Candidates Talk Leadership, Race, on 60 Minutes

Mac goes bipartisan, Obama talks leadership, plays down race

By Jess Kilby, Newser User

Posted Sep 22, 2008 2:20 AM CDT

(Newser) – John McCain tried to strike a bipartisan tone during his 60 Minutes interview last night, and Barack Obama played down the race issue while highlighting his leadership experience. Both presidential candidates sat for prime-time interviews on the show, during which McCain floated the name of prominent Democrat Andrew Cuomo to take over the Securities and Exchange Commission.

McCain said Cuomo would "restore some credibility and lend some bipartisanship to this effort," and conceded that “the Bush administration has failed.” He also vowed to move the controversial office of political affairs out of the White House and into Republican Party control. Obama said he would lose some votes in November and gain others strictly because he is black, making the race issue “a wash.”

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John McCain and Barack Obama greet on Capitol Hill last year. The two presidential candidates appeared on "60 Minutes" last night. (AP Photo/Dennis Cook)

Barack Obama and John McCain. (Getty Images)

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One of the things I'm good at is getting people in a room with a bunch of different ideas, who sometimes violently disagree with each other, and finding common ground and a sense of common direction. - Barack Obama

I say the Bush administration has failed. I say the Congress has failed ... I remind you the Democrats have had the majority in Congress for the last two years. So everybody's failed. - John McCain, on the country's recent economic crisis

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Candidates Talk Leadership, Race, on 60 Minutes

Mac goes bipartisan, Obama talks leadership, plays down race

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Barack Obama • John McCain • SEC • Andrew Cuomo • 60 Minutes • Iraq mess • television interview

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Bin Laden's death confirms Afghan war can be refocused

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Administration actions would replace law Congress fails to pass

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Candidates Talk Leadership, Race, on 60 Minutes

Mac goes bipartisan, Obama talks leadership, plays down race

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[Images (2)]

[Quotes (2)]

OTHER STORIES ON OUR RADAR

Barack Obama • John McCain • SEC • Andrew Cuomo • 60 Minutes • Iraq mess • television interview

MOST POPULAR STORIES

[ By Views ]

[ By Comments ]

More Newser Stories

Forget Iraq, US Is in Need of Nation-Building

Healing country is top priority in November, Friedman writes

'Regulation' No Longer a Dirty Word in DC

Wall St. woes, toy and food scares have pols of all stripes on board

Most Popular National Politician Today Is ...

Hillary Clinton, as 'buyer's remorse' plagues a third of the country

Obama: Perpetual Afghan Footprint No Longer Needed

Bin Laden's death confirms Afghan war can be refocused

Obama Looks to Crack Down on Secret Donations

Administration actions would replace law Congress fails to pass

About Us

Site

Newser By Users

Community

Site Maps

Tools

More News

What is Newser?