Meghan McCain: I have Conflicting Feelings About Sarah Palin
EmailIn an exclusive interview this morning Meghan McCain told me what she really thought about her father’s former running mate, Sarah Palin.
“I'm speaking out now because I do have conflicting feelings about her,” McCain told me. “I mean she brought so much momentum and enthusiasm to the campaign… you saw the crowds double and you saw a lot more women coming to the rallies.”
In her upcoming book “Dirty Sexy Politics” McCain wrote that Palin brought “drama, stress, complications, panic and loads of uncertainty.”
“It’s true,” McCain told me on “GMA.” “A lot of things happened but I think that is how campaigns are in general, no matter who comes. And you know I respect her as a feminist, a Republican feminist, and going out there and working for women, especially Republican women.”
McCain insists she was not fired from her father’s campaign but rather “was asked to leave and not come back or go on my own bus tour.” She chose the latter and called it a “blessing in disguise” because she had the opportunity to campaign on her own.
She wrote that she realized her doubts about Palin as she did interviews on the campaign trail – which made her not want to discuss the Vice Presidential nominee at all.
“It was a reflection on me because [Palin] was so celebrated in the Republican Party and again, it’s no secret that I am so unlike her,” McCain said on “GMA.” “And I thought ‘How am I ever going to fit in? How am I ever going to do this?’ And it is still something that I struggle with today because people see me as this rebel and this new Republican.”
Palin – who will headline a GOP dinner in Iowa in September – has indicated she is open to a 2012 presidential run. But McCain refused to say if she would vote for her father’s former running mate.
“It depends on the situation. You know I would have to hear more of what happens in the primaries,” she told me. “As you’re well aware anything can happen in the primaries and I would have to see.”
Watch my interview with Meghan McCain and then weigh in below and tell me what you think.
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George, your interview with Meghan McCain was shameful this morning. You misrepresented what was written in her book, and you tried your very best to focus solely on the Palin family. I was extremely proud of Meghan McCain’s responses to you. You owe the public and Meghan McCain an apology for one of the most unfair, biased interviews I have ever witnessed. I thought you held yourself to higher standards. How disappointing.
Posted by: Laurie Wilbur | August 31, 2010, 10:56 am 10:56 am
George,I wanted to say that I really enjoyed the interview with Meghan,I don’t think you owe anyone an apology for the simple reason,is that when people come to be interviewed with you know that your are going to ask the questions that we all want to know,Meghan wrote about Sarah Palin and knew she would be asked about her,I have watched you since the The White House days and I do miss you on This Week,and I have always known you to be fair and unbiased about anyone have interviewed,please keep up the good work.
Posted by: Janey E.Davenport-Carter | August 31, 2010, 11:23 am 11:23 am
sdfsf
Posted by: ers | August 31, 2010, 11:56 am 11:56 am
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Posted by: ers | August 31, 2010, 11:56 am 11:56 am
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Posted by: ers | August 31, 2010, 11:56 am 11:56 am
I think the problem with interviewing Republicans is, they are so untrustworthy for the most part. And for one like Meagan McCain who seems to be a “sitting-on-the-fence Republican,” she is an even more conflicting Republican to interview since you feel like she wants to say “I hate my Dad’s politics” yet, at the same time, “I love my Dad and for what he stands for.” You did a great interview of this very conflicting person, George.
Posted by: Joseph Kimberley | August 31, 2010, 11:58 am 11:58 am
Laurie Wilbur, you have to be kidding, right? Treating any Republican, especially one involved with Palin, with fairness and an unbiased approach is absolutely preposterous. Since when has ANY Republican, especially Palin, conducted a fair and unbiased approach? This woman corrupts and compromises everything she touches, she has no dignity and she has no respect for truth. She came into the campaign slinging mud and calling President Barack Obama a socialist. She doesn’t deserve an ounce of respect. Meghan could tell me that Palin snorted cocaine off John McCains forehead and I would believe it before I’d believe anything that Palin says.
Posted by: Steve Hanes | August 31, 2010, 12:09 pm 12:09 pm
I didn’t feel she said what she really wanted to say in the interview. She went “middle of the road” completely. You did a good job though.
Posted by: Cassie | August 31, 2010, 12:10 pm 12:10 pm
She is a 25 year old that was spoon fed her whole life. In addition, a far left celebrity seeking liberal. She brings no value or any kind of worthwhile life “experiences” on her own. What a joke that she is even “followed”. Her and her extreme “flip flopping, do anything to get re-elected” liberal dad just need to retire from public life. I highly respect his service and the torment he experienced as a POW, but do not appreciate his politics. He has overstayed his welcome. her on the other hand, probably couldn’t stand on her own 2 ft and adds zero value to the welfare of this country.
