ROBERT SIEGEL, host:
From NPR News, this is All Things Considered from NPR News. I'm Robert Siegel.
MELISSA BLOCK, host:
And I'm Melissa Block. Today, with lawmakers in Washington grappling with a financial bailout package, Barack Obama and John McCain campaigned in the Midwest before returning to the Senate. Each urged his party to work toward compromise. Today, on NPR's Morning Edition, Steve Inskeep spoke with Senator McCain, who was in Kansas City. The Republican nominee explained what he's telling fellow Republicans who oppose a bailout.
Senator JOHN MCCAIN (Republican, Arizona, 2008 Republican Presidential Nominee): When there is a crisis, that government has to stand in. We did that - step in. And we did that in the savings and loan crisis, when we set up the Resolution Trust Corporation and basically bought up bad assets.
BLOCK: McCain also talked about his vice presidential pick, Sarah Palin. She debates Joe Biden tomorrow night in St. Louis. Steve asked Senator McCain if he could imagine turning to Palin for foreign policy advice.
Senator MCCAIN: I've turned to her advice many times in the past. I can't imagine turning to Senator Obama or Senator Biden because they've been wrong. They were wrong about Iraq. They were wrong about Russia. Senator Biden wanted to divide Iraq into three different countries. He voted against the first Gulf War. Senator Obama has no experience whatsoever and has been wrong in the issues that he's been involved in...
STEVE INSKEEP: But would you turn to Governor Palin?
Senator MCCAIN: I certainly wouldn't turn to them, and I've turned to - I've already turned to Governor Palin, particularly on energy issues, and I have appreciated her background and knowledge on that and many other issues.
BLOCK: That's Republican presidential candidate John McCain speaking with NPR's Steve Inskeep earlier today on Morning Edition. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.