In his first interview since conceding the presidential election, Sen. John McCain said Tuesday that Sarah Palin did not damage his presidential bid and he dismissed anonymous criticism aimed at her following their crushing defeat.
"I'm so proud of her and I'm very grateful she agreed to run with me. She inspired people, she still does," McCain told Jay Leno during a "Tonight Show" interview taped for broadcast Tuesday night. "I couldn't be happier with Sarah Palin."
In an interview that mingled flashes of humor with political analysis, McCain did little to deflect responsibility from himself. He alluded to the difficult political environment for Republicans nationwide and conceded, "I could tell you a lot of things that we may have made mistakes on." Asked by Leno to address griping about Palin from unidentified McCain operatives in the days following the election, the Arizona senator said, "These things happen in campaigns.
"I think I have at least a thousand, quote, top advisers," he scoffed. "A top adviser said? ... I've never even heard of ... a top adviser or a high-ranking Republican official."
McCain never directly addressed the controversy over Palin's campaign wardrobe.
McCain also disputed that a different vice presidential pick would have changed the outcome against Democrats Barack Obama and Joe Biden. When asked if Palin drifted off the campaign's message, he said, "Did you expect mavericks to stay on message?"
At campaign rallies, "The people were very excited and inspired by her. That's what really mattered, I think," McCain said.
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