Here's the video from my earlier link---although it has much more than his views on Roe v Wade. [media id=16705]-WMP [media id=16706]-QT He st
November 18, 2006

john-mccain.jpg

Here's the video from my earlier link---although it has much more than his views on Roe v Wade.

icon Download -WMP icon Download -QT

He stumbles around big time on gay rights also. He won't even say he's for civil unions.

Thanks to ABC for the transcript

MCCAIN: My record. My record of being a conservative

Republican, of knowledge on national security and defense issues. My

advocacy for less government is the best government, and I think

people should be judged on their record, but also their vision for the

future of the country.

STEPHANOPOULOS: Mayor Giuliani describes himself as both pro-

choice and pro-gay rights. Do you think someone with those positions

can get the Republican nomination and effectively lead the Republican

Party?

MCCAIN: I don't know. I know that he's an American hero. I

know that Americans will never forget the magnificent job he did

following 9/11, and I think he would be very favorably looked on by a

lot of Americans.

STEPHANOPOULOS: I know you're not pro-choice. You're pro-life.

Are you pro-gay rights?

MCCAIN: In the respect that I believe that the don't ask, don't

tell policy is working in the military. I don't know how you view

that. I do not believe that marriage between -- I believe in the

sanctity and unique role of marriage between man and woman, but I

certainly don't believe in discriminating against any American.

STEPHANOPOULOS: But on that don't ask, don't tell policy, the

military now classifies homosexuals -- they classify homosexuality as

a defect. Do you agree with that?

MCCAIN: No, I don't think they do that. I'd have to...

STEPHANOPOULOS: It actually is. Yes, they do right now.

MCCAIN: I don't think it's a, quote, "defect," but I do believe

the don't ask, don't tell policy has been very effective. We've got

the best military we've ever had in our all-volunteer force, so I

think the policy is working.

STEPHANOPOULOS: You say you believe marriage should be reserved

for between a man and woman. You voted for an initiative in Arizona

that went beyond that and actually denied any government benefits to

civil unions or domestic partnerships. Are you against civil unions

for gay couples?

MCCAIN: No, I am not. But that initiative, I think, was

misinterpreted. I think that initiative did allow for people to join

in legal agreements such as power of attorney and others. I think

that there was a difference of opinion on the interpretation of that

constitutional amendment in Arizona.

STEPHANOPOULOS: So you're for civil unions?

MCCAIN: No, I am for ability of two people -- I do not believe

gay marriage should be legal. I do not believe gay marriage should be

legal, but I do believe that people ought to be able to enter into

contracts, exchange powers of attorney, other ways that people who

have relationship can enter into.

STEPHANOPOULOS: You threw your support behind Trent Lott to be

Republican whip. He has said that homosexuality is a sin. Is that

what you think?

MCCAIN: I've never heard Trent Lott state that, but, no, that's

not what I...

STEPHANOPOULOS: That's not your position?

MCCAIN: No.

STEPHANOPOULOS: One final question on abortion. You're for...

MCCAIN: I just want to point out again, I believe that gay

marriage should not be legal, OK, but I don't believe that we should

discriminate against any American, because that's not the nature of

America, OK?

STEPHANOPOULOS: Does that extend then that you should -- do you

believe then that there should be a law that bans discrimination

against gays and lesbians in the workplace?

MCCAIN: I don't believe we should discriminate against anyone in

the workplace, but I don't think we need specific laws that would

apply necessarily to people who are gay.

STEPHANOPOULOS: Let me ask one question about abortion. Then I

want to turn to Iraq. You're for a constitutional amendment banning

abortion, with some exceptions for life and rape and incest.

MCCAIN: Rape, incest and the life of the mother. Yes.

STEPHANOPOULOS: So is President Bush, yet that hasn't advanced

in the six years he's been in office. What are you going to do to

advance a constitutional amendment that President Bush hasn't done?

MCCAIN: I don't think a constitutional amendment is probably

going to take place, but I do believe that it's very likely or

possible that the Supreme Court should -- could overturn Roe v. Wade,

which would then return these decisions to the states, which I

support.

STEPHANOPOULOS: And you'd be for that?

MCCAIN: Yes, because I'm a federalist. Just as I believe that

the issue of gay marriage should be decided by the states, so do I

believe that we would be better off by having Roe v. Wade return to

the states. And I don't believe the Supreme Court should be

legislating in the way that they did on Roe v. Wade.

STEPHANOPOULOS: Let me ask you about Iraq. President Bush is in

Vietnam this week, and he says the lesson for Iraq from Vietnam is

"we'll succeed unless we quit." Is that the lesson you draw from

Vietnam?

MCCAIN: The lesson I learned from Vietnam is applicable today.

If you're going to do what's necessary to succeed, i.e., the Powell

doctrine, then go ahead and do it. But if you're not willing to, then

don't.

And right now, from the beginning, as was acknowledged by General

Abizaid last week, we didn't have enough troops on the ground at the

beginning. Things continued to deteriorate, and we're faced with

very, very tough decisions in Iraq today.

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