John McCain responds to Cheney with torture jab
Former presidential candidate Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) brought out the rhetorical firepower Monday morning when asked about Dick Cheney's criticism of Sarah Palin, questioning the former vice president’s judgment on torture.
Presumptive Republican presidential nominee Sen. John McCain, left, smiles as his Vice Presidential running mate, Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, pumps her fist as she is introduced to supporters at a campaign rally in Dayton, Ohio, Friday, Aug. 29, 2008. McCain introduced Palin as his running mate at the event. (AP Photo/Stephan Savoia)
Cheney said Sunday that it was a “mistake” to put Palin on the Republican ticket in 2008 when she’d governed Alaska for less than two years.
“I’m always glad to get comments four years later,” McCain told Fox News, laughing. “Look, I respect the vice president. He and I had strong disagreements as to whether we should torture people or not. I don’t think we should have.”
“But,” McCain added, “the fact is that I’m proud of Sarah Palin, I’m proud of the job she did, I’m proud of the job she continues to do, and so everybody has their own views and I respect those views, but I’m proud of what we did.”
McCain has long been the most vocal Republican opponent of Cheney on inhumane treatment of detainees, pushing a ban on torture during the Bush administration and criticizing the former vice president for defending the policy after leaving office.
Via GOP12:
Liz Cheney also split from her father on Twitter. “Rarely do I disagree with best VP ever,” she wrote, but Palin is “more qualified than Obama and Biden combined,” and added that she had “huge respect” for the former Alaska governor.
Some of McCain’s own former aides have been very critical of Palin, as has former Bush administration strategist Karl Rove. But it’s still unusual for a Republican as high-profile as Cheney to air such thoughts.
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