McCain defends Palin VP choice after Cheney criticisms
WASHINGTON -- John McCain, whose decision to pick Sarah Palin as his running mate on the 2008 GOP presidential ticket was criticized by Dick Cheney, struck back Monday against the former vice president.
“Well, I’m always glad to get comments four years later,” McCain said on Fox News’ “Fox and Friends.”
Cheney, in his first interview since his March heart transplant, made his disagreement with McCain’s choice clear, calling the selection of Palin “a mistake.”
“I like Governor Palin. I’ve met her. I know her. She’s an attractive candidate. But based on her background, she’d only been governor for, what, two years. I don’t think she passed that test ... of being ready to take over,” the former vice president told ABC News on Sunday.
McCain started his response with caveats before defending his former running mate.
“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,” he said. “But the fact is, I am proud of Sarah Palin, I am proud of the job she did, I am proud of the job she continues to do. So, everybody has their own views, and I respect those views, but I am proud of what we did.”
Cheney’s daughter, Liz Cheney, took to Twitter to voice her support for Palin, saying that although her father was the “best VP ever,” Palin was more qualified “than Obama and Biden combined.”
Palin has so far remained silent about Cheney’s comments.
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