I remember as an undergrad both my geology and geography professors both stated that “for some reason, those that want to learn about climate change go to their english professors”. My point is, so we want to learn about politics, economics, gov’t we should go to art history expert Megan McCain? Maybe I would give her a bonus point for US History. I wouldn’t waste 2 seconds on her (except maybe after a 12 pack).
Posted by: jmalone | August 31, 2010, 12:11 pm 12:11 pm
I have conflicting feelings about Meghan McCain.
Posted by: Esther | August 31, 2010, 12:27 pm 12:27 pm
jmalone well said… She’s as DUMB as Palin, yet resents her… THAT says it all in my book. What a peice of human GARBAGE, just like her traitor dad.
Posted by: CBA | August 31, 2010, 1:06 pm 1:06 pm
“Conflicting feelings”? Read about Palin (something other than her carefully choreographed and manufactured image books). I even wonder how many women who believe in “choice” realize that Sarah Palin doesn’t under almost all circunstances? She is NOT what she attempts to “come off as”. Better do your research on her, you “believers”. Actually, how anyone can listen to he her with LOL’ing…I’ll never know.
Posted by: CND FOX | August 31, 2010, 1:06 pm 1:06 pm
why didn’t you ask Meghan how she can possibly be associated with the Republican party? How about how she felt that Sen. McCain couldn’t even acknowledge his children, including his adopted child of color, all the while the “Star” of the North trots out her kids like props. She knows full well, the rest of the party would never deal with her views nor their kid of color. It’s disgusting. She is why these party continues to exist in the first place.
Posted by: BLIND EYE | August 31, 2010, 1:20 pm 1:20 pm
I don’t know how anyone in ABC waits their time with a kid! It’s not like this girl has proven to be a brain!
Posted by: AGT-R | August 31, 2010, 5:34 pm 5:34 pm
WHO CARES WHAT SHE THINKS ?? SERIOUSLY SHE IS RIDING ON HER FATHERS COAT TAILS AND WOULD BE ABSOLUTELY NOTHING WITH OUT HIM AND SARAH PALIN…. SHES A LOSER JUST LIKE ALL HOLLYWOOD WANNA BE’S
Posted by: SPATIN | August 31, 2010, 5:59 pm 5:59 pm
“why didn’t you ask Meghan how she can possibly be associated with the Republican party? How about how she felt that Sen. McCain couldn’t even acknowledge his children, including his adopted child of color,”
You mean Barack Obama?
FTP, Meghan McCain. I’ll call her if I want directions to a good all-you-can-eat buffet though.
Posted by: Mike | August 31, 2010, 6:01 pm 6:01 pm
You ALL make me sick! There is no honesty ANYwhere in ANYthing any more. Especially POLITICS! One side says that republicans are idiots then the other side says democrats are idiots. WE are the idiots for letting the news media steer our country in the direction it wants it to go. The media is nothing more than the National Enquirer on the TV. All they want is for everybody to watch their network so they will be on top of the ratings. “Truth” has taken a back seat to “what’s hot”. You wanna get this nation back on track? Take all the trash out of the news and tell the people the dang TRUTH!
Posted by: David | August 31, 2010, 6:13 pm 6:13 pm
It’s the same thing most of America thinks but won’t say: Sarah Palin was just a bunch of fluff and air(perhaps her last job also). She is less informed about world affiars than an average 6th grader. If we Republicans want to take back the White House we need to look elsewhere for leadership.
Posted by: Dude | August 31, 2010, 6:22 pm 6:22 pm
I finf it funny that poeple in here are bashing this girl for being a republican,speaking her mind and as one person put it, being spoon fed. Is it her fault she was brought up with money? For someone her age, she seems to be well spoken and quite frankly ,alot smarter than most of the people making comments.
Posted by: Mollie | August 31, 2010, 6:51 pm 6:51 pm
Who cares what she has to say, George are you running out of people to interview?
Posted by: Downwithsocialism | August 31, 2010, 8:10 pm 8:10 pm
I watched the interview this morning and couldn’t help but wonder how Meaghan feels way out on the Left wing of the GOP. As it stands now, her social views are much more at home in the Democratic Party. Watching her, I was reminded of conversations I had with other young Republicans during the ’08 campaign, who want to believe what Daddy and Grandpa tell them, but genuinely struggle to reconcile it with their own life experience and worldview. I really wanted to ask her when will the camel’s back break enough for her to go Buckley III and defect.
