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CNN Live Event/Special

McCain Leaves Hospital After Minor Prostate Surgery

Aired August 31, 2001 - 13:47   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
NATALIE ALLEN, CNN ANCHOR: We are going to take you live to Arizona, where John McCain has just left the hospital after successful prostate surgery.

Let's listen in.

(JOINED IN PROGRESS)

QUESTION: ... got some colleagues in the Senate (OFF-MIKE)

SEN. JOHN MCCAIN (R), ARIZONA: Got some heavy lifting there. Just mainly, just keep from picking up anything that's real heavy. That's about all that they said. And I'm fine, and I'm sorry that so many of you had to spend so much time here. I apologize for that.

QUESTION: How are you feeling, sir?

MCCAIN: Fine; feel fine.

QUESTION: Did you at least get to celebrate your birthday in there?

MCCAIN: Yes, Cindy brought champagne and lavish gifts as she always does every year. Everything is fine.

QUESTION: (OFF-MIKE)

MCCAIN: Going back Tuesday morning because we're not in -- we have a vote Tuesday afternoon.

QUESTION: You know, when most men go through this, they don't have TV cameras here. The whole world is not going to know that you're going in to help with your prostate. What do you want to say to men who maybe think, you know what, maybe I can do it now?

MCCAIN: I want to say, if you have the problem, I hope you have a little more privacy than I had.

But my major issue, as you know, has been the sun and the melanoma. I continue to try to remind people to wear sunscreen and stay out of the sun as much as possible. That was when I had a serious issue, as you know.

QUESTION: Senator, I know everybody is thinking cancer, cancer, cancer because of the scare last year. Can you just one more time reassure everybody.

MCCAIN: Absolutely no cancer. Absolutely benign. It was an enlargement that had to be reduced.

QUESTION: Do you think some of the other senators will take it easier on you now, coming back there, getting out of the hospital?

MCCAIN: I doubt if they'll show any mercy, OK?

QUESTION: (OFF-MIKE) on the issues that, when you go back, what is the first thing you (OFF-MIKE)

MCCAIN: Oh, I think this whole budget issue and the disappearing surplus is going to be very big. We have a lot of our spending bills. And so I think that's going to be a very tough fight. And I think the Democrats are gearing up for a very, very tough fight on spending. And I think the president's committed to holding the line on spending, and intend to support him on that.

QUESTION: Any phone calls from colleagues in there (OFF-MIKE)

MCCAIN: I had a lot of phone calls from various colleagues of mine. It was nice to hear from them. The president called.

QUESTION: What did he have to say?

MCCAIN: He asked how I was. We had a pleasant conversation.

QUESTION: How did he get through security?

MCCAIN: Not easy. OK, guys?

QUESTION: Thank you.

QUESTION: Thank you very much.

ALLEN: Senator John McCain saying he's feeling fine after minor prostate surgery. He's leaving the Mayo Clinic Hospital there in Phoenix, Arizona where he had surgery Wednesday.

He will head back to Washington next week he said. And he celebrated a birthday -- 65, we believe, while he was in the hospital. But he's doing fine, he'll rest up over the long holiday weekend at his home there with his wife Cindy and then head back to work in Washington next week.

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