Despite Assurances, McCain Wasn't in a 'Cone of Silence'

ORLANDO, Fla. - Senator John McCain was not in a "cone of silence" on Saturday night while his rival, Senator Barack Obama, was being interviewed at the Saddleback Church in California.

Members of the McCain campaign staff, who flew here Sunday from California, said Mr. McCain was in his motorcade on the way to the church as Mr. Obama was being interviewed by the Rev. Rick Warren, the author of the best-selling book "The Purpose Driven Life."

The matter is of interest because Mr. McCain, who followed Mr. Obama's hourlong appearance in the forum, was asked virtually the same questions as Mr. Obama. Mr. McCain's performance was well received, raising speculation among some viewers, especially supporters of Mr. Obama, that he was not as isolated during the Obama interview as Mr. Warren implied.

Nicolle Wallace, a spokeswoman for Mr. McCain, said on Sunday night that Mr. McCain had not heard the broadcast of the event while in his motorcade and heard none of the questions.

"The insinuation from the Obama campaign that John McCain, a former prisoner of war, cheated is outrageous," Ms. Wallace said.

Before an audience of more than 2,000 people at the church, the candidates answered questions about policy and social issues.

Mr. Warren, the pastor of Saddleback, had assured the audience while he was interviewing Mr. Obama that "we have safely placed Senator McCain in a cone of silence" and that he could not hear the questions.

After Mr. Obama's interview, he was joined briefly by Mr. McCain, and the candidates shook hands and embraced.

Mr. Warren started by asking Mr. McCain, "Now, my first question: Was the cone of silence comfortable that you were in just now?"

Mr. McCain deadpanned, "I was trying to hear through the wall."

Interviewed Sunday on CNN, Mr. Warren seemed surprised to learn that Mr. McCain was not in the building during the Obama interview.

"The insinuation from that John McCain, a former prisoner of war, cheated (on first his wife) is outrageous"

Nothing John McCain did dishonestly in his life counts because he was a POW. So says Sean Hannity after he got caught attacking John Edwards and trying to play the average Amercian guy who just doesn't understand how Edwards could have cheated on his wife and then lied about it."Why should we trust you?" SH says. Colmes attacked Hannity over this as the two argued. An emailer said they rarely ever talk back to each other since it's not the format of the show. Colmes smacked Hannity around and asked the same question about John McCain's first marriage…

'My marriage ended because John McCain didn't want to be 40, he wanted to be 25. You know that happens…it just does.'

Download | Play Download | Play (h/t Heather)

Hannity: I'm not getting this. Explain to me and I'm wondering if you can't keep the promise to your family, can't keep your promise to your wife, you're having an affair, you're lying about the affair repeatedly, why should the American people trust you when you say you're not going to lie to them? Why should we trust you?

Colmes: And by the way, that's a great question Sean asks and so Amanda, if that's true and you can't trust somebody who had an affair. How can we trust John McCain to be President of the United States-he cheated on by his own admission on his first wife, he didn't keep his martial vows, he didn't keep his pledge to his first family…

Hannity: Thirty years ago after five and a half years of being a POW

Colmes: Excuse me Sean. You've had your chance to speak, I'm up. John McCain cheated on his wife, right. Amanda? So how do we trust John McCain? He cheated on his wife, why do you have a double standard and John McCain's running for President? John Edwards is not. John McCain's wife was in a car accident. John McCain's running for President, what about his affair?

(H) After five and a half years in a POW camp. (C) That has nothing to do with it. So it's OK to have an affair on his wife.

How about the good old Keating Five? Or Vicky Iseman? Does that count. Mr. Sean?