John McCain
Livestrong Summit
Columbus, OH - 07/24/08

TRANSCRIPT:
PAULA ZAHN: [...] Are you essentially saying that those members of Congress are being bought and sold by the tobacco lobbies and that's why this issue won't move forward?

MCCAIN: I believe that the reason why we failed in enacting the legislation that passed through the Commerce Committee that I was chairman of, with one dissenting vote, that the reason why we failed was because of the influence of the tobacco companies, yes. And any objective observer would tell you that.

ZAHN: So as president what would you do about that? How do you stop that?

MCCAIN: I would lead America. I would lead America, and I would tell the American people to clean up this mess. My friends, how many people just were shocked when they filled up their gas tank? You know what Congress is doing today to try to address our energy problems? They're in gridlock. Gridlock, doing nothing. We're doing nothing. It's time American's put our country first and our party second. [...] If you asked anyone who observed our efforts to enact this legislation at the time, they will tell you that it is was the influence of the tobacco company. Now there were many members of Congress, and I don't know which ones that had honestly held views about in opposition to the legislation that we reported out of the committee that I chaired. And I respect those honestly held views, but I also believe that the tobacco companies played a very big role in making sure that legislation did not pass the United States Senate.

ZAHN: So what is it that members of Congress are afraid of in going up against the tobacco lobbyists? I mean obviously we know the kind of money that is contributed to campaigns. Above and beyond that, what is their fear?

MCCAIN: I'm not sure that they're fear, I think that they're rewarded.

ZAHN: Rewarded in what way?

MCCAIN: Campaign contributions, many other ways. There's many ways that that happens in Washington.

ZAHN: And how do you stop that?

MCCAIN: Well, the American people are sick and tired of being sick and tired. And they want Washington cleaned up. And I will lead that effort. I didn't win Miss Congeniality in the United States Senate again this year because I took on the special interests, I've taken on the special interests. I've joined with Russ Feingold with campaign finance reform, I have joined with Ted Kennedy on immigration reform. [...] So, I've taken on the special interests and I've fought against them. And as President of the United States I think I can be much more effective. I think that's what presidents can do.

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