a plaza and buildings. >> without question. >> a civilization. >> without question. and, i mean, just a few weeks ago, i mean, it's just been astonishing to me. they discovered these enormous geometric earth works which spread out over nearly 200 kilometers, were connected by roads and they look almost from the sky like swb had tried -- somebody had tried to etch a geometic equation in the earth. we don't know what the purpose of these were, but to get to this question that people were trying to find purpose to make sense i think probably some religious purpose, you know, maybe it's in the stars, but people trying to impose some order and some meaning on chaos. in some of malcolm's stories he talks about the dangers of perceiving. in the willingham case that's a case of misinterpreting data.

>> well, and i think that's about all we have time for because we have to do the book signing and people will line up for that so, thank you, david grann, thank you, malcolm gladwell. [applause] >> malcolm gladwell worked at "the washington post" from 1987 to 1996 as a science writer and later as new york city bureau chief. he's currently a staff writer for the new yorker. david grann is the author of "the lost city of z: a tale of deadly obsession in the amazon." he's also a staff writer at the new yorker. for more information, visit new yorker.com. >> next, megyn mccain, daughter of senator and former presidential nominee john mccain, discusses her experiences on the campaign trail in "dirty, sexy politics." this discussion took place at

the 2010 miami book fair international, and it's about 45 minutes. m >> about my book.t >> yeah. we're just going to have a lot of fun with this but, megan, let's talk about your florida memories, your favorite of florida memories, and now you're back in miami. what do you remember? >> i love florida. i love being in miami. definitely some of my most favorite memories werees w campaigning here with senator lieberman. st i'm staying at the biltmore miami where we spent a lot of time in the campaign. if you have read my book, it's also the place where i took a bunchif of xanex and be almost overdosed the day before the election. really it's just great to be back, and i love it here. it's just nice to be in warm weather with good cuban food. [laughter] >> now, i don't know if you all have seen this cover, but it's got the elephant. and a lot of people think this is a photoshopped photo.it

it's not. this is a real elephant, isn't it? >> yes. that's a real photo shoot. this elephant is famous. it was in a britney spears music video and katy perry and and on the coffer of "vanity fair". so her name was -- oh, i forgot her name now. ty, and it took all day. but i really, really did that. [laughter] >> you know, when you first open this book, the very first thing you're talking about is freedom. it's a very big thing for you.it >> yes. >> what does freedom mean to you? why is it the very first thing you're talking about here? >> again, i don't know how manyo of you have actually read this book, but the first line in itis is freedom is addictive.om and i, the book was, for me, ar coming of age story, and i grew, up reading primary colors andre fear and loathing on the campaign trail by hunter s.d i thompson, and i was really inspired by those books. i j and i just wanted to write my sort of coming of age story.i wa i was 22 when i joined my father's campaign, i was 24 when it ended which is a pinnacle a

time for any young person. a and it was such a labor of love. hi, anna. anna navarro's a good friend right here from the campaign. and it was just such a labor of love. and people that have responded v to it seem to be people like me that sort of feel disenchanted f by the political process and politics in general. so it's been really nice to go to colleges and see a lot oferal 20-somethings that really sort of relate to this out-of-water,e fish out of water, coming of age story. so i'm just happy anybody's reading it, honestly. >> well, you talk about feeling like an outcast in this campaign. why? >> well, i was thrown off, so that's a pretty good message to be sent by anyone that i wasn't liked. during the primary process i had a really amazing time.ally that's when i first came on and started blogging for my father.g and then after he became then nominee and sarah palin was chosen as his running mate, i

wajos sort of -- you can read te book, i was sort of excommunicated, if you will, for not placating, for not dressing the right way or talking the right way.lkin and at the time i came through a lot of zell loathing. what's wrong with me?wh why do i look like this and talk like this and act like this? and it so doesn't fit intoiz republicaned politics.hing after the election i realized there's nothing wrong with me, there's nothing wrong with anybody else, and all thesepu pundits and experts that seem to think that young people need to change into a certain mold to be involved in the political process will be the end of any young person wanting to beei involved inng politics, especiay republican politics. so for me, personally, that was also very inspiring, but it took time, it took reflection for me to be able to write about it. >> you mentioned sarah palin, and one of the fun parts about this book is that you're going through trying to see who is going to be the running mate. you're going through all of the different folks whoyo are possie contenders. when you found out that it was sarahnd palin, what did you this >> i started crying.

