McCain Takes In ‘The View’, Ponders Hasslebeck as Vice President
EmailABC News’ Bret Hovell Reports: John McCain says if he were president, he would not go to the opening ceremonies of the Olympic games in China unless that country makes called-for reforms.
"Unless they change something pretty quickly," McCain, R-Ariz., told "The View" on Thursday in a live appearance, "I would not go to the opening ceremonies."
Watch the VIDEO HERE.
First reported on the Drudge Report, Sen. Hillary Clinton, D-N.Y., has called for a boycott of the opening ceremonies but not the Olympics overall, specifically citing China’s reaction to recent protests in Tibet and inaction in Darfur.
After initially resisting making a direct call for a boycott, Obama changed course and, in a written statement, said, "If the Chinese do not take steps to help stop the genocide in Darfur and to respect the dignity, security, and human rights of the Tibetan people, then the president should boycott the opening ceremonies."
The presumptive Republican nominee said he would expect China to reconcile with the Dalai Lama and make strides toward helping end the violence in Darfur.
In the past, McCain has said he would use the President’s presence at the opening games, the first to be held in China and set to begin on August 8, 2008, as a form of leverage but this was the first he said that he, if the currently occupying the Oval Office, would not attend.
During McCain’s three segments on the program "The View" co-hosts questioned the Senator on the war in Iraq, President Bush, immigration and his vice presidential possibilities.
"Would you consider a McCain-Hasselbeck ticket?" asked Elisabeth Hasselbeck, in one of the lighter exchanges.
McCain played along, joking that the vice president only has two jobs: to cast a tie breaking vote in the Senate and to inquire daily as to the health of the president.
"How are you feeling?" Hasselbeck joked in return.
During two commercial breaks, McCain heard from members of the audience, who asked questions about No Child Left Behind and whether he might support a military draft (he does not).
McCain also continued chatting with the co-hosts during the breaks.
Joy Behar asked him about his celebrity endorsements including Wilford Brimley, Burt Bacharach and Heidi Montag. Behar said she wasn’t familiar with Montag but the 71-year-old McCain was quick to tell her about "The Hills".
Behar also asked McCain if he thought it had been wrong to go into Iraq in the first place.
The Senator opened his mouth to answer but was saved by the stage manager, shouting a loud countdown to the return of the show. McCain feigned relief, drawing laughter and applause from the audience.
But Behar followed up, this time with cameras rolling.
McCain gave his standard answer, that knowing what the president and congress knew at the time, the decision to go into Iraq was correct, and it was after the fall of Baghdad that the serious mistakes were made.
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Why not, they both support the war in absence of evidence or reason. I think they are a perfect match… (of stupidity) The neocons would love these two. Although I think Cindy would have to worry about John, it could be Hilliary and Bill all over again: “Where’s the President? In a conference room with the Vice-President Mrs. McCain. On no, not AGAIN!!! Dammitt John!” Yup, happy days are here again.
Posted by: ha! | April 10, 2008, 2:23 pm 2:23 pm
Mistakes were made before the war started, intelligence was twisted to accomodate WBush-Cheney-McCain-Hillary, mistakes were made after the fall of Bagdad, mistakes were made after the arrest of Sadam and his family and Cabinet members, mistakes were made after the oil fields were burning and the national offices were invaded and mistakes are made today, because McCain or McNasty does not know the difference between a shia and a sunni, or AlQaeda and Iran. That is not the Commander in Chief naybody wanted in the White House. God bless Amercia and God bless Obama
Posted by: BKMC | April 10, 2008, 2:33 pm 2:33 pm
We don’t need any more mistakes !!!
Posted by: Laurie | April 10, 2008, 2:50 pm 2:50 pm
Hey, BKMC– God bless Obama???? That might not be what the iconic Reverend Wright might say since he’s so into damning everything. Sorry, don’t have much faith/trust in a person (Obama) who has a questionable relationship with a domestic terrorist (William Ayers) and whose Houston headquarters dons a Che Guevara-emblazoned flag. These are certainly issues Mr. Obama needs to be held accountable for before the election
Posted by: Laura | April 10, 2008, 3:06 pm 3:06 pm
I will be voting for McCain because I’m not stupid enough to even consider voting for Obama or Clinton, but I don’t agree with him on this issue. I don’t think politics should be an issue when it comes to the Olympics. It’s a sporting event and should be kept in the sporting world, not made into a political issue.
Posted by: Ravenhair49 | April 10, 2008, 3:20 pm 3:20 pm
McCain is a class act. And we know he loves the country. Obama & his wife and his pastor do not. That much is sure.
