GOP CANDIDATE DODGES SANFORD VP QUESTIONS, SAYS HE WILL RETURN TO SC BEFORE ELECTION, DEMINT & GUV NO-SHOWS

It will probably be a while before we see Republican presidential nominee John McCain in the Palmetto State again, but on Friday he was in Columbia for a fundraiser that reportedly raised nearly $1.5 million for his campaign.

Prior to the event, McCain held a press conference with local and national media.

Surrounded by South Carolina’s Republican leadership (from left to right: Rep. Joe Wilson, Sen. Lindsey Graham, SCGOP Chairman Katon Dawson, First Lady Jenny Sanford, Treasurer Converse Chellis and his son, House Speaker Bobby Harrell, Secretary of State Mark Hammond, Greenville Mayor Knox White, and Attorney General Henry McMaster) McCain acknowledged the key role this state had in earning him the party’s nomination and thanked those who made it happen before discussing a few aspects of his campaign.

McCain opened the floor to questions (where the above video picks up) and was quickly asked about Gov. Mark Sanford’s possible position on the short list to be the vice presidential nominee. He declined to entertain speculation, noting that, “Sanford is a very important person who we all admire and respect.”

WIS-TV’s David Stanton followed McCain’s response by asking whether or not he would choose a running mate who did not support him during the primary election.

“I think it’s important that the first priority is someone who shares your principles and your priorities,” McCain said.

Although listed on the invitation, both Sanford and Sen. Jim DeMint were noticeably absent. The governor sent his wife, Jenny, and DeMint sent nobody.

Could it be sour grapes from a man who missed his chance to be McCain’s running mate and a man who supported McCain’s bitter primary rival, former Mass. Gov. Mitt Romney?

Bruised egos or not, the man who could be the next President of the United States aid he had a “very special feeling for this state” and confirmed that he would be returning to South Carolina before the general election.

McCain also discussed the man who will likely oppose him in the November general election, Sen. Barack Obama, and noted the “dramatic difference” between their positions on taxes and foreign policy.

“I’m ready to take to the American people the challenges of the issues we face,” McCain said when asked if he was ready to take on Obama. “Whether it be raising taxes as Senator Obama wants to do… or issues such as national security.

“Senator Obama continues to say that he would sit down and negotiate with the president of Iran who yesterday called the state of Israel a ’stinking corpse.’”

Here are some shots from the presser and fundraiser:

This entry was posted on Sunday, May 11th, 2008 at 7:19 pm and is filed under National news, Republicans. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.