that's the opening scene. [laughter] [applause]. but, and it's not that there's u prelude in the book, but theirst first real chapter i detail, i didn't know who she was. like everybody else. i and i started googling on my blackberry, and there was flashes on the news, and they were saying her name wrong. and there's just no way towron describe it. i had no idea who she was. on the bus to the event meeting her, i was told that she had aas bunch of children and that i wai going to have to figure it all out and help them. and i'm really good at rolling with it in stressful situations, so i did. and then it just all kind of -- like everybody else, the way it unfolded for everybody else is the way it unfolded for me. i did not have any inside information, i found out an hour and a half before we all went on stage, and can i cried because i didn't know who this woman was, and my life was changing and i

was about to go do something with someone i had never meant. at the time there was little to find out about her on the internet. she's from wasilla, she's governor, she was gorgeous. that's what i knew. >> and so one of the things you decided to start through this whole thing was that blog, the mccain blogette. tell me about that. >> i wanted to join my father's campaign during the primary wa process, but i'm not a pundit, and i had very little experience. i went to columbia which was the scarlet letter for me, that i wh went to such a liberal college.l [laughter] and that was the only thing i knew how to do.e i worked at "newsweek", and ient blogged there. so i suggested doing it. it ended up being my baby and be very successful with young people, not so successful outside of colleges. but it was liberating, and i may joke about the experience and all the negative thing, but it was the most amazing experience of my life which is why i was

inspired to write about it. >> and you talk a lot about ta mistakes. >> yeah. >> what is a mistake that you think people, that you learned from the most? >> i talk about it in the book also.lso i made too many things about me. it wasn't about me, and that's, again, age and reflection. young when ihen joined. it wasn't about me. politics is about the idea, the party, the politician sort of p getting over the fact that people didn't like me. like, it wasn't about me.it and i think if i could go back in time, i would definitely do some things different and be a little less bratty to the secret service. t [laughter] >> you talk a lot about attracting young voters.in that's something that's veryg important to you. how did you do that? i know the mccain blogette was one way, but what else did you do? >> they sent me out to campaigny around colleges at the time, but i actually think i had been more effective post-election because i really felt like i no longer had to answer to people anymore.

i no longer had to answer to my father's staff or advisers, and thevi great irony now is a lot l these people can't get jobs ofel their own, and i have no problem working right now.i ha and i think it's very ironic. i don't think that people that claim to be experts necessarily are. and i did not read "going rogue," but i have heard that sarah talks a lot about being molded and feeling like she k wasn't allowed to be herself, and maybe that caused some ofalo the problems. i think women in politics areen asked to be put into a mold, to be put into a small box to fit into. and i think that's why sarah had a hard time on the campaign as well. >> what are some secrets aboutsr the campaign trail? >> secrets. well, there's lots of secrets. i don't know, i put a lot of it in the book. >> you talk about drunkenness rp with even some reporters, stuffe like that. >> will yeah. i think the incestuousness of

campaigns people would be surprised about it. you oftentimes stay at the same hotels as journalists. there's a reason why a lot ofhy people end up getting married,pt journalists and staffers, a lote of hanky-panky on the plane. not with me, though, at all.ot [laughter] but i think that's what -- it's like being on tour with a band. i have a friend who's a musician who at the same time was touring with this album, and the stories really mirrored each other. it's a lot more fun than i think people give it credit for. i did read "game change" and ime thought what that book really missed was the fun aspects of it.ng o you're going on tour to try and changeri the world, and i thougt mark hall person really sort of made it guessing and sad -- depressing and sad even for the obama campaign which i know they were having a good time as well. i don't like journalists acting as if it was so serious and depressing all the time. i have pictures of me and a few journalists singing karaoke in iowa.

