McCain says he enjoyed reading Palin’s book, downplays tension between campaign aides

McCain: Tension between aides, Palin ‘no big deal’

HALIFAX, Nova Scotia — U.S. Sen. John McCain said Saturday that he enjoyed reading running mate Sarah Palin’s new memoir and downplayed any tension between their campaign aides as “no big deal.”

“I enjoyed the book and she and I are dear friends. I talked to her on the phone yesterday. We got along fine,” said McCain in an interview Saturday with The Associated Press on the sidelines of the Halifax International Security Forum.

In “Going Rogue,” Palin confirms reports of discord between her aides and those of McCain, the 2008 Republican presidential candidate. The former vice presidential candidate says she was kept “bottled up” from reporters during the campaign and denied the chance to deliver her own concession speech on Election Night last November.

But McCain emerges unsullied in the book.

“In campaigns there’s always tension,” McCain said. “Outside of combat, it’s the most tense situation. There’s always differences that arise, but it’s no big deal.”