FOX News Channel - Transcript

Interview

FOX News Channel

MS. HILL: On a day when military police and presidential politics and presidential politics are center stage on Capitol Hill, an endorsement for Barack Obama is now causing an uproar; Senator Jay Rockefeller apologizing now to Senator John McCain after attacking his military record and making his point by saying he believes McCain has become insensitive to many human issues -- Rockefeller telling the West Virginia Gazette, "McCain was a fighter pilot who dropped laser- guided missiles from 35,000 feet. He was long gone when they hit. What happened when the missiles get to the ground? He doesn't know. You have to care about the lives of people. McCain never gets into those issues."

Well, McCain's campaign denouncing the remarks as a smear against him. Of course, McCain spent five years as a POW. Now, this has just come into Fox in the last minute or so. Senator Rockefeller has now just issued an apology; called Senator McCain apparently to convey his respect for McCain's service to our country, saying, "It was inaccurate and wrong."

Joining us is South Carolina Senator Lindsey Graham, a member of the Armed Services Committee.

Senator, thank you for being with me.

SEN. GRAHAM: Thank you.

MS. HILL: But, you know, frankly, I don't understand when these things happen. You know, these folks -- and you know it -- they know each other very well. They've worked with each other for years. They know what they believe and they know what they don't believe. When you've got Jay Rockefeller coming out and saying, "Hey, he dropped bombs from 35,000 feet; he was long gone," and then you have him come back out and say, "I have deep respect for John McCain's honorable and noble service to our country," I don't know. They don't seem to be able to put them together. They seem fairly at odds with each other.

Why are people doing this? Why are they getting so personal?

SEN. GRAHAM: Well, there's a lot at stake in this election. And unfortunately sometimes wanting to win can be a disease that consumes you, that you do things you shouldn't have done. And wanting to win too badly is one of the things we're trying to avoid in the McCain camp. And, number one, John didn't drop bombs at 35,000 feet in Vietnam. They were not laser-guided. John was an A-4 pilot that dropped bombs very close to the enemy. He wound up getting shot down.

So the bottom line is rhetoric like that exhibited by Senator Rockefeller does not make us a stronger nation. There are plenty of differences between Senator McCain and Senator Obama and Senator Clinton that already exist that are genuine policy debates without having to go down this road.

I'm glad Senator Rockefeller apologized. But at the end of the day, behavior like this basically comes from wanting to win too badly. We don't need to manufacture issues in this race. There are plenty of honest differences.

MS. HILL: You know, I remember back in college when a person I thought was a friend of mine said something really nasty about me, and it took me a long, long -- even though she apologized, it took me a long -- years to get over it and finally talk to her again -- true story.

What happens in the Senate? Do people just say, "Ah, politics as usual; everybody does it," and get on with it? Or do they hold grudges?

SEN. GRAHAM: Well, to be honest with you, I just talked to Senator McCain about five minutes ago and he said he was apologized to by Senator Rockefeller. "Let's move on." I hope Senator Obama will comment on this. I hope he'll step up to the plate and say, "You know, whatever differences I have with Senator McCain, this is out of bounds. I don't question his humanity."

You know, John McCain was a fighter pilot assigned his missions by the United States Navy. And I can't think of a more noble thing to do for your country than to fight for her freedom and to serve in uniform. So John will move on, but I hope Obama will comment on this.

MS. HILL: Well, he just did. And I know you've been working real hard this morning and this has just been coming across the wires, but Senator Obama did say that he does not agree with Senator Rockefeller's statements --

SEN. GRAHAM: Good.

MS. HILL: -- and that he has deep respect for John McCain's service. He usually stresses "long service," I think, to bring up the age thing.

SEN. GRAHAM: (Laughs.)

MS. HILL: Now, tell me about what's going on, just briefly. What's happening in those hearings? Are you getting some fair questions and answers, or are people just going there to talk to hear themselves?

SEN. GRAHAM: Well, there's a little bit of both. But I think the presentation by General Petraeus and Ambassador Crocker was very balanced, very clearly indicating the challenges ahead, ministries that do not function well, Iranian involvement trying to destabilize Iraq, an Iraqi army that still needs our help. So the challenges ahead are real, but the progress from January to now is enormous and should be celebrated.

MS. HILL: Senator Lindsey Graham, thank you very much --

SEN. GRAHAM: Thank you.

MS. HILL: -- for taking some time to talk to us.

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