>> megan also writes for the daily beast, and one of your recent articles was about you being, yes, i am a true republican. tel >> yes.a li >> so tell me a little bit abouu that because, obviously, therees are some issues that you don't agree with the republican party on.>> i >> i was challenged to take a purity test which anyone can do online to see if you're a real republican, and i passed.an, [laughter] which a lot of people were pissed off about, that i actually passed.i th but i think we live in a weirdw time where i know that i get harassed on a daily basis for not being pure enough or conservative enough. people tell me why don't i just become a democrat, because ion't really believe in the core ideals of the republican party, but i'm for gay marriage. and i wrote a column about how people can come to the defense of carrie prejean who has made a sex tape and done a lot of allegedly scandalous thingslle which, no judgment, butng, conservative people will come to her defense all day long because she's against gay marriage. but for me because i'm for gay

marriage, go to google if youite want to see a bunch of crap written about me. i think it's sort of sad if you speak or exit the mold even a little bit. >> do you think there's something wrong with theing publ republican party today? w >> i worry about the tea party influence.nce. i worry that it's too extreme. i understand why tea partiers are so angry. i understand where the anger and the frustration comes from. i myself am angry andan frustrated, but i don't think it's organized well, and i don't think there's a cohesive message. and i think without a cohesive message, you can't win.iv i think that was part of theat, problem with my father's campaign. there wasn't an antidote to hop, and change. and i think until we actually get that and instead of saying we hate obama, we hate the spending, that's not a message. and i don't think any real movement has ever come to fruition without some sort of inspirational message. of some kind. so, yes, i do worry. >> you're very honest. what is the message you want people to get from this book,he the one most important message

you want people to get? >> when i was growing up and when i was on my father's campaign, i went through a period of self-loathing and depression, and i was very sad, and i thought something was really wrong with me.ong i thought i did not fit in, i can't ever have a career in politics, i really can't have au career in republican politics. and, again, i came to a point where my readers were at home saying i feel the exact same way. i'm a young woman, i don't, i don't completely tow the party line, but i want to be involved and i would just tell people out this, especially young people, you're not alone.not you're not alone out there. i feel the exact same way. my father's a very famous politician, and can i've been in politics however long you want to go back. my mother was pregnant with me at the '84 convention. however long you want to say i've been doing this.u' and you're not alone. and i think we can all come together and work together, th e older generation and the younger generation, in the republicanpul party. and i'm still a believer, and i will keep fighting this fight until i die.ie. i love it. i it's what i do.

so i guess that's my message. >> all right. and i guess a lot of you have some questions, so why don't wet start getting some questions from the audience for meghan. >> anything you want. i'll answer almost anything. [laughter] a >> yep. >> hi. i enjoyed the part about the politics, but i'm hear a little more to hear about the dirty, sexy side. [laughter]rt >> youy know, people sort of like, i was asked this question on "good morning, america." i was actually celibate for mos of the campaign because i i'm personally am not attracted to men in politics. you want to page dr. freud, go ahead, so i didn't date a lot on the campaign, and it was more mr about, like i said, thes journalists sleeping with eachoe other and the staffers, and istf think sex and politics pretty much go hand in hand like anything else. so -- >> but why the title? >> i loved, actually, i was at a party with some of my girlfriends, and i was trying to

explain the experience. i was, like, it was fun and sadn and dirty and sexy, and my friend was drunk, and she said, i liked the dirty and the sexy part. i picked that up. so that's where i came from. >> were you on the real world? >> is that really the most interesting thing going on right now? meghan, we're here for you. >> were you? real world miami? [laughter]i'm .. you. >> i'm trying to be nice. i'm a democrat here. >> you should be happy i recognized you. you look fantastic. >> so do you. [laughter] >> one of your cast members is now a congressman. sorry. >> are you going to let -- [laughter] >> sorry, go ahead. sorry. >> my question, i'm curious, and if you could please just talk a

little bit about when you were asked to leave if you could talk about when you were asked to leave the john mccain campaign. how did you rectify the situation as a politician versus obama? >> this is something that still deal with today. i went to an image consultant in l.a. who told me to cut my hair and i did those things. i basically wasn't -- i didn't talk to my father about it. i went home and campaign with my friends and had the most amazing

time. anyone want to see a presidential campaign? it was really fun. there are rumors that go on. people bring up don't ask don't tell with me and my father. they sent me to this debate camp if they didn't want me to turn out this way.

