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Jun 19, 2008 11:23 pm US/Central
McCain Answers To Undecided Voters In St. Paul
ST. PAUL (WCCO) ―
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John McCain, the presumptive GOP nominee for president, visited Minneapolis for a fundraiser, then spoke and took questions for an hour and 15 minutes during a town hall meeting in St. Paul.
CBS
Senator John McCain, the presumptive GOP nominee for president, spoke and took questions for an hour and 15 minutes during a town hall meeting in St. Paul.
McCain answered questions from voters still trying to make up their minds during the campaign stop at the Landmark Center. In the past, President Bush had been under fire for planting questions in the audience and specifically screening people who come to these types of events.
McCain's audience was part supporters but mostly undecided voters who were allowed to ask questions with no strings attached. And those who didn't support him, let him know it.
"Over the phone I identified myself as a strong democrat and they invited me anyways," said Joe Booher, who sat in the front row with his 14-year-old son Julian.
Booher, who served in Iraq with the Army Reserve, had a question about the lack of veterans' benefits.
"I would like to see them be able to not have to go down to the VA and stand in line to stand in line, to get an appointment to get an appointment," responded McCain.
Asked if Booher would consider voting for him he said, "Probably not but I still admire him a great deal as a person."
Also in the audience, David and Gretta Sandquist wanted straight talk about spin.
"With all due respect I kind of want you to challenge you to tell us some of the things we don't want to hear," said David Sandquist.
"We are in a long struggle with radical Islamic extremism," responded McCain.
In response to McCain's response, David Sandquist said, "It seemed like some of his answers were maybe a little innocuous. Or some of them were maybe things we already knew. Detroit's in trouble. Well, yeah we knew that."
As for how David Sandquist would vote after attending the town hall meeting, he said he's still undecided.
The last question to McCain was one he said was one question too many.
"I think Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty would make an excellent vice president. What do you think, what are his chances?" asked one audience member.
"I knew we should have stopped. This meeting is adjourned," McCain joked.
McCain praised Pawlenty as a great Republican leader of the future but did not answer the vice president question.
McCain said Pawlenty proved that a Republican can win Minnesota, a state that has gone Democratic in the last eight presidential elections. He also mentioned the governor's support during a difficult period in his campaign when many observers had written him off.
(© 2010 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)
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