Going on right now: the first-ever "Twitterview" between Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) and a mainstream journalist. McCain is being interviewed by ABC's George Stephanopoulos. You can follow the debate by checking out the @SenJohnMcCain and @GStephanopoulos feeds on Twitter.
Update (12:53 EDT): Below is a transcript of the interview, courtesy of MRC intern Mike Sargent. Sargent also noticed that at least one conservative observing the interview shot a message to Stephanopoulos objecting that Sen. McCain was misrepresenting his votes on the AIG bailout.
MCCAIN: Twitter interview with George S at noon.
STEPHANOPOLOUS: @SenJohnMcCain Happy St Patrick's Day! First things first: How do u tweet -- dictate or type? Blackberry or pc?
Story Continues Below Ad ↓MCCAIN: @GStephanopoulos Happy St. Patrick's day - I'm a little slow, sometimes pc somtimes bb
STEPHANOPOLOUS: @SenJohnMcCain AIG: Would a President McCain break bonus contracts? Obama teams says that would cause more harm than good
MCCAIN: @GStephanopoulos i would have never bailed out AIG, the real scandal is billions to foreign banks.
STEPHANOPOLOUS: @SenJohnMcCain ok, but today: should bonus contracts be broken? Dodd wants a targeted tax on bonuses OK with that?
MCCAIN: @GStephanopoulos i haven't seen it but i would explore every option. i repeat, we wouldn't have this problem if we hadn't bailed them out
STEPHANOPOLOUS: @SenJohnMcCain RIght, but didn't you vote for first TARP, which went to AIG?
MCCAIN: @GStephanopoulos i voted for first tarp but that doesn't mean i voted to bail out AIG.
STEPHANOPOLOUS: @SenJohnMcCain Obama says GOP can't "just say no" on budget Will you offer a full alternative to Obama budget?
MCCAIN: @GStephanopoulos to follow up - first AIG bailout was pre-tarp.
STEPHANOPOLOUS: @SenJohnMcCain Take point on 1st AIG bailout How about budget? Will you offer alternative?
MCCAIN: @GStephanopoulos I'm working with others on alternatives - cong paul ryan has some great ideas.
STEPHANOPOULOS: @SenJohnMcCain What worries you more: Pakistan or Iran?
MCCAIN: @GStephanopoulos both. the challenges are different but both significant.
STEPHANOPOULOS: @SenJohMcCain Cheney said on CNN that Obama putting US at risk of new terror attack Agree?
MCCAIN: @GStephanopoulos too early to draw that conclusion.
STEPHANOPOULOS: @SenJohnMcCain Lots of twitterers want to know: what do you think of Meghans's feud with Coulter and Ingraham?
MCCAIN: @GStephanopoulos I'm proud of my daughter and she has a right to her opinions.
MCCAIN: @GStephanopoulos like any family we agree on some things and disagree on others.STEPHANOPOULOS: @SenJohnMcCain Thanks for your time Senator. You're a good sport I know I'm not getting anymore on Coulter and Ingraham Happy St Pat's again
MCCAIN: @GStephanopoulos Thanks a lot george, let's do it again soon. now i look forward to reading our followers comments and insults.
@michellemalkin was commenting on AIG bailout thing too, could get interesting there:
"@SenJohnMcCain @gstephanopoulos Hello?!?! McCain SUPPORTED the $85 billion AIG bailout: http://bit.ly/xtefe"
—Ken Shepherd is Managing Editor of NewsBusters
Editor at Large
Comments Policy
I love Malkin she's the type
March 17, 2009 - 12:11 ET by HeavyChevyI love Malkin she's the type who can bring a knife to a gun fight and win!
MCCAIN: i look forward to
March 17, 2009 - 12:18 ET by SickofLibsMCCAIN: i look forward to reading our followers comments and insults.
OK, I'll go first: you voted for it with no info, WTF did you think was going to happen???
Sen. McCain must feel much
March 17, 2009 - 12:20 ET by AgnosticSen. McCain must feel much better to be back in the warm embrace of the media. And of course following right in line with the DNC campaign George asserts that the Minority Party should advocate a budget. That should waste their time while the Majority Party pushes through more legislation.
A person may be won over with logic and reason but the masses must be bought with spectacle and platitudes. - 2008 Elections
waitaminnit
March 17, 2009 - 18:19 ET by UndercoverConservativeI thought McCain was a techhophobic, crusty, non-internet savvy, fossil fuddy-duddy who couldn't understand advanced social networking technologies like email, crackberries, etc?
"to call an illegal immigrant an "undocumented alien" is like calling a streetcorner drug dealer an "unlicensed pharmacist".
"You spend your money anyway you want and respect other's rights to do the same&quo