Arizona Sen. John McCain took tough questions from high school students in New Hampshire on Tuesday.
PORTSMOUTH, New Hampshire (CNN) – Sen. John McCain’s visit to Concord High School proved to be more than your average guest speaker appearance Tuesday with the Republican presidential candidate giving and getting a dose of the campaign’s trademark “straight talk.”
During the question and answer session one student rose and asked a pointed question about McCain’s age: “If elected, you’d be older than Ronald Reagan, making you the oldest president. Do you ever worry that like you might die in office or get Alzheimer’s or some other disease that might affect your judgment?”
The Arizona senator chuckled slightly as the “oh my gods” filled the room. In a self-deprecating reference to his memory, McCain said his children have joked about their father “hiding his own Easter eggs,” but quickly added, that he was a “24-7” worker and would out campaign any of his rivals.
McCain then ended the exchange in his quintessential style: “Thanks for the question, you little jerk … you’re drafted.”
Another student then asked McCain a question about what he would do for “LGBT” rights – the initials stand for Lesbian, Gay, Bi Sexual, and Transgender people. McCain was confused by the question and admitted to the audience that he did not know what the initials meant. Once it was clarified, McCain told sophomore William Sleaster that he was opposed to any form of discrimination, but he supported the military’s current “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy and that he opposed gay marriage.
“I believe that the sanctity of marriage between man and woman is unique and should be preserved, and I understand the controversy that swirls around that issue, and that debate needs to be continued to be held, but I support that position,” McCain said.
“You want to take away someone’s rights because you believe it’s wrong,” Sleaster followed up.
“I don’t put that interpretation on my position, but I understand yours,” McCain responded, seeming to enjoy the back and forth.
“I came here looking to see a good leader, I don’t,” Sleaster said before leaving the microphone to some boos and gasps from the audience and an eventual scolding by a school administrator.
