Palin, McCain call for Stevens to quit

Posted: Tuesday, October 28, 2008 10:40 AM by Mark Murray
Filed Under: Courts, Sarah Palin

From NBC's Pete Williams and Mark Murray
Palin today called on the senior Republican in her state to quit.

In an interview with CNBC's Maria Bartiromo, Palin said that Alaska Sen. Ted Stevens should step down in light of his conviction yesterday on federal charges. That is a change from yesterday, when Palin didn't exactly call for him to resign. "I'm confident that Sen. Stevens ... will do the right thing for the state of Alaska," she said.

Video: Republican vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin chastises Alaska Sen. Ted Stevens following his conviction on seven counts of corruption.

McCain, also interviewed by Bartiromo, said he agreed that Stevens should resign. And his campaign put out a statement from McCain at about the same time the interview was going on, calling for Stevens to leave the Senate. "It is clear that Sen. Stevens has broken his trust with the people and that he should now step down," the statement read. "I hope that my colleagues in the Senate will be spurred by these events to redouble their efforts to end this kind of corruption once and for all."

By the way, in an interview this morning with MSNBC's David Shuster, McCain spokesman Tucker Bounds said that McCain and Palin wouldn't vote for Stevens -- if they were Alaska voters. "They’ve been quite clear in their contempt for his behavior," Bounds said. "I don't expect they would cast their ballot for Ted Stevens if they were Alaska voters."

But Palin is an Alaska voter. Does that mean she won't be voting for Stevens and will instead vote for Stevens' Democratic challenger, Anchorage Mayor Mark Begich?

Bounds, in an email response to First Read, said: "She called for him to step down in an interview this morning. I think I’m safe."

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Comments

Does Tucker Bounds ever say anything coherent? He has to be the worst spokesperson ever.

Billy, MI (Sent Tuesday, October 28, 2008 10:48 AM)

If they are doing this to look all mavericky, they are waisting their time, because it's a no brainer to call for Stevens' resignation in light of his conviction, and therefore, by definition, their call for him to step down are not in the relm of bucking their party. BUT...I doubt Palin will be or has voted for the dem. challenger

pat huntington ny (Sent Tuesday, October 28, 2008 10:49 AM)

whats this... a McCain coverup? Is this the October surprise

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/10/28/news-orgs-investigate-pos_n_138449.html

just the facts (Sent Tuesday, October 28, 2008 10:49 AM)

Wow. Impressive.

http://thepajampundit.com/

the Pajama Pundit (Sent Tuesday, October 28, 2008 10:49 AM)

I want to hear from Palin that she won't vote for Stevens. We don't know if Palin will follow the talking pint of the day from the campaign or if she will do what she wants. Don't forget she has worked with Stevens in getting millions of dollars for her town and state.

Jane (Sent Tuesday, October 28, 2008 10:52 AM)

He cannot quit unless palin quit for her own corruption.

Smith, AZ (Sent Tuesday, October 28, 2008 10:52 AM)

The Queen of Hearts and the Mad Hatter agree:

"Under the bus!"

Some Dude (Sent Tuesday, October 28, 2008 10:53 AM)

Here comes the October suprise. The new plan for Palin and the RNC: Stevens steps down, Palin tund becomes a write-in candidate in Alaska. McCain replaces Palin with Ridge, and wins Pennsylvania and the White House. Palin wins the Alaska senate race. Truth can be stranger than fiction.

Jim Stephenson Raymond ME (Sent Tuesday, October 28, 2008 10:53 AM)

McCain runs from Bush, runs from Stevens. Will he run from Palin. Will other Republicans run from McCain?

Gregory Peek, Birmingham, Alabama (Sent Tuesday, October 28, 2008 10:53 AM)

"I hope that my colleagues in the Senate will be spurred by these events to redouble their efforts to end this kind of corruption once and for all."
------------------------------------------------------
And then a chill ran down Sarah Palin's spine, you betcha.

Hittin' a little close to home, don'tcha think?

Come to think of it- what's comin' up next with that whole Troopergate "abuse of power" problem doggin' Sarah and Todd the shadow-governor, also?

Suburban Mom paying attention, IL (Sent Tuesday, October 28, 2008 10:53 AM)

NO I'AM NOT GOING TO QUIT ! YOU QUIT FIRST ! I'AM NOT GOING TO QUIT, THEY HAVEN'T "CONVICTED" ME ON ANYTHING YET. MAYBE GEORGE WILL QUIT. HELL NO HE WON'T QUIT, HE HAS TO STAY IN OFFICE TO PARDON EVERONE, BECAUSE "GONZO-GATE" HAS NOT GONE AWAY.

SARA PINHEAD (Sent Tuesday, October 28, 2008 10:54 AM)

Right. Stevens should quit the Senate because he violated ethics laws.

Oh, wait... Didn't that investigation into Palin's abuse of power determine she also violated ethics laws?

