Don't blame Palin for our election loss: McCain

Los Angeles: In his first interview since conceding the presidential election, John McCain said on Tuesday that running mate Sarah Palin did not damage his presidential bid and he dismissed anonymous criticism aimed at her following their crushing defeat.

"I'm so proud of her and I'm very grateful she agreed to run with me. She inspired people, she still does," McCain told Jay Leno during a Tonight Show interview taped for broadcast on Tuesday night. "I couldn't be happier with Sarah Palin."

In an interview that mingled flashes of humour with political analysis, McCain did little to deflect responsibility from himself. He alluded to the difficult political environment for Republicans nationwide and conceded: "I could tell you a lot of things that we may have made mistakes on." He never listed them. "So, that's the way it is," he added.

Asked by Leno to address griping about Palin from unidentified McCain operatives in the days following the election, the Arizona senator said: "These things happen in campaigns. I think I have at least a thousand, 'top advisers", he scoffed. 'A top adviser said? ... I've never even heard of ... a top adviser or a high-ranking Republican official."

However, McCain never directly addressed the embarrassing controversy over Palin's expensive campaign wardrobe purchased by the Republican National Committee, or statements by unidentified McCain aides who have reportedly said she was not prepared on foreign policy or other issues. The Alaska governor has said in interviews she did not ask for, or want, the $150,000-plus (Dh550,951.59) wardrobe for her and her family.

McCain also disputed that a different vice-presidential pick would have changed the outcome against Democrats Barack Obama and Joe Biden.

And when asked if Palin drifted off the campaign's message, he responded: "Did you expect mavericks to stay on message?"

At campaign rallies: "The people were very excited and inspired by her. That's what really mattered, I think," McCain said. "She's a great reformer." McCain's appearance at Leno's show coincided with Veterans Day.

Do you think Palin was just a pretty female face to rope in the gender vote for McCain? Or is America still not ready for a woman in one of its highest offices? What is your personal opinion of her?

Palin is just a pretty face. The right-wingers love her but she is not prepared to be vice president at all. Her being a female has got nothing to do with this. She should get a tutor on world affairs and be better prepared to lead the nation.
Mohammad Adham
Colombo,Sri Lanka
Posted: November 13, 2008, 11:28

I think Palin had no idea of the responsibilities and knowledge required of a person to run for vice president, and when asked in one of her interviews she had no idea of what the Bush doctrine was. Later she could not even name a few newspapers or political magazines she reads. She just said: "I read them all". What a joke! I am more than glad that Barack Obama has been wisely chosen to head a nation with so much history.
Richard Wolfe
Dubai,UAE
Posted: November 13, 2008, 10:55

She reminded me of the film "Funny Girl", which paired Barbara Streisand as Fanny Brice with Omar Sharif as her hero. Not suitable for politics. Compared to Hillary Clinton, Palin is nothing.
S. Jahan
Colombo,Sri Lanka
Posted: November 13, 2008, 06:09

McCain chose Palin to rope in the right-winger for his party. It was killing two birds with one stone: the first would be the gun lobby, and the second anti-abortion lobby. I do not think that the women of America were fooled into thinking that Palin represented them. On the contrary, many were outraged that a nitwit, semi-literate person like Palin was being paraded around as a break-through for their gender.
Awaz
Texas,USA
Posted: November 13, 2008, 02:08