). lie or

b). doesn't remember

I'll let you know decide which.

Obama 08

ya know (Sent Monday, June 09, 2008 12:19 PM)

HAHA - here's your "hero" - NOT!

"Yes, the economy is in trouble and will get worse if we lose in Iraq. John McCain is a real navy man and will never ever surrender and that will after it's said and done bring back the dollar. Obama doesn't have a clue how to fight a war and will lose and then so will the economy.
dusual tx (Sent Monday, June 09, 2008 9:42 AM)"

Hey, genius - We're throwing billions of dollars away in Iraq for a civil war that WE (the U.S.) will never win - it's been too botched up for that.

We need to get those soliders home to their families and stop throwing good money after bad. This isn't WWII - this war is not creating jobs. Ask your buddy McCain why he took jobs from Boeing and gave them to Airbus...hmmm? It's not to have Boeing make more jet fighters...

NO WAY MCCAIN!

MI Chick (Sent Monday, June 09, 2008 12:19 PM)

Eh, cut the guy some slack. But remember this one in case a trend develops. But if its the only time the short-time memory slips, then no biggie.

Paul Miller, Woodbridge, VA (Sent Monday, June 09, 2008 12:21 PM)

His message here is confusing but, I got the point load and clear last week---me and the 18 mil Hillary supporters he was talking to.

Bobbi, Eau Claire, WI (Sent Monday, June 09, 2008 12:24 PM)

What? Now that the primaries are over it's time to start giving McCain equal scrutiny? Did he not expect this?

Kim W, Virginia Beach, VA (Sent Monday, June 09, 2008 12:25 PM)

[[What about McCain collecting disability from the military when he supposedly has a clean bill of health under his free Senate healthcare? ]]

It's pukes like this that make Independents vote Republican. The man is disabled. He was disabled at the hands of the VietCong during his forced stay at the Hanoi Hilton. Then you get pukes like this guy that grew up watching Barney questioning the integrity of a mans war injuries. Pathetic.

LG Taylor, Lansing MI (Sent Monday, June 09, 2008 12:25 PM)

McLost is starting to show signs of alzheimers... he really believes what he thinks, even after they play back what actaully happened which shows the contrary.

ya know (Sent Monday, June 09, 2008 12:25 PM)

The issue isn't whether he critized the press, but that he can't get his story straight. When you can't remember what you said yourself there is something wrong.

Susan (Sent Monday, June 09, 2008 12:26 PM)

So a media story about McCain denying that he bashed the media but in reality did?

This is a story for the media and the media only and is not an issue the American people give a darn about.

Do a poll of American's and I think you will find we don't trust the media or the 10 second sound bite formula used.
The problem is, real journalism is nearly extinct and all we have is mainstream media and blog sites... we reluctantly accept what is spoon fed to us.

RLouden (Sent Monday, June 09, 2008 12:30 PM)

Seems like McCain's caught Clinton's "parsing" disorder. What an odd issue he picked to dispute. Nobody blames a politician who feels mistreated by the press. Nobody likes the media. Why can't McCain own up to that feeling? Cause he's conflicted about wanting to whine and knowing its unbecoming to his image as a macho Navy officer. McCain strikes me as a very conflicted individual.

Amy B Portland, ME (Sent Monday, June 09, 2008 12:34 PM)

He is having his Senior Moment. He is losing his bearing again!

TheDonald (Sent Monday, June 09, 2008 12:35 PM)

Capt. Smash!

That is the bottom line for me and always will be. Did you see Bush's War on pbs? You can watch it on pbs.org but it is hours long - they have so much info linking to almost everything Scott M. wrote about before his book came out. Every American should watch it. Did you ever see the picture of the hill in Lafayette, CA where they have a cross for everyone that died in Iraq?? You can see it when driving on the freeway - those are the facts. Please keep telling everyone Capt. Smash.

Elise, SF (Sent Monday, June 09, 2008 12:39 PM)

Mc Cain may be in good physical health, but one wonders about his mental capacity. Dementia would not be something I'd want in a President.

Ryan from Clearwater, Florida (Sent Monday, June 09, 2008 12:42 PM)

His message here is confusing but, I got the point load and clear last week---me and the 18 mil Hillary supporters he was talking to.
Bobbi, Eau Claire, WI (Sent Monday, June 09, 2008 12:24 PM)

Bobbi, what message is that? The message that under McCain, you still would have expensive, deregulated free-market healthcare? That you still will not receive a tax cut unless you're one of the wealthiest in this country? I'm sorry, but if you look at their stances on the issues, McCain does not represent ANYTHING that Hillary represents.

