John McCain (AP)

Related Links Campaign 2000: Coverage of McCain's Bid Congressional Guide profile McCain's Campaign Site

Wednesday, May 26, 1999

Arizona Sen. John McCain in December was the first Republican to explore a presidential candidacy, but last month delayed making his bid official, citing the ongoing hostilities in Kosovo. A former prisoner of war in Vietnam, McCain has been a leading critic of the Clinton administration's foreign policy. A proponent of campaign finance and tobacco legislation during the last session, he has recently focused on Olympic corruption, gun legislation and Internet regulation. McCain also sponsored a bill designed to shield companies from liability lawsuits in the event of Year 2000 computer breakdowns.

McCain was live on line Wednesday. Read the transcript below.

washingtonpost.com: Good afternoon, Sen. McCain, and welcome. A question about campaign finance, particularly given your recent Profile in Courage Award for your work with Sen. Feingold. Given the upcoming plea agreement from Democratic fund-raiser John Huang and other pleas from fund-raisers, do you think campaign finance will once again rise to the surface as an issue in the 2000 presidential race?

John McCain: I believe that it will but I also believe that it will again be debated in Congress this year. And Sen. Feingold and I intend to at least make sure that the issue is addressed there as well. Perhaps there was absolutely no connection to the transfer of technology to China and the spying,
but the massive amounts of campaign contributions from the Chinese creates suspicion, and should never have happened.

Greenwich, CT: Sen. McCain,

How do you understand the 2nd Amendment, and how would your understanding affect your response to gun control measures, if any, that crossed your desk during your presidency?

John McCain: I understand the Second Amendment as reading that Americans have the right to bear arms. I also understand the amendment that says Americans have free speech. But they do not have the right to yell "Fire!" in a crowded theater. We also constitutionally should do what we can to reduce the availability of firearms to criminals and children. I believe that technology, such as that being developed that will only allow the owner of a gun to fire it, will be extremely helpful in accomplishing these goals. I respect the Second Amendment of the Constitution. I also respect the commitment to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.

Burke, VA: For a lot of reasons, I believe you are the right person to be the Republican candidate for president. Unfortunately, the media has latched onto George W. Bush as the wunderkind and given him a huge lead in the polls. What is your campaign doing to overcome this?

John McCain: I'm very pleased at the progress the campaign has made. We did not expect to be in the top tier until this fall. The people of New Hampshire, South Carolina and the early primary states deserve and will receive a good look at the candidates. They will have ample opportunity to view all of our visions for the future, for the party and the nation. I am confident we will prevail.

Columbus OH: Given the latest revelations concerning the U.S. military secrets China has obtained, how much of a threat to the U.S. and our Asian allies does China pose today and what will you, as president do about it?

John McCain: I believe that the Chinese have acquired a capability comparable to that which the Soviet Union acquired through spying in the late '40s, and their weapons development can pose a threat to our nation's security. Obviously, I would tighten up on our security measures, not only at the laboratories, but throughout our system so there is no repetition of these occurrences. The scandal is not that the Chinese spy on us. The scandal is that we did not take proper measures once the information concerning their activities was known in the government at the highest levels.

Seattle, WA: One major issue that really kills the Republicans is the environment. What is your philosophy regarding environmental issues?

John McCain: I am proud of my environmental record, especially in my beautiful state of Arizona. I continue to be disappointed at the lack of communication and cooperation between my office and some in the environmental community. There is no way that any Republican could ever receive a passing mark from the League of Conservation Voters. The Sierra Club continues to take extreme positions, and unfortunately some on my side of the aisle continue to do the same.

I want to give one example. I work very hard along with Native Americans and other local environmentally concerned Arizonans in an attempt to preserve a magnificent treasure called Spur Cross Ranch. The local leader of the Sierra Club claimed that I was doing that because of a connection with some organization in Ohio that had contributed $2,000 to my political campaign, in which I had raised several million dollars. These kinds of attacks lead to alienation rather than cooperation. I believe that if we're ever going to succeed in making positive changes, this effort has to be made on a bipartisan basis.

Washington, DC: What are your plans to reform the failing Social Security system?

John McCain: We must take the Social Security trust fund off budget, keep it out of the hands of the appropriators, allow citizens to invest portions of their retirement savings in whatever investments they wish, and I believe we can restore the Social Security system to solvency. The present lockbox proposal will protect Social Security funds as they have not been protected before.

Cedar Rapids, IA: Americans do not understand that Medicaid not Medicare covers long term care costs. The baby boomers will bankrupt this system like Social Security and Medicaid yet their is very little ongoing policy discussion about this. What is you plan to change long term care financing?

John McCain: First of all, as you know, Medicaid programs are generally administered by the state. In Arizona, our Medicaid program is called ACCHHS, which is a managed care program. And our costs have been significantly lower than those more traditional Medicaid programs that are primarily fee for service. We have made progress in reducing healthcare costs through managed care, and I believe that these models should be looked at by other states. Long-term care remains the biggest problem associated with healthcare costs. We should provide tax incentives for employers as well as employees, medical savings accounts that could be used for long-term care and the encouragement of the use of other programs to address this problem. Finally, the Breaux Commission's recommendations were a good framework to begin the process of saving Medicare. I deeply regret that the administration rejected Sen. Breaux (D-La.) and Sen. Kerrey's (D-Neb.) recommendations, which is a huge setback to our efforts to save Medicare.