they love me and support me. he probably wishes i was a kindergarten teacher. i have to separate the political and personal or won't have a relationship with my parents. i am going home for thanksgiving tomorrow around thanksgiving dinner. i go home and fight with my parents every time i come home. and do my own thing. just go with the flow again. i made it about me. i am so important and whatever. the advisers have agreed to

becoming a problem. i was never invited back. it is part of my story. what if i embarrassed you--i grew up watching. >> i would like to know what you think about two point immigration policy. >> please say that again? emigration policy in arizona? i assume you are talking about arizona's infamous -- i am sorry -- he was asking about my father's immigration policy, i was against it. it was a poorly written bell. it was for poor people being hispanic. it is a large part of being in

arizona and it was overblown by the media. it was not a racist bill that people on msn b.c. -- it was poorly written. i come from a family of immigrants and immigration is such a large aspects and worry about the time of making judgment calls and immigrating to this country. i was against it, i have a lot of friends who are small business owners and it really took major hits economically because of it. thank you. >> hello. coming back to the u.s. senate.

those would be his legacy is. does he have any thoughts. what are your thoughts about it? >> no matter where i go in my life, the dentist, i was in vegas playing blackjack, people are curious. reality shows unbelievable popular. they have saturated the media in every way. there's a need people need to fill. this isn't my doing. i am not interested any more. we need to be more concerned about america's legacy. if that is who you want as your next president i think she is running for president right now.

i know that she is running. more importantly than that america needs to decide republicans need to decide where we are going from here. my father is a rock star, and he is no longer here. why does he stand on his own. >> what magazines the reid? i get on huffington post media. and the wall street journal. that is how start my moving but it morning. actual tangible magazines and

time magazine and newsweek. and new york magazine. i read everything. i read conservative bloggers hot air, some liberal bloggers like the huffington opposed, i read everything. i like to get it all in. >> you are terrific because it doesn't always agree with you and that is part of the problem with politicians. they stick to their own genre. they don't go on any other shows. >> i take a lot of heat for going on. people just go crazy. i think if we only go on fox as republicans, i worry more so, if we live in a society where republicans will only go on fox this could very well happen.

think of sarah palin running for president and doing interviews, this could happen. it is over saturating the media. hy worry about this time and what is happening. for me i love going on some shows on fox. i tell you anything. give me a fair chance to speak. start harassing me and never going your show again. thank you. >> great job, meghan. two questions. those principles and values that make you a republican, those that would not make you a republican or even a democrat? >> gay marriage is the big one that apparently makes me a democrat and i don't know what democrats are doing for gay marriage or the gay-rights

movement at all. it is hypocritical to say democrats and gay-rights movement. republicans, strong national defense. government should stay out of our lives as much as possible. those are the main principles. and pro-life pro gay marriage, people don't seem to be able to reconcile that. it is who i am and what i believe. i grew up christian. it is what i continue to believe. people just need to have a hard time with the fact that i am also wrote birth control and against abstinence only education. it comes into play and strong national defense. i continue to support the war in afghanistan and iraq. that is the problem and where people lose me. i am what i am and meet a lot of people who share the same

beliefs. politics is a lot like acting. they say hollywood is for ugly people, not just -- and hollywood is politics for the new weak minded. i like that too. i hope that answers your question. >> thank you for being here. if this question strikes a little too close to home and you prefer not to answer it that is fine with me. i heard you say you think of your father as a rock star. there was a time when if i was going to vote for a democrat i would vote for john mccain. >> then you would probably love me. >> at this point i have watched

him change where he stands on most issues of importance and i wonder how you personally feel watching your father do this, to me it would seem almost like a matter of walking away from his principles for the expediency of politics and i wonder how you feel about that. >> sounds like you were never a fan. sounds like you were never a fan. i don't think my father has walked away from his principles. i get asked this lot. the media has changed to. we live in different times than when my father first ran for president. i don't have a hard time reconciling who my father is because he reconciles who i am. i cannot delineate between the personal and political and my life. he is my father and i don't go home and talk about politics

with him. something is going on that will come up. it stops -- stop swearing on tv is the conversation we have. i can live like that. i can't live hating my father. i can't live being a agree with political decisions he has made. arizona reelected him to the senate so he did something popular. at the end of the day my father senator lieberman and lindsey graham are the three men who continue to inspire me every day. i would not have the life of have for the beliefs have. i don't have a hard time reconciling anything. if you lost faith in him lions are you feel that way but i haven't. >> was it hard to tell your father i don't agree with you? when you started saying i don't agree with you was that hard? >> no. i haven't agreed with him since i was 10.