And come to think of it, Stevens was slammed primarily for having contractor work done on his home for which he had no receipts. Didn't Palin have contractor work done on her home, by the same contractors who got the government contract to build a local sports facility? I wonder if she has receipts?

The thing is, Stevens won't even notice McCain and Palin talking. The party is in disarray, with no clear leadership at the moment. The only thing that seems clear at this point is McCain and Palin aren't the universally recognized GOP flag bearers.

I think its a party just waiting for a Mike Huckabee or someone similar - someone with evangelical credentials but who also can play to less insane Republicans and independents - to seize control.

Paul Miller, Woodbridge, VA (Sent Tuesday, October 28, 2008 10:54 AM)

Bounds, in an email response to First Read, said: "She called for him to step down in an interview this morning. I think I’m safe."

Is anyone else concerned by the comment "I think I'm safe" Dosen't that say I don't know for sure but think I know. Or we don't communicate in the campaign so I am making this up. Or I am putting words in Palin's mouth and hoping she follows them? Or????

Who runs the McCain campaign (Sent Tuesday, October 28, 2008 10:54 AM)

Too bad Palin's sense of decency stops short of her own behaviour.

Troopergate (Sent Tuesday, October 28, 2008 10:54 AM)

Isn't that so funny that "Power Abuser" Palin is now asking her mentor, "Felon" Ted Stevens, to step down? She should do the right thing and step down as governor for her nefarious misdeeds in office like her guilty conviction of abuse of power and her violation of the public trust. Her unethical behavior in office is a disgrace that the people of Alaska should not tolerate. We certainly can't tolerate having another power abuser in the White House after having the two worst offenders in office now.

Yep McNasty is the head of the party of white collar criminals. When will McNasty and his little Twisted Sister reject and denounce mentally disturbed campaign worker Ashley Todd for her despicable race baiting dirty trick? When will they reject and denounce the two Neo Nazi skinheads for their attempted assassination of Obama? They better not mollycoddle domestic terrorists after whining so much about Bill Ayers!

I am laughing so hard that the beginning of the last week of the campaign is going so badly for McNasty. Not going to get the winning momentum that way. Happy Barack-tober McNasty!

Go Obama/Biden 08/12!

Eric, Salinas, CA (Sent Tuesday, October 28, 2008 10:55 AM)

What's next, Stevens asking Palin to step down because of similar hot water she finds herself in? Why doesn't John ask Dubya to step down for all of the goofy stuff he's been involved in? He's said everything but that to him, anyway. This is all a 'Tigers Eat Their Young' kind of thing, to me. But then, I'm an Independent, and see both Parties as being crazy as an Outhouse Bat.

Steve Turner Cedar Falls Iowa (Sent Tuesday, October 28, 2008 10:55 AM)

Maybe Palin will vote for herself for Senate. Or maybe she'll wait until after the election and appoint The First Dude...

Anything's possible when you're a diva.

-meow-

here kitty kitty (Sent Tuesday, October 28, 2008 10:56 AM)

Perhaps Palin should step down also since no one believes she's qualified to be the VP candidate. Then there's that little thing about her using the same contractor to do renovations on HER house that Senator Stevens used......hmmmm, do you see a pattern here with the GOPers from Alaska?????? Don't think power abusing Sarah is sqeaky clean here either!
Obama/Biden '08/'12!

Diane from Illinois (Sent Tuesday, October 28, 2008 10:56 AM)

How is Senator Stevens acceptance of expensive gifts any different than the John and Cindy McCain having a free cell phone tower installed on their property?

Or Sarah Palin using state money to pay herself per diem for working from home and to pay for plane tickets for her kids, and then not listing these items on her income tax?

Or Rick Davis, John McCain's campaign manager accepting millions of dollars to provide "access" to John McCain from Fannie Mae/Freddie Mac?

Will Sarah Palin vote for John McCain? Would John McCain vote for Sarah Palin?

Hmmmmmmmm.

Nashville_fan (Sent Tuesday, October 28, 2008 10:57 AM)

Well, I call for McCain the Keating Five ramrod to quit. The man is a fake. His ethics....well, what ethics!
As for moose momma, she cheated on per diem forms for goodness sakes. Flew her kids around at gov't expense.
I call on these two to quit.
And yes Stevens should go now.

Reno Will (Sent Tuesday, October 28, 2008 10:57 AM)

McCain should have stepped down when his pal Keating was sent to prison. It was only his war hero status that kept him from going down at the time. He and his mistress/heiress/wife used Keating's private jet and even vacationed with the crook. "Honest John" of the "Straight Talk" express is no stranger to the temptations of living large - he dumped a sick wife to marry his wealthy drug-addict mistress. Cindy inherited wealth and McCain married it - ask Joe the Plumber if that is "The American Dream" he believes in. Oh, and it's no coincidence that McCain beleives we should abolish inheritance taxes since he married into a fortune of over $100 million - but he really cares about working people, you betcha.

D Iowan, Marion, IA (Sent Tuesday, October 28, 2008 10:58 AM)

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