President McCain. Get use to it.
Posted by: Jo | April 10, 2008, 3:28 pm 3:28 pm
Jo and Laura, if you have not got enough of WBush-Cheney-McCain, then vote for Hillary the Bosnian General or McCain. Obama loves his country and Michelle loves her country too. First it was rezko, then his former pastor, then Michelle, then his ancestors, then his grandma, then William Ayers, tomorrow it will be his small dog he had in Hawai and the day after it will be his wife’ parrot, etc. Please let us focus on real issues and what each candidate is offering to make America a better place. So far Obama is the only one Candidate who can achieve that essential change, he is the only one who can stimulate America’s greatness, solve its multiple problems and get it back leading the world. God bless America and God bless Obama. OBAMA08.
Posted by: BKMC | April 10, 2008, 4:11 pm 4:11 pm
OMG, I think the people of Tibet are better off than the folks in Iraq??Get a grip folks, a lot of countries have problems that they have not handled well or created in the first place, who are we to talk about or for that matter care about Tibet??We have problems closer to home than Tibet.
Posted by: david | April 10, 2008, 4:19 pm 4:19 pm
Bruce – LOL, LOL, LOL
Posted by: Bon53 | April 10, 2008, 4:54 pm 4:54 pm
BKMC – just what makes you think Obama can make changes – he hasn’t gotten once piece of legislation through Congress – he has a zero track record. Just what makes you think he can do anything if he can’t do a darn thing as a Congressman. Talk is cheap. He talks alot but that’s about it.
Posted by: Ravenhair49 | April 10, 2008, 5:55 pm 5:55 pm
Perhaps Macann should take a look at the charred bodies of the five young women burned to death by his beloved Tibetan friends, the cut-off left eye and ear of a Tibetan doctor, not to mention scores of grusome bodies knifed or beaten to death by the same criminals whom Americans like Maccain are defending with their whole being. I saw the pictures on c-span..
I know America has gone mad, but not to this extent. we are aiding and abetting terrorists who went on killing rampages like they were saints and we are condemning the authorities for reining the killers in. Way to go, Maccain and America.
Posted by: sane | April 11, 2008, 1:52 am 1:52 am
I wonder if the torch wrestlers and beaters were Chinese and the beaten and bloodied peaceful runners were Americans, Europeans or even Japanese, wouldn’t the whole world ready to nuke the Chinese back to the stone age?
The deepseated racism against the Chinese who have done nothng but benefitting us and helping us to resolve the NK and Iranian crisis is so Blatant and it makeS me sick.
I AM ASHAMED FOR AMERICA FOR THIS.
Posted by: racism | April 11, 2008, 2:00 am 2:00 am
There has never been one word of sympathy for the tortured victims and the dead who died in the most horrible way at the hands of Dalai’s followers, and yet there are constant yapping about the supposed oppression these criminals have suffered. I know America is often on the side of the criminals, but I can’t immgine America can go this far in siding with the killers and condemning the victims of their barbaric crimes. What would we do next? Encourage the criminals bludgeoning peaceful runners and snatching Olympic torches to be more violent?
Posted by: moreviolent | April 11, 2008, 2:07 am 2:07 am
We were led by the nose of the con-man Challaby who was the darling of pre-Iraqi war American Congress, presumably, Maccain too.
Now we are in the grip of a first rate con-monk whose hypocrisy and falsehood are so obvious in his support for the criminal murderers, ear-cutters and eye-gaugers. Way to go, America, just play the stupid stogie and win all the useless monk’s heart.
Posted by: con-monk | April 11, 2008, 2:13 am 2:13 am
Too bad, I have no way to contact the Chinese. They should just shove the damned Olympics which is totally useless to them except wasting tons of money and natural resources which the Chinese so sorely needed to maintain a basic standard of living for its people.
CHINA SHOULD JUST TELL PEOPLE LIKE MACCAIN:”SHOVE IT AND TAKE YOUR OLYMPICS WITH YOU.”
WHAT IS WRONG WITH THE CHINESE? MASOCHISTIC?
Posted by: suggestiontoChina | April 11, 2008, 2:18 am 2:18 am
Old age is supposed to make one wise from the benefits of experiences.
Not so. The old wants to jump on the runaway bandwagon just like the hotheaded young.
Wasn’t the runaway bandwagon carried America and Maccain to the hell in Iraq? China tried to stop that bandwagon and became the target of hatred of the “smart” Americans.
China should keep away from these smart Amercans as far as possible.
