John McCain Addresses Progress Made On Economic Recovery Package

"But I'm never going to not get engaged when the taxpayers and middle class of America are in danger of losing everything
literally that they've worked all their lives for. I'm going to be out working on it. I won't claim a bit of credit, okay, if that makes them feel better. But I'm going to be there working and trying to help solve this crisis." -- John McCain

John McCain

ABC's "This Week"September 28, 2008

ABC's George Stephanopoulos: "So Speaker Pelosi hopes to post the details of this deal on the internet around noon today. Is this something you can be for?"

John McCain: "I'd like to see the details but hopefully yes and from the outlines that I have read of it, that this is something that all of us will swallow hard and go forward with. The option of doing nothing is simply not an acceptable option."

Stephanopoulos: "Have your principles been met?"

John McCain: "Yes, yes, protect the taxpayer, make sure that there isn't excessive compensation for CEOs, an oversight body, not leaving all the decisions in the hands of one individual. There's other provisions that I think are met here and, frankly, I think that the people up on the Hill deserve great credit that conducted these negotiations. I think that Secretary Paulson does and I think that we saw both a bipartisan and bicameral approach to this that is welcome."...

Stephanopoulos: "What role did you play? How were you helpful do you believe in the process?"

John McCain: "I will let you and others be the judge of that. I did the best that I could. I came back because I wasn't going to phone it in. America is in a crisis of almost unprecedented proportions. I should be doing whatever little I can to help this process. I'm a Teddy Roosevelt Republican. I got to get in the arena when America needs it, and if that judgment wants to be made whether I helped or hurt, I'll be glad to accept the judgment of history. But I'm never going to not get engaged when the taxpayers and middle class of America are in danger of losing everything literally that they've worked all their lives for. I'm going to be out working on it. I won't claim a bit of credit, okay, if that makes them feel better. But I'm going to be there working and trying to help solve this crisis. And I'm proud of John Boehner and Roy Blunt and Adam Putnam and all of the guys and men and women, Marsha Blackburn and others who in the House of Representatives stood up and got into these negotiations and became part of the solution."

Watch John McCain