by Mark Silva
When was the last time the candidates for president cried, CBS News anchor Katie Couric asked Barack Obama and John McCain, as part of an ongoing series of "presidential questions'' aired on the CBS Evening News this evening.
"This one is actually easy,'' said Obama, a father of two young girls.
"It was Malia, my 10-year-old daughter's birthday party. We were in Montana. She is a Fourth of July baby.''
(Historical note: this means Obama hasn't cried since the Fourth of July.)
"Oftentimes during this campaign, we have been traveling during her birthdays... We were in a small holiday Inn.... We were in this little nondescript conference room with Malia and Sasha and (wife) Michelle'' and others. "There was a cake, and there was some food which wasn't stellar... the staff had put together an iPod of all her favorite music... We spent the evening just dancing...
"They were laughing, because obviously their daddy's dancing is ridiculous,'' he said. "Malia came up and said, "This is the best birthday I've ever had'... I looked at her and just realized that she was growing up.... It chokes me up right now.''
McCain, a Navy veteran and ontime and longtime POW in Vietnam and advocate of the war in Iraq, said:
"I cry regularly.
"I'm very sentimental when I see these young people who are serving... I met a woman at a town hall meeting the other day who had lost her son in Iraq. I was so touched because she talked about how proud she was of her son and her service...
"Whenever you have that experience, you think how could I ever cope with that tragedy,'' he said. "When I say cry, I mean, my eyes well up, like they are right now... thinking about these families.''
(Historical record, McCain cried, or his eyes welled up, "the other day."
The real question is: Who will be crying on Nov. 5?
Comments
I cried last when I heard this unbelievably stupid question. With the country in financial crisis, two wars raging, numerous other issues, the best Katie could do was "When did you cry last?". That must be the dumbest question ever asked of a Presidential candidate.
Posted by: Sam Primavera | October 22, 2008 8:02 PM
I believe both of them.
Any POW can just call up a single memory and cry spontaneously.
As for Barack, when your surrogate mother is in extremis, it takes a toll. He's holding up very well.
Posted by: ornery | October 22, 2008 8:34 PM
He's crying cuz Karl Rove, who BELONGS IN JAIL, and who was schooled by DONALD SEGRETTI, he of the rat-f***ers fame--the U.C. mafia republicans club (re-read All the President's Men) has run the straight talk express into a nasty little cul de sac of LIES about ACORN. Rather than systemic voter fraud, there is MASSIVE election fraud, systemic disenfranchisement of the sort that's making Abe Lincoln cry.
http://www.thenation.com/doc/20081103/acorn_video
Posted by: Tell Uncle Grumpy and his nasty little niece NO THANKS | October 22, 2008 10:02 PM
Maybe another question could be "When was the last time you were angry?"
If McCain "cries regularly" and Obama on distinct occasions, could here be a corollary?
Posted by: Patricia Cronin | October 22, 2008 10:48 PM
Katie should ask the VP candidates the same quesion. The answers could be entertaining.
On the other hand, Katie should ask herself the same question. When did she last cry and did ratings have anything to do with it?
Posted by: KateLynn | October 23, 2008 8:48 AM
I have to agree with Sam. This is the best question given what is going on now. I cry because of the stupidity!
Posted by: Andy | October 23, 2008 9:05 AM
this belongs right up there with "what's your favorite color, boxers or briefs, red wine or white?"
Posted by: Linda L | October 23, 2008 9:42 AM
Yesterday it was Who Would Terrorists Vote For? today it's this. Mr Zell, please fire all these guys and give this city a paper it deserves.
Posted by: For Real | October 23, 2008 10:30 AM
But what kind of tree would they be? The American people deserve to know!
Posted by: methuselah | October 23, 2008 10:32 AM
But what kind of tree would they be? The American people deserve to know!
Posted by: methuselah | October 23, 2008 10:32 AM
You are right. And I will be undecided until I hear an answer to this very question.
Posted by: SLH | October 23, 2008 10:54 AM
Doesn't anyone remember Edmund Muskie who cried in New Hampshire and doomed his chances to be President.
"Muskie made an emotional defense of his wife in a speech outside the newspaper's offices during a snowstorm. Though Muskie later stated that what had appeared to the press as tears were actually melted snowflakes, the press reported that Muskie broke down and cried, shattering the candidate's image as calm and reasoned." http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edmund_Muskie
Couric's question confirms that men can cry and still become President. The fact that men aspiring to high office in the U.S. can express their emotions, says something good about our country.
Posted by: Ron Schwartz | October 23, 2008 2:00 PM
puke. mccain couldn't have come up with a more contrived and cheesy answer.
Posted by: kla | October 23, 2008 2:13 PM