McCain Gets Testy With 'Des Moines Register'

By: E&P Staff John McCain, on a visit to the newspaper's office, took questions from the Des Moines Register editorial board on Tuesday and the results -- available in a series of videos -- revealed his combative side.

He bristled when accusing of running false charges against his opponent in ads, defending them as "100% accurate" and going beyond that saying in his entire career he had been wholly accurate in all matters.

McCain also replied sharply when asked about the qualifications of his running mate, declaring that he "uncategorically" believed she was fully capable, citing her years as mayor and governor -- and even at the PTA. Going well beyond poll results, he stated that the American public "overwhelmingly" embraced her. A new Pew survey finds today that 51% of Americans now believe that Palin is unqualified, up from 37% after her announcement.

A full report and videos are at the paper's site, here.

Here is one excerpt. To comment, why not belly up at The E&P Pub?

*
CAMPAIGN TONE: McCain also defended the tone of his campaign, which has aired several advertisements attacking Barack Obama.

McCain stood by the details in his ads, including one in which he accuses Obama of supporting a bill as an Illinois state senator that included sex education for kindergarteners. The bill contained provisions for "age-appropriate sex education."
"I have always had 100 percent absolute truth," McCain said. "An assertion that I have done otherwise I take strong exception to."

McCain said he had hoped the campaign's tone could be different. He said it would have been different if Obama had agreed to appear with him in a series of town hall meetings around the country. The two candidates are scheduled to have their first such appearance next week.