Posted by: Erik | August 31, 2010, 8:38 pm 8:38 pm
She SHOULD have conflicting feelings. Palin lost McCain the election. I was all set to vote for MCCain and then Palin came along, opened her mouth, and lost me and many like me. If McCain was so … I’d hesitate to call him stupid, but if he was so out of touch with reality, then I sure wouldn’t vote for him. Palin is only for Palin, period. Not a party, not a country, but self serving. And she couldn’t even get basic geogrpahic sites correctly. What kind of example was that?
Posted by: Orionlil | August 31, 2010, 8:59 pm 8:59 pm
I think it is hilarious that so called journalist (maybe journo-list) like George have to try anything they can to make a negative comment about Sarah Palin. Hey George, no amount of shilling on your part is going to save Obama in 2012. President Palin is inevitable. She is more energetic, more in touch with Americans, more successful, more honorable, and more charismatic than the poser in the White House today. Sarah Palin will make a great president – Meghan McCain will make a great couch potato, living off her dad’s money.
Posted by: Alicia | August 31, 2010, 9:48 pm 9:48 pm
It appears to me the success of Democrat’s in Washington is an overwhelming failure!
Posted by: John Demeter | August 31, 2010, 10:11 pm 10:11 pm
I was pleasantly surprised to see Meghan field some pretty tough direct questions with a great deal of dignity and wisdom. I felt as if you showed a great deal of class in not pressing her current political status regarding presidential endorsement. She presents herself as charming, witty, honest, and true to herself. It’s an interesting starting point for a woman who is politically motivated. President Obama is in my opinion, one of the most rhetorically effective men I have ever listen too, and his political background is not that extensive. The content and delivery of his ideas have moved millions. I’d keep an eye on this young lady, especially if her message has good rhetorical strategy.
Posted by: Brian Blevins | August 31, 2010, 10:54 pm 10:54 pm
Steve Hanes you remember who the stooge in office mis a DEMORAP! Get real when has any politician republican or democrat been honest in there approach! Policcy weather you have dem or repub. in office American policy is all the same and will not change!
Posted by: Jeremy | September 1, 2010, 12:16 am 12:16 am
This womwn just continues to confuse me. What in the h— is she talking about?
Posted by: Magnum1 | September 1, 2010, 12:55 am 12:55 am
Democrats are running scared, and the only way they know how to fight back is to slander someone else!
Posted by: Zenith | September 1, 2010, 3:53 am 3:53 am
@alicia President Palin. NEVER! Not gonna happen!
Posted by: Gina | September 1, 2010, 6:28 am 6:28 am
This relevant in what way?
Posted by: Noz | September 1, 2010, 8:58 am 8:58 am
I was surprised at Ms McCain’s tone today in your segment. She has a sound about her voice that is persistently unpleasant and recalcitrant on virtually every topic she comments on. Though this makes for powerful TV, it really doesn’t address real and hard issues. I was disappointed that her voice is not more mature (“Whatever…” doesn’t come off well on national TV as an answer even on something as mundane as a couch) nor her ideas more developed and better articulated.
Posted by: Catherine | September 1, 2010, 9:33 am 9:33 am
George..this morning on GMA I lost my respect for you and this show. It has been lagging in my mind lately and yesterday and today the one portion that I liked was your interviewing someone important…you did not. Cindy Mc Cain is an airhead and is looking to get good results for her new book. Her opinions like those of Liz Cheney are not relevent. They both have no credability except they are the daughter’s of a politicial….that does not make them important, or politically savvy. To think you asked this person to come back…wow…your show must really be lagging in the ratings. What happened to you George? You always seems to be intelligent to me but these last few months..you seem to have turned into a celebrity interviewer not a political interviewer. You have lost your edge. If the republicans and Mr. Boehner want some thanks for this war..here goes… thanks President Bush for lying us into a needless war, thanks for deaths of too many good soldiers, thanks for the two wars and the debt they incurred because you did not pay for them and finally thanks for the recession. Is that enough thanks?
Posted by: talmag | September 1, 2010, 10:05 am 10:05 am
@Gina- President Palin; They said the same thing about Reagan.
Palin gets to run against Obama, the worst president (including Carter) that our nation has ever had. All Palin has to convince the American people of is that she is not Obama. Carter gave us Reagan and Obama’s incompetence will give us president Palin. Democrats might wise up and dump Obama in 2012 but I doubt it – Hillary might have a chance to beat Palin but Obama won’t beat anyone in 2012.
