McCain Defends Palin

Some conservatives have been somewhat annoyed by McCain’s lackluster defense of Sarah Palin. In an interview with the Tucson Citizen, McCain goes much further than he has prior interviews:

Q; Sarah Palin went around telling people that Obama palled around with terrorists. Why weren’t you able to control what was coming out of her mouth?

A: First of all, he did. The second point is in political campaigns, sometimes there are very rough things said and done. And I resent enormously some of the things that were said about me.

And what I most resent was John Lewis, a man that I admired and respected and have written about, accusing me and Sarah Palin of being racist. And Sen. Obama refusing to repudiate that. John Lewis associated Gov. Palin and me with the bombing of a church in Birmingham. That’s not acceptable. And in the debate I asked and challenged Sen. Obama to repudiate those remarks by John Lewis and he wouldn’t.

So if you want to review all of the injuries and statements and comments that were made, I would be glad to do that. Overall, it was a very honorable campaign.

I am proud of Sarah Palin. I am proud of the way she ignited our party. I am proud of her family. I am proud of her reform agenda. I could not be more proud and happy with the selection of Sarah Palin.

But I resent enormously these allegations that Sarah Palin was, quote, unqualified and many of the other things that were said about her and that she was subjected to. It really was painful for me to observe that.

I really believe she will be a big factor in the future of our party.

I’m sorry about me being harsh about me controlling Sarah Palin, but it is a little bit of a sore subject with me when I don’t think she deserved some of the criticism she got from people who didn’t even know her or hadn’t had any contact with her.

And I think that she is a wonderful person and one that I appreciate and admire and have grown to respect more and more over time.