Exclusive: McCain interview on Straight Talk Air

ABOARD STRAIGHT TALK AIR — Sen. John McCain on Wednesday said the Democratic presidential campaign has made clear that the world would be a more dangerous place if Sen. Barack Obama is elected, citing comments made by the Democratic vice presidential candidate, Sen. Joseph R. Biden Jr.

In an exclusive interview with The Washington Times, Mr. McCain called Mr. Biden’s claim that hostile powers would immediately test an Obama administration “the most remarkable comment I have ever seen in presidential politics.”

“We live in a dangerous world, and Senator Obama’s running mate has just assured Americans it’ll be a heck of a lot more dangerous if you elect him president,” Mr. McCain said en route from New Hampshire to Ohio.

“Now he is saying … if we elected Senator Obama as president of the United States, we are going to have an international crisis in these very dangerous times with the economy in the tank,” Mr. McCain said.

On Sunday, Mr. Biden predicted at a fundraiser that terrorists or nations at odds with the United States will test Mr. Obama if he´s elected president. He said he could envision four or five scenarios that might included the Middle East and Russia.

“Mark my words. It will not be six months before the world tests Barack Obama like they did John Kennedy. The world is looking. We´re about to elect a brilliant 47-year-old senator president of the United States of America,” Mr. Biden said. “Remember, I said it standing here, if you don´t remember anything else I said. Watch, we´re going to have an international crisis, a generated crisis, to test the mettle of this guy.”

Mr. Biden added that Mr. Obama would have “some really tough” decisions when that occurs, adding emphatically, “As a student of history and having served with seven presidents, I guarantee you it´s going to happen.”