Don’t Even Think About Asking a Real Question at a Presidential Q&A
Just about everyone who has been paying attention to politics lately has heard about how McCain called his wife a cunt back during his Senate bid in 1992. That priceless McCain anecdote has also received mass attention due to the publication of The Real McCain, a book by Cliff Schecter.
If you haven’t heard about this, here’s what you’ve missed:
“Three reporters from Arizona, on the condition of anonymity, also let me in on another incident involving McCain’s intemperateness. In his 1992 Senate bid, McCain was joined on the campaign trail by his wife, Cindy, as well as campaign aide Doug Cole and consultant Wes Gullett. At one point, Cindy playfully twirled McCain’s hair and said, “You’re getting a little thin up there.” McCain’s face reddened, and he responded, “At least I don’t plaster on the makeup like a trollop, you cunt.” McCain’s excuse was that it had been a long day. If elected president of the United States, McCain would have many long days.”
Due to the mass media and the vast majority of the American population getting their hands on this information, of course people are wondering if it’s really true; so what better a time to confront McCain about this than at a town hall meeting where he is openly answering questions?
At a Des Moines town hall meeting, Marty Parrish who entered the meeting as a member of the press, asked McCain is he had indeed called his wife a cunt and of course (after McCain had fumbled over his words and sounded more like a three year old who had done something wrong and was being questioned by their parents about it) Parrish was escorted out of the event and questioned by Secret Service.
PARRISH: This question goes to mental health and mental health care. Previously, I’ve been married to a woman that was verbally abusive to me. Is it true that you called your wife a (expletive)?
MCCAIN: Now, now. You don’t want to … Um, you know that’s the great thing about town hall meetings, sir, but we really don’t, there’s people here who don’t respect that kind of language. So I’ll move on to the next questioner in the back.
Funny, I don’t think his wife respected that kind of language, either.
I have a word of advice for all the politicians out there. Don’t do Q&A’s if you don’t want your dirty laundry brought up.
McCain Clearly Has No Idea What He is Talking About–Ever
If you’ve been caught up in the Hillary/Obama race for the democratic nomination, you may have missed some of McCain’s recent word vomit. Here are my top three picks of classic McCain moments, but for the full top 10 go visit AlterNet.
Funny, this reminds me way too much of Bush’s “Bushisms”. No wonder Bush supports this fool!
“No American argues against our military presence in Korea or Japan or Germany or Kuwait or other places, or Turkey, because America is not receiving casualties.”
Responding to a student who criticized his remark about our staying in Iraq for 100 years
I love the subtle “or other places” he decided to throw into the mix there; as if he simply could not remember just how many other countries America is or has occupied. Of course people are going to start to speak up about our military presence being where it simply was not warranted and based off of pure lies. Republicans seem to be sad about the majority of people not giving in to their brainwashing tactics anymore.
“[I am] very proud to have Pastor John Hagee’s support.”
This is beyond hilarious to me. First of all, oh no we have another Pastor case on our hands! But while millions of people were busy pointing fingers at Obama and declaring him a racist, most don’t know about Pastor John Hagee, who in his latest book, Jerusalem Countdown, he calls Hitler a Catholic who murdered Jews while the Catholic Church did nothing. ‘The sell-out of Catholicism to Hitler began not with the people but with the Vatican itself.’ Real nice.
“It [is] “common knowledge and has been reported in the media that al-Qaeda is going back into Iran and receiving training and are coming back into Iraq from Iran, that’s well known. And it’s unfortunate.”
A few moments later, Sen. Joseph Lieberman, admiringly gazing at McCain until that moment, stepped up and whispered something in the presidential candidate’s ear. McCain then blurted out: “I’m sorry, the Iranians are training extremists, not al-Qaeda.”
Alzheimer’s, anyone? For being at war for five years you would think a president hopeful would oh I don’t know, know what he’s talking about? Maybe I’m just weird and practical like that.