Posted by: Alicia | September 1, 2010, 5:28 pm 5:28 pm
You let Meghan slip a bogus beckapolooza attendee number slip by you at the morn mix. Shame on you! You’re so much better than that!
Posted by: Daulan | September 1, 2010, 10:23 pm 10:23 pm
This morning you let Meghan McCain state as fact that there were between 350 and 600,000 people at Beck’s weekend event. Virtually all credible analysis experts estimate the crowd at around 80 to 90,000.
This “slipping in” pointed misinformation as if it is truth is a primary tactic of the right and needs to be challenged when it is done. Because you did not challenge this obvious misrepresentation, a significant portion of your viewers assume that the rally was much larger that it was. Mainstream media… that would be you in this case… have a responsibility to call foul when interviewees site wrong data in their comments. You don’t have to be one sided but you need to keep debate centered on truthful representations. As Krugman said a few weeks ago… people have the right to their own opinions but not their own facts.
Posted by: Jay Gentry | September 1, 2010, 10:34 pm 10:34 pm
george, you showed what a true, dignified, professional you are when interviewing la petit mccain. every second of interviewing her you could have crushed her like the nat she continually proves she is whenever she attempts to “preform” i.e. discuss her political views. the last several days abc has pushed the 2008 republican presidental & vice presidential canidates’ favorite darling daughters on the network news. one slinging her ghost written attempt to pocket even more money & the other’s news of flopping herself all over a stage in an attempt to “dance with the stars”. disney’s right wing leanings again are coming through loud & clear everytime they treat us to more coverage of capitalist politicians & their families latest shenanigans.
i am sure being forced to interview diva mccain was a total recall of yet another powerful republican’s push (remember reagan’s daughters, jack ford, “W”, jeb,doro,& cheney’s daughter) of their children to get the attention of the younger generation just in time for the up coming elections. the problem is these don’t have the IQ nor the proper education to be attempting to influence anyone let alone those voters of their own age. ms. mcain glaringly proved that with her poor vocabulary skills as well as her sad attempt to control the interview by saying something like ” don’t keep asking me about sarah palin that’s not all i talk about in my book.” more proof of this behavior was the session with gayle, you & mcain when all she was able to do in her ascerbic tone was to discuss the redecoration of the oval office & how awful she felt it looked. excuse me but didn’t the president just give an important speech? obviously, any attempt to have an intelligent discussion regarding the speech was beyond her crib notes from daddy’s party on her visit to gma that morning.
i when i saw her for a second time on gma in one week i began to wonder if she has become a regular “political” commentator. i am truly hope this is not the case-that abc has caved to the republican power forcing their spoiled, expensively dressed,unintelligent, uneducated, amoral wealthy children spreading the capitalist agenda on american morning news programs.
i would hope that all of you at gma especially robin & you are getting quite tired of reporting on or with these young boring celebrities such as mcain, lohan and hilton. i am sure this would be such a waste of class a journalistic talent that all of you possess. wishing you george, all the best & thank you for exhibiting the best in morning news professionalism.
Posted by: sheila b | September 2, 2010, 9:32 am 9:32 am
John McCain brought Sarah Palin to the nation’s attention, and now she has more of the limelight than he does. In his Senatorial primary in Arizona, McCain was glad of the support she gave him.
Meghan McCain is much more in tune with the values of what used to be called liberal Republicanism, which is an endangered variety even in New England, its original home for generations. Sarah Palin is the antithesis of the moderate Republican.
Posted by: Candadai Tirumalai | September 2, 2010, 9:44 am 9:44 am
“Sarah Palin is the antithesis of the moderate Republican.”
Sarah Palin is a proud Reagan Republican. You know the kind, they are the ones who believe in personal liberty over the power of the state, they believe in lower taxes, they believe in peace through strength, they believe in the risk/reward model, they believe any government that is big enough to give you everything can just as easily take it away, they believe in the eduring goodness of the American people not that the people need to be controlled, they believe in a color blind society not one that separates each group with different preferences, and they believe in American exceptionalism.
Those liberal Republicans (and most democrats) don’t believe any of those things. If Sarah Palin has rejected the division and acrimony of the RINO’s and their democrat partners, then I say good for you Governor Palin.
Posted by: Jenny | September 2, 2010, 1:28 pm 1:28 pm
Any republican with dignity,and self respect will come across like Meghan McCain,and republican Senator Orrin Hatch from Utah.Unfortunately I can’t say about Senator John Boehner,and McConnell.these two are a lost cause to our freedom….good example is when Boehner starts claiming victory over troops withdrawl.
Posted by: Anthony | September 3, 2010, 3:00 pm 3:00 pm