they don't like me talking about sex. that is the big -- neither of my parents like that. is a natural question for all students to ask and very little and we will talk about that. that is when -- please raise you christian please. >> as a young influential republican what is your personal strategy for helping to prevent sarah palin not becoming our next president. >> a complicated question. i keep saying for the moment if i had to choose someone i would beyond team romney without his complications' like everybody is but we really need -- republican party need someone to go up against obama in the general election. not just in our country but the

world. i go to school sometimes and people worship at the altar of sarah palin. how can you doubt anything she says? she has made clear she does not like me. she does not like my book. it is irrelevant to me. i worry media atwise where we are. the media can make this woman president. stop reporting on every single tweet and facebook. war on the news today. any news network, i am not interested. as the media becomes more obsessed, obviously when i see a woman attacks and no matter how much i disagree with their political beliefs i come to their defense. the media is making her stronger and her empire of followers that much more intense. i believe it is possible for her to become the nominee.

i have been doing this a long time. the only thing that may prevent that is in south carolina taking their votes seriously. she will have to campaign like an actual candidate. maybe she won't. i don't know. >> hopefully you can do so now >> reporter: some opinion. you should have been and dancing with the stars instead. >> el would freeze over before i would go stars. >> as a fellow young republican and moderate young republican, what do you think are ways that are not as polarizing, strictly conservative, get out and get

loud in the media to say we have a voice too. we always ignored it or polarized the litmus test but pushed out of the party to vote. >> it is by far the largest audience and most effective for me. facebook and twitter and myspace, everything is -- unfortunately the hard part is i am under no divisions. i am john mccain's daughter. i ran with it. that is why people put me on television. with that, the media doesn't cover it. the most extreme people are the most interesting. i blame the media for all of this by far. it worries me. i don't think the average person can get on television say we should work together.

i am not extreme and really want a large tent party. go online and find a candidate, support them. i am already getting excited for the next general election. our work my ass off on our campaign, choose a candidate, i will work as hard as possible in every way i possibly can to help make sure that this generation we don't completely lose all 20 somethings from the republican party. thank you for buying my book. glad you like it. >> thank you for being here. i heard you twice state you are pro-life and i also heard you say that you want government to get out of our lives. i am wondering how you reconcile those. >> personally pro-life is what i believe. i don't want to preach to other people or police your body.

i am also a woman and went to columbia. i am for birth control and against abstinence education. abortion should be legal. i am not against repealing it. i make a lot of speeches where people are curious about my personal beliefs. i grew up christian. i don't want to peace your body. this is one of those issues that will never get resolved. the pro-choice movement feel another. i saw this movie a few years ago if you could walk and talk and it changed my impression about abortion clinics. unbelievably tragic about abortion doctor who gets shot. i am pro-life. i don't want any hate crimes or anything like that going on. to me personally what works. god and i came to an understanding of each other long ago. i have conflict with my face and

gay marriage. i don't think -- i don't have all the answers. i try to work out one day at a time like everyone else. >> are you saying you are pro-choice for other women? >> women should have the choice if they want. for me in my life i am pro-life. [applause] >> i am sorry but i arrived quickly so i don't know if you covered this or not but what do you think of our new soon-to-be -- hell much money does spend for it? -- governor. as a republican. >> you guys elected him.