A Long Day Can Be Used as an Excuse for Calling Your Wife a Cunt
The Real McCain, a book by Cliff Schecter has a surprising little anecdote regarding McCain and his infamous temper.
“Three reporters from Arizona, on the condition of anonymity, also let me in on another incident involving McCain’s intemperateness. In his 1992 Senate bid, McCain was joined on the campaign trail by his wife, Cindy, as well as campaign aide Doug Cole and consultant Wes Gullett. At one point, Cindy playfully twirled McCain’s hair and said, “You’re getting a little thin up there.” McCain’s face reddened, and he responded, “At least I don’t plaster on the makeup like a trollop, you cunt.” McCain’s excuse was that it had been a long day. If elected president of the United States, McCain would have many long days.”
McCain called his wife a trollop and a cunt all in one sentence; he has skills, baby! The last sentence there really does make you think–McCain has the audacity to blame his misogynistic behavior on a long day yet he is running for president? Don’t presidents have many long days? If McCain felt the need to call his wife a cunt in front of the people of his campaign, I have to agree with Jessica over at Feministing when she says she wonders how he treats his wife when they’re alone.
When it comes to McCain, not only are we dealing with someone obviously not fit to be president when he is a definite warmonger, but we are also dealing with someone who sees it as perfectly fine to give half ass excuses for belittling his own wife in front of people working for him and a temper proven to flare up at a moment’s notice.
McCain Doesn’t Know if He Supports Contraception
I bring up John McCain on here quite a bit; the reason for that is because the more I read about him, the more I’m convinced that he just cannot be the Republican candidate for president. The more this man speaks, the more he makes even extreme right wingers look like peace-loving hippies. He makes Ann Coulter look liberal!
I am convinced that John McCain has absolutely no thoughts of his own and is simply taking the ideals of other people and of the current president and thinks to himself “Well it worked for them and so I think I feel that way, too!” His thought process depicts more of how a 13 year old teenage girl thinks and acts when trying to fit in with the cool crowd at school. Example A: McCain isn’t sure if he supports condoms.
We know that McCain supports abstinence-only sex education, as does the current president although it has been statistically proven to be ineffective. However, his case gets even worse when he was recently asked if he believes that US taxpayer’s money should go to fund contraception to prevent AIDS in Africa. This was his response:
“Well I think it’s a combination. The guy I really respect on this is Dr. Coburn. He believes — and I was just reading the thing he wrote — that you should do what you can to encourage abstinence where there is going to be sexual activity. Where that doesn’t succeed, then he thinks that we should employ contraceptives as well. But I agree with him that the first priority is on abstinence. I look to people like Dr. Coburn. I’m not very wise on it.”
Coburn, whom John McCain speaks of is the Republican Senator of Oklahoma; he has also been said to support death sentences for abortion providers so it is no surprise that McCain would be such a fan of his.
In the first part of McCain’s response he says that we need to encourage abstinence where there is going to be sexual activity. This is an insanely broad statement because it brings up the question of consenting adults. If two, consenting adults were to engage in sexual activity, does he believe they shouldn’t and that they should abstain? In all cases of sexual activity whatsoever, McCain believes that we must not give into temptation!
The last section of his response is a bit odd…How can you not be educated when it comes to contraception? While he may be cleverly trying to back up his broad abstinence remark and make us believe that he waited until marriage until engaging in sexual activity, which I believe to be highly unlikely; or that he is still a virgin, which again, is even more unlikely, how can you sincerely not have an opinion on funding contraception in Africa?
When asked about grants for sex education in the US and if they should include information on contraceptives, or if it should strictly be Bush’s policy, which is abstinence education and nothing more, McCain answered that “he thinks he supports the president’s policy.”
He thinks he supports the president’s policy. How can a grown, 71 year old man not know if he supports contraception? In the first question, he stated that when abstinence is not possible, we should then employ contraceptives. In this response, he takes that statement back by saying that we shouldn’t even educate people about contraception. Does he know what contraception is? Is he aware of what condoms are? If we took him to a store and asked him to point out a box of condoms, would he know where to go or what they look like?
