Hotline After Dark -- Courage Under Fire

A majority of last night's TV focused on the economic crisis. Candidates also continued to make the rounds.

ABC's Gibson sat down with John McCain in Milwaukee, where the two talked about Barack Obama's association with Bill Ayers.

Gibson: "You don't think [Obama]'s been thoroughly vetted, having gone through all the primaries and all the campaigning, running for president as long as you have? Two years?"

McCain: "No, actually I don't. In fact, Senator [Hillary] Clinton in their debates said that the American people didn't know enough about him, including his relationship with Mr. Ayers. That's what she said. And I agree with that. ... I don't care about two washed-up old terrorists that are unrepentant about trying to destroy America. But I do care, and Americans should care, about his relationship with him and whether he's being truthful and candid about it."

Gibson: "You didn't raise ... this argument, or line of argument, at the debate the other night. And I asked Senator Obama about that yesterday. He said yeah, I'm surprised that John didn't say that to my face."

McCain: "Again, two things I've never been accused of lacking. And one is passion, and the other is courage. I mean, I can accept a lot of the other criticisms. It didn't come up in the flow of the conversation. But it did come up, and I pointed out that he asked for $3 million for an overhead projector at a planetarium in his hometown of Chicago. And coincidentally the guy who was the chairman of that organization pledged to raise $200,000 for his campaign. His record is replete of requests for pork barrel, unnecessary, wasteful spending. And I'll let the American people make a judgment there."

More after the jump.

(KATHERINE LEHR)

Gibson: "Do you think the relationship with Ayers is a critical issue in this campaign or factor in this campaign?"

McCain: "I think it's a factor about Senator Obama's candor and truthfulness with the American people. That's what I think it's about."

Gibson: "And you're comfortable that this should be a focus in the last days of the campaign?"

McCain: "I think it's something that needs to be examined. Senator Clinton said it should be examined during their primary and never was."

More from the interview:

Gibson: "Senator, we're in a global market meltdown, and the very firmament of our economy and what it's based on has had seismic shocks in recent days. And yet night before last, you guys were having a debate about spending and taxes and earmarks that you could have had three months ago. And that's frustrating to people."

McCain: "Well, I think that in my opening comments I made a very strong case that we are in a crisis of unprecedented proportions. And that's why I recommended strongly that we go out and have the Treasury buy up these bad mortgages, so, and arrange it as they did during the Depression. That's exactly -- in fact, Senator Clinton has recommended this. ... In answer to your question, you sort of go to, in all due respect, to where the questioner leads you. One thing that frustrates audiences a lot of times and viewers is you get asked a question and you give, you know, your own set, planned answer. So I thought I emphasized as much as I possibly could in every answer that I appreciate the depth of the crisis that we're in."

Gibson: "Let me talk about that plan. $300 billion. New money or part of the $700 billion?"

McCain: "Part of the $700 billion, new money, if necessary."

Gibson: "We've talked to a lot of folks this week as we've taken this bus around the battleground states. ... Somebody ... said to us I don't see a passion and I don't see the anger in either one of these guys. We've lost trillions of dollars from our pension plans, from our 401(k)s, from our stock accounts. And fear seems to pervade this country at the moment. Leaders need to counter that."

McCain: "Well, I've never been accused of a lack of passion. But the point is they also want firm, solid, measured, mature leadership. Franklin Delano Roosevelt didn't go on the radio and start yelling. He assured the American people. Right now the American people need seasoned and experienced leadership. That's what I offer."

Gibson: "Does this almost monolithic focus on the economy in the news and in people's minds in recent weeks ... hurt your campaign?"

McCain: "I don't know. I think by offering wise solutions and providing mature leadership that it'll redound in my behalf. Look, in my favor. But this is a tough campaign. I'm the underdog. I was the underdog in the primaries."

Gibson: "But you were sort of humming along there in the polls for a while, and then this issue sort of pervaded everything. And ... it seems to have coincided with the drop."

McCain: "I'm not going to complain about the hand I'm dealt, my friend. We're coming up with solutions. We're trying to give the vision and leadership for the American people. And I'll accept their judgment" ("World News," 10/9).

And the second part of FNC's Hannity's interview with McCain and Sarah Palin aired last night.

McCain, on Obama saying he would cut tens of billions of dollars in defense spending, cut investments in missile defense and slow the development of future combat systems: "I think that Senator Obama has had no experience with either national security, nor the specifics of how we can best defend this nation and secure a better future for our children and grandchildren. And that, of course, means how we equip and how we train, and how we have an overall strategy. I don't think Senator Obama knows much about our defense system simply because he's never had any background on it."

Hannity: "Both of you used the term 'wave the white flag of surrender,' we would have lost if [Obama] had his way."

Palin: "Um-huh. Barack Obama has not understood that -- and I said this in my debate. You know, you don't have to believe me, the hockey mom from Alaska, proclaiming that the war on terror, a central front there, has been Iraq. But, please, believe General Petraeus, an American hero. Please, unfortunately, you have got to believe even bin Laden, the terrorist who have claimed, too, that the war on terror, a central front there has been Iraq. So to retreat from there and allow them to get back in there and build more strongholds is, I would say, beyond naive. And that is what Barack Obama has chosen his position."

Hannity: "You use the word dangerous. ... So if he's elected president, he would be a dangerous president because of his judgment?"

Palin: "I believe that if we were to withdraw."

Hannity also flew on the Straight Talk Express plane with McCain and his wife.

McCain, asked how he felt about the 10/7 debate: "Good, good. Raised a lot of good issues and asked some questions that Senator Obama had no answer to."

Cindy McCain: "I am so proud of my husband for what he has done but more importantly because he has always told the truth. He has never one time misled the American people and he stands for what is best in America" ("Hannity & Colmes," 10/9).