Washington, DC: Senator: If I recall correctly, you have been an outspoken advocate of ground troop in Yugoslavia since the NATO campaign began several weeks ago. Today, there is news of a committed force of approximately 50,000 allied troops, including 7,000 U.S., preparing to serve in a peacekeeping capacity. Sir, this move appears patently political. Limiting the U.S. role will likely lessen the volume of the international outrage, however, I question whether this is a wise move. Do you feel that are NATO allies are capable of carrying the burden of preserving peace in the region without a substantial U.S. presence?

John McCain: No. The front page of The Washington Post this morning states "Inching Into Kosovo." I believe the administration, while not completely reversing the policy, are obviously trying to intimidate Mr. Milosevic with a threat of a buildup of ground forces in the region. I have not called for ground troops to be used. I have urgently requested that planning and preparations for the use of ground troops, if necessary, be implemented. Tragically, this administration and this president have ruled out the option, in violation of every fundamental rule of warfare. Finally, I do not believe that our European allies can keep peace in the region without a substantial United States military presence. I believe that the president is desperately seeking a dirty compromise, which he will be able to spin as victory and hope the Dow Jones average continues up.

Pittsburgh, PA: Sen. McCain, as someone who is well aware of the campaign finance resolutions, I'd like to ask a simple question: Should individuals who post a web site criticizing a presidential candidate have to file papers with the FEC?

John McCain: I don't believe so, unless they are part of an organized campaign. But that's an excellent question, and I will look more closely into it.

Washington DC: Dear Senator McCain,

I consider myself politically liberal, yet I am intrigued by your candidacy because you do not seem to fall into the established positions that are rehashed so often by most politicians. To me you seem to be the only candidate who holds strong personal convictions, and this quality, which I admire very much, may lead me to vote for you if given the opportunity. Have you thought about how to possibly reach and convince others like myself, who may not agree with some of your positions but are tired of all the posturing on both sides?

John McCain: I intend to run my campaign on adherence to principle, independence and reform. For example, I intend to tell my friends in Iowa that I do not and cannot support ethanol subsidies, which help neither the consumer nor the environment. I will continue to advocate campaign finance reform, and I can promise voters that they may not always agree with me, but I will always stand on principles which I will articulate during the campaign.

Germantown, MD: What is your response to the growing number of cities and states that are suing gun manufacturers? There are a growing number of people looking for you to restore our country's credibility, honor, and liberty. How does this fit into your common-sense approach to government intervention?

John McCain: Fundamentally, I do not believe that class-action suits against gun manufacturers are a good thing, unless there is some kind of aggregious criminal activity on the part of the manufacturers. I do not believe it is reasonable to sue manufacturers who are operating under existing law for changes in situations.

Silverdale, WA: I have read in various articles about your strong pro-life stance. Would you be willing to consider selecting a running mate who differs from you on that issue? Do you envision a time in the near future when a Republican presidential candidate can be considered a serious contender, both within the ranks of the Republican primary voters and the nation as a whole, who holds a pro-choice stance on the abortion issue?

John McCain: I think the answer to the second question is yes. On the first question, I would conduct my selection of a running mate on the basis of his or her overall qualifications, not on the basis of any single issue. So yes, I would consider a running mate who held views that were "pro-choice."

Menlo Park, Calif.: You've been very critical of Clinton for not going all out to win in Yugoslavia. I tend to agree, in principle, but in practice wouldn't that have badly strained our relations with Russia and others?

John McCain: I believe our relations are much more badly strained by a prolonged campaign that will most likely end badly and harm the credibility of our alliance and the United States of America. We have the capability to defeat Mr. Milosevic decisively and rapidly. There is something inherently immoral about flying around at 15,000 feet and dropping bombs that occasionally kill innocent people. The Russians, I believe, would understand action that would correct these terrible activities that are being perpetrated by Mr. Milosevic. A prolonged conflict increases tensions and works to the detriment not only of U.S.-Russia relations, but our relations with virtually every other nation in the world.

West Islip, NY: Sen. McCain,

You said recently that you realized how much you loved America when you were in prison. I teach seventh-grade American history and I love this country with all my heart. Many of my students learn about slavery and other problems America has had in the past. They have trouble good about our country and its history. What would you tell my seventh graders about this country and why it is worthy of our love and respect.

Respectfully,
Craig Brown

P.S. Thank you for all that you have done in the service of our Republic

John McCain: First of all, thank you for the questions. For all of our failings and all of our scandals, we remain a beacon of hope and liberty for people throughout the world. And that's because we are a nation founded on Judeo-Christian principles, that obliges us to care about, and sometimes act in defense of, other people's freedom. No other nation in the world believes they have this obligation. Remember, Ronald Reagan wasn't fighting against Communism; he was fighting for freedom. And we prevailed in the Cold War not only because of our military strength, but because of our ideals based on the proposition of Mr. Jefferson that all men and women are created equal. So as I lament from time to time the problems of America, I'm still proud of our forebears, and optimistic about our future.

washingtonpost.com: That was our last question for Sen. McCain. Thank you, senator, and thanks to everyone for joining us.

John McCain: Thank you. This is a great way to communicate, and I will come back as often as possible.