When asked if he would agree that condoms stop the spread of sexually transmitted diseases, McCain refuses to answer, yet asks for Coburn’s paper regarding the subject so he knows what stance he has on it:
(Twelve-second pause) “Get me Coburn’s thing, ask Weaver to get me Coburn’s paper that he just gave me in the last couple of days. I’ve never gotten into these issues before.”
I still cannot wrap my mind around the fact that he claims that he has never gotten into issues of contraception and sex education before and in the process, admits that he has no real opinion on it and relies on the thoughts of other extreme Republicans for his thoughts on issues. I guess when it comes to these issues he was betting on just being able to say “pro-life” about a thousand times and he would be in the clear. Is he aware that abortion has to do with sex, which then has to do with the option of contraception? I can see him counseling women out of abortion now–”Well you should have just abstained from having sex in the first place. What do you mean ‘the condom broke,’ they can do that?”
Sorry John, we want answers this time and how about a presidential candidate with their own damn thoughts, would that be too hard?
McCain on Choice: Title X and Counseling on Abortion
After a little break, we’re back to John McCain’s anti-choice record.
John McCain, an uber-conservative (for those who still think he’s in any way pro-choice) voted to permit federally funded Title X family planning clinics to decline to counsel women on abortion services.
Title X family planning clinics have served as health care facilities for typically young and low-income women for 30 years; one of the most-recognizable Title X clinics is Planned Parenthood, which makes up 14 percent of Title X projects. Their goal, as health care providers, is to educate women in this country on how to be safe when it comes to sex, avoid unintended pregnancies, and make education and services readily available to the women who need them.
These clinics offer a wide range of information and health care to women who need their services. They offer birth control, emergency contraception, literature and testing for sexually transmitted infections and diseases, education on how to prevent unintended pregnancies, pregnancy tests and screenings for breast and cervical cancer. The best thing about these clinics, in my opinion, is that absolutely no one is turned away from receiving the health care and/or education they need because of inability to pay.
Since Title X is federally funded, a law has been placed in Section 1008 of the law saying that Title X funds cannot be used “in programs where abortion is a method of family planning.” In other words, Title X funds cannot be used to provide abortions. However, Title X projects must offer women neutral and factual information, non-directive counseling and referrals upon request for all of their pregnancy options, including prenatal care and delivery, infant care, foster care or adoption and abortion.
Senator John McCain voted in favor of Title X projects not even counseling women on abortion, as if the option didn’t even exist anymore. If you are pregnant and go into Planned Parenthood, a reproductive health care facility located in a hospital, which make up six percent of Title X projects or health department, 57 percent, and are seeking information about your options as far as pregnancy or not going through with your pregnancy, John McCain voted to make Title X projects refuse to even bring up the option of abortion. In his eyes you have two choices–you are either delivering and raising the child or delivering and giving the child up for adoption.
It’s no secret that McCain wants to abolish reproductive freedom for women, but to insist of closing the door on even the thought of terminating pregnancy is ridiculous. It is saying that McCain, along with the rest of the anti-choice brigade do not believe in women. They do not support or even like women unless they are in their place and doing what the conservative agenda believes is right. They do not trust women to make informed decisions about their own bodies but would love to force them into delivering and raising a child that they are either not ready for, in a matter of financial stability or mentality, or simply do not want. But we went over the reasons for this in the last McCain on Choice post. The more low-income children born to low-income mothers or families, the more future troops we have to carry out our world domination agenda.
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My name is Holly, I'm a freelance writer and web designer as well as an obsessive blogger. This site focuses on (mainly) US politics, women's rights and health and society. I also find myself constantly debunking feminist stereotypes that have been ingrained in the minds of the world's population through the last 30 years. Read more...Tags
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