Posted by: oldbutnotwise | April 11, 2008, 2:25 am 2:25 am
Now all the canidates want to boycott. I am dissapponited in them. I still have not changed my mind. The olympics should not be used as a political arena. Everyone should use a different means to get their message across.
Posted by: AnnD52 | April 11, 2008, 2:41 am 2:41 am
People deserve whom they elect for President!
God Save America if people elect McCain!
Posted by: milo | April 11, 2008, 2:26 pm 2:26 pm
We don’t need McBOMBER any where..He needs to be on his front porch with Bushie comparing war stories..Bush can tell him all about the beer cans he shot down when he was in the Air National Guard.
Posted by: Pat M | April 11, 2008, 2:31 pm 2:31 pm
I like McCain, but I won’t vote for a man that does not renounce, and openly sought endorsement of a man that calls the Catholic church the whore of the Earth….this time the Bible Belt has brought it a step too far.
Posted by: A. Weldon | April 11, 2008, 2:37 pm 2:37 pm
why can’t we’ll live in a world where we can live in peace and die in peace. We got politicians lying to us and going to wars that doesn’t make sense.They did that us in vietnam and they are doing it again.
Posted by: I wonder what the world is | April 11, 2008, 6:30 pm 6:30 pm
Milo – we need saved no matter who is elected. We’re going to become a socialist nation overrun with illegal aliens who are being given amnesty the second they step foot across the border.
Posted by: ellsbells930 | April 12, 2008, 6:29 am 6:29 am
Hasselbeck and Mccain both sound like they are in the dementia zone.
Posted by: Jocelyn | June 5, 2008, 5:37 pm 5:37 pm
Well for me,i will said that there are alot of things people should think well alking about someone,i really like to see lady be leader in state someone like cilton wife,men have been ruling for long pls let her rule she’s better than those men that talk all days long and keep something easy in between the heart.
Posted by: lewis aju | July 2, 2008, 9:23 pm 9:23 pm
Joy.. you showed your dislike for John McCain . O think you were rude and unprofessional.
Posted by: mary | September 13, 2008, 4:57 pm 4:57 pm
It’s obvious that the spoiled elitist members of the view, who have never sacrificed or contributed to America, like McCain has, are in the tank for Obama, while enjoying the benefits from others who have sacrificed and contributed. And while Sherri Shepherd practically offered to drop everything and stump for Mr. Obama … isn’t she the one who couldn’t answer Whoopi, as to whether the earth was round or flat? Kudos to McCain for going into the lion’s den with this useless group. No wonder they support an unqualified inexperienced candidate like Obama. It takes an empty suit to know one.
Posted by: Gina | September 14, 2008, 7:42 pm 7:42 pm
Oh..but it ok to support an unqualified inexperienced candidate like Palin? Talk about an empty suit. McCane loves his country, but so do the other men and women serving this country now. Well over 4,000 have made the ultimate sacrifice. Some are placing McCane right up there with the Almighty. Just because he married his mistriss doesn’t make him a “great man”.
Posted by: Missy | September 15, 2008, 2:18 am 2:18 am
Let’s not forget the past 8 years we have all endured from someone who was obviously inexperienced.
Posted by: Missy | September 15, 2008, 2:19 am 2:19 am
So funny that every time a republican doesn’t like what someone says, they are called an “elitist.” What exactly does that mean? Yea, McCain is a class act. Left his wife and married his mistress Cindy one month later. Classy.
BTW the women of The View are the only ones who have been willing to ask McCain the tough questions and confront McCain on his hypocrisy. Nice job ladies!
Posted by: christine | September 16, 2008, 12:12 am 12:12 am
The View SUCKS! They are just plain mean and ugly. I haven’t been watching the show over 4yrs, I’m glad that I haven’t. Otherwise, I would have been brainwashed like many of you who watches the show daily. I’m a minority american and am embarrassed by far left media. Shame on you. You can call yourself “media elite” or whatever you want, but you are just brainwashed hollywood clowns. I’m a fair person who look at both side, but not anymore. I just can’t stand this crazy and mean hollywood idiots!! THIS SHOW WILL BE CANCELLED WITHIN A YEAR BECAUSE OF LOW RATINGS!!
Posted by: Lee | September 18, 2008, 8:57 am 8:57 am
I used to watch also about 4 yrs ago & stopped. I thought these ladies were somewhat fair. But this episode they were Rude & Unprofessional. I was torn on the campaign but after this show – I think I know who I will vote for now.
Posted by: aindependent | September 18, 2008, 12:49 pm 12:49 pm