i supported charlie crist but i will support marco rubio. i didn't fall followed politics as much as i should have. i was working on my father's campaign. >> i wonder what your opinion is about the young vote not coming out in the midterm elections as compared to the huge outturn that occurred in the general election. why weren't they there? >> i don't think they were sexy. obama made it sexy to get out and vote. it was all about hope and change. when you don't have inspiring candidates my generation won't go out and vote. i voted in every election including the midterm elections. bristol pailin did not vote in

this election. that is strange. we have to set examples. there should be a law that you have to vote in this country. a lot of women did things to make sure i had the right to vote. anyone who doesn't vote in any elections, i think it is un-american. i don't understand it. >> what are the things you say to young people? go out and vote? >> you can sit around and complain about anything unless you are voting. you don't have a right to, criticized the government unless you exercise your right. >> you do that through twitter or facebook? >> you can't yell about things unless you are voting. i would be humiliated to had met i didn't vote. i can't wrap my head around not voting. last election was very sexy and the midterm elections were an aspect but like australia it should be illegal not to vote in this country but it won't get

past. yes? >> i'm interested in your experience in the 2,000 campaign and how it was different from the 2008 experience. >> high was 14 on my father's first campaign. it only lasted during low primary with president bush. fantastic memories of that time. playing in the snow, it is where it all started. politics not understanding it. when i started realizing that the people who were around me as a child like henry kissinger. i later figured out who he really was. i thought he was a scary old guy with a deep-. as i got older i realized it was a prominent picture of american history so that is where it started. amazing, beautiful gorgeous summaries. i don't have any real memories

of south carolina. people ask me that as well. my parents are awesome at keeping the sheltered. i have beautiful memories. i wanted to get a house because i have an affinity for the state. in new hampshire you have to earn the vote of the citizens. it is where i learned to love voting and understand the political process. it is somewhat rare. beautiful memories. i was very lucky as a child. >> i would be curious to know what your own aspirations might be and to bring your legacy to

fruition? >> i do not want to run for office. i could not get elected. i talked too much. i am too onerous. i tell my life story to cab drivers. anything you want to know. i am an open book. i swear all the time. i don't think a woman like me could get elected at 26. i am excited about the next campaign, the next election process. i want to do it all all over again. i want to kick a obama's as in the next election. i will do anything i can to get there. i would like to be a strategist. it is a male-dominated industry. a woman's perspective could be helpful. some do not want me near them but there are other issues off the record. that is what i would like to do.

>> good afternoon. i seem to here you say that the tea party movement is something you are not taking into account but quite frankly the tea party movement, the grass roots that motivated me to get out and do things that if i felt the republican party has abandoned its people. what is the republican party standing for? >> i would never dismissed the tea party movement. no matter how you feel about it is a force to be reckoned with. i expected sharon angle to win. i expected joe miller to win. i did not expect nancy pelosi to still be in office. i think this movement is overhype. if it were really this extreme we are going to take over -- lisa burke county is the first candidate to win a right in in

50 years. in the state of alaska. it is overhype. jon stewart and steven colbert were able to triple the numbers it the tea party rallies. that says something. i would never be little fatigue party movement because it has inspired a lot of people. the spending is absolutely out of control. obama has done nothing with his administration. i am as scared as everybody else about what is going on. it is poorly organized. i don't understand the message. sarah palin is a leader i am not getting behind it. >> i don't consider sarah palin the leader but i just think that -- >> with all respect, do you know who the leader is? >> no because it is grass roots. basically the whole thing seems to be go back to the constitution, stop trembling the

constitution. stop spending so much money that no one can repay. >> i am as frustrated as you are. i completely agree. i feel like the republican party better start listening to what the people are saying. there is a message and the republican party has the ability to put that forward. i honestly think the potential to happen is we will throw everybody out. i don't think it will just the republicans. we will get to a place and then politics will really be fascinating. complete anti-government candidates are running the government. i am so excited to see what rand paul does. i cannot wait to see what he does. i am glad he got elected for no other reason than i want to see what this tea party message -- i want to see how he governs. if he does an amazing job then there is the leader. >> thank you so very much. before we end i want to bring this to a very different light

and save those of you sitting in the front can see the shoes. gee of has the latest, greatest sneakers and i pray for meghan mccain in those high heels. they are wonderful. they have been wonderful. >> thank you for coming out. thank you. [applause] >> meghan mccain writes a weekly column for the daily beast. for more information on "dirty sexy politics" visit mccainbloget.com. >> we are at the national press club with diane ream, and the our hostnd