Brian, Clinton, Iowa (Sent Monday, June 09, 2008 12:43 PM)

Are you saying there was no bias in your reporting????

bw cinti,oh (Sent Monday, June 09, 2008 12:44 PM)

RLouden...

you're right. But this is becoming a habit and starting to call into his mental capacity. I don't think he knows where he is half the time and it's really starting to make people wonder if he's fit enough to do the job for a year let alone 4.

ya know (Sent Monday, June 09, 2008 12:47 PM)

TheDonald - remember McCain thinks that bearing means age, and from that anti-Webster perspective, your question would make no sense ;)

Paul Miller, Woodbridge, VA (Sent Monday, June 09, 2008 12:47 PM)

Oh Gees!!!! How dare anyone criticize the Press! Have to come up with other news now that they no longer have Clintons to kick around.

Clinton in 2012 (Sent Monday, June 09, 2008 12:50 PM)

I'm raising money to help find McCain's bearings. It is obvious he lost them YEARS ago, maybe around the same time he dumped his ex-wife for a new hot babe.

Please send your donations to:

Looking for John McCain's Bearings
P.O. Box McSAME
Lost and Found Department
USA

Where did McCain Leave His Bearings? (Sent Monday, June 09, 2008 12:50 PM)

"It's pukes like this that make Independents vote Republican. The man is disabled. He was disabled at the hands of the VietCong during his forced stay at the Hanoi Hilton. Then you get pukes like this guy that grew up watching Barney questioning the integrity of a mans war injuries. Pathetic. "

It's pukes like you that are the reason the system is so out of whack. The man gets around fine. He isnt disabled, he has a full time job and makes plenty of his pension. Top it off, he is married to money. But hey, what does average joe who was hurt on the job and has a wife a kids matter to you...McCain is a 'Hero'...even that lable is questionable.

DV, CA (Sent Monday, June 09, 2008 12:51 PM)

Is this another political fodder? What's the point? You're making a mountain out of a molehill.

Stick the real issues, e.g., write news like Obama always back-pedalling/explaining afterwards whenever he goofs up in his speech, etc. ---> By the way, this is Flip-flop v2.0.

Boboy, WI (Sent Monday, June 09, 2008 12:52 PM)

He's confused Sunni and Shia multiple times; he's said Iran is training al Qaeda operatives even though they hate each other; he's said we have drawn our troops down to pre-surge levels, then said he didn't say that; now he blames the media, then says he didn't.

What next?

CitizenJ (Sent Monday, June 09, 2008 12:52 PM)

If McCain keeps going in this manner; he is going to LOSE the "Presumptive Nomination" at the convention!!

GA GUY (Sent Monday, June 09, 2008 1:08 PM)

MCAIN IS A LIAR, BUT HE IS ALSO SHOWING SIGNS OF DEMENTIA! LET'S FACE IT -- THE MAN IS OLD AND OUR SENSES DO NOT LAST FOREVER.

HE HAS PROBLEMS WITH VISION, HEARING, MEMORY, AND BALANCE -- THAT IS WHY HE TAKES SHORT CHOPPY STEPS!

WILLIS, TX (Sent Monday, June 09, 2008 1:15 PM)

McCain denies reality on a regular basis. Now that the spotlights are on him, more and more people are going to realize this.

John, Morgan Hill, California (Sent Monday, June 09, 2008 1:16 PM)

The simple fact is that as we age, we sometimes gt a little "stubborn" and don't like to be questioned or have our words challenged. Unfortunately for Mr McCain, he is not just an older gentlemen, he is running for president and words count... words matter. And if you say something in a speech and you get a question on it, you cannot say you didn't say it. I saw your speech. You wanted Hillary's supporters to feel as if the "pundits and political people in the press and on TV had decided that Senator Obama was going to be your opponents". You wanted them to feel that she was cheated and that the media and some guys in a back room somewhere stole the nomination from her and that you sympathized with them and wanted their vote. Hell, Bobbi got the message load and clear. To turn around and say you did not criticize the media means that you don't know the meaning of the word pundit or the word TV. Since you obviously do, the only conclusion that can be drawn is that you lied.

Tommy, Detroit, Michigan (Sent Monday, June 09, 2008 1:19 PM)

Bobbi, Eau Claire, WI, I still can't understand how you would rather support Sen. McCain since Sen Clinton didn't win the nomination.
Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama share the same platform on over 90% of the issues.
So my question is, did you support Sen Clinton because she is a woman or because you liked her positions?

Todd M (Sent Monday, June 09, 2008 1:22 PM)

GA GUY...

I think the GOP could get away with taking that away if it weren't for him having a staff. He probably already forgot he was the "presumptive nominee".

ya know (Sent Monday, June 09, 2008 1:26 PM)

To those of you who are trying to help McCain find his bearings:

I wouldnt waste too much time trying to find them. Obama is gonna give McCain plenty of time off after November to look for them.

Obama/Warner 08

Kilted1 Lynchburg Va (Sent Monday, June 09, 2008 1:27 PM)

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