[Meet the Press]McCain pledges to appoint Democrats to Cabinet

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McCain pledges to appoint Democrats to Cabinet

15 hours ago

WASHINGTON (AP) — Republican John McCain pledged if elected president to appoint Democrats to his Cabinet, saying there's nothing partisan about tackling the nation's toughest problems.

"I don't know how many, but I can tell you, with all due respect to previous administrations, it is not going to be a single ... 'Well we have a Democrat now.' It's going to be the best people in America," the GOP presidential nominee told CBS' "Face the Nation," in an interview taped Saturday that will be broadcast in full Sunday.

"So many of these problems we face — for example, energy independence, what's partisan about that?" he said. "And I'll tell you, some of them, I'll ask to work for a dollar a year."

McCain's comments come after he was believed to have closely considered Connecticut Sen. Joe Lieberman, a former Democrat turned independent, as a possible running mate before ultimately choosing Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, a Republican.

In previous administrations, presidents have sometimes appointed a member of the opposite party to their Cabinet. Those Cabinet members have included William Cohen, a former Republican senator who served as defense secretary under President Clinton, and Norm Mineta, a former Democratic House representative who was a transportation secretary under President Bush.

http://www.swamppolitics.com/news/politics/blog/2008/09/mccain_palin_obama.html

In their 65 meetings, McCain said, "you and I have probably never had a conversation when our economy was in greater difficulty than it is today... These are tough times now. America's best days are ahead of us. But we've got very tough sledding to go through.'' And that means averting new taxes, McCain said.... "Americans are hurting.''

Told of his own Sunday morning TV record with today's show, McCain said: "Oh, my God.'' Told that the previous record-holder on Face the Nation was former Sen. Bob Dole, the Republican nominee for president in 1996, he said: "It's an honor to follow in the footsteps of a great American.''

Schieffer asked McCain about not only going after the other party at his nominating convention, but also going after his own party at his convention - allowing that it is his party that is part of the problem and insisting that he can be an agent of change.

"I took on the big spenders,'' McCain said. "I did campaign finance reform. I reached across the aisle to Democrats... Obviously I was unpopular among some parts of my own party,'' he said McCain, mentioning a lot of issues - with the exception of immigration reform, which really caused a rift in his party.

"We came to power to change Washington and Washington changed us,'' the senior senator from Arizona said of his party. "I have to make a strong case that we're going to bring about that change, and it's the right kind of change... I think I've got the running mate that has the right kind of record as well.''

On reaching out to Democrats, McCain said his administration would include some: "You have to, you have to,'' he said. "Look at all the loss of trust and confidence'' the public has in government. "The way you restore it, obviously, is to have a very bipartisan approach... They are in gridlock.. They are going to go into session tomorrow, and they are going to be in gridlock for a month, and then they are going to go out.''

On Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, his vice presidential nominee, and news commentary that the first-term governor is not prepared to step in for the president should something become of him:

"Let me say, first, that, in all due respect to any commentator, this is the most popular governor in America,'' McCain said. "She has a clear record of doing what Americans want most... reform.

"She did the things that Americans want most, so in all due respect to any of the critics, what we want is the change in Washington,'' McCain said. "Who better on the political landscape could do that than Gov. Palin, whose whole life has been engaged in that.''

Asked about forfeiting the case about Barack Obama's experience with Palin's nomination, he said: "She has not only excited our base. She has excited Americans all over this country. We have been campaigning together. The electricity...

"They're excited about this reformer, this lifetime member of the NRA... She was a point guard,'' McCain said of the high school basketball player, captain of her hometown Wasilla Warriors. "I'm sure Gov. Palin has made mistakes.. But the fact is, she is kind of what the American people are looking for.''

So when will she start having news conferences?

"Within the next few days,'' McCain said of his running mate. "I am strongly recommending that she come on Face the Nation with Bob Schieffer. That will be the first of her 65 appearances.''

McCain was asked about the ridicule for Democrat Barack Obama's community organizing which Palin and former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani voiced at the Republican convention, and how that sat with McCain's own campaign call to serve a cause greater than ourselves:

"I meant every word of my speech,'' he said. "The people who serve causes greater than themselves are the happiest in the world... I admire and respect all public service. I think what happened was it was a reaction to the Obama campaign saying and denigrating the fact that she was the mayor of a small town... I think it was a reaction to the denigration of her role as mayor...

"But I know she shares my respect for all people who have served their community and their nation, and you know, she's got a son who is doing that,'' said McCain, pressed on whether he thinks Obama's community organizing is a negative. "I do not think it is a negative... I think it is honorable...

But, McCain said, quickly pivoting, "He has never taken on his party on a single issue. I have taken mine on a lot... I don't think he has the judgment .... on calling Iran a tiny problem or in saying the surge would not work... I just don't think he has the judgment and I'll let the American people decide on that issue.... He does not have the judgment necessary... I think Sarah Palin does.''

Schieffer asked an interesting question, in light of how few black delegates appeared at the Republican convention, whether the GOP can survive as "the party of white people.''

"We can't, we can't,'' McCain replied. "We've got to reach out. We've got to do a better job... I've traveled all over this country. I have traveled to places where there are literally no Republican votes. I've got to convince them that I'll be the president of all the country.''

"I was obviously disappointed'' in the numbers of black delegates, he said. "We've got to prove to the nation that we're the party of Abraham Lincoln... as well as Teddy Roosevelt and Ronald Reagan... Abraham Lincoln,'' he said, and the solution requires improved schools. "In low-income areas of America, the schools are failing... A quality education is really the dream of every parent,'' he said, touting vouchers for school choice.

The other solution: "Get this economy back on its feet... Don't raise taxes, get it going again... Americans are hurting.''

In our 65 meetings, "you and I have probably never had a conversation when our economy was in greater difficulty than it is today... These are tough times now. America's best days are ahead of us. But we've got very tough sledding to go through.''

 

Except McCain has a longer history of taking on his own party and working with Democrats.

 

Tax, Baby, Tax?