Tuesday, July 15th, 2008...7:44 am
The Comedy Stylings of Shecky McCain
I made the mistake of watching Verdict yesterday where they had a John McCain sycophant go on and on about how McCain stuck by his principles when he bucked his party on immigration. He and the host failed to note that he was lining up with the president and the business community on the issue (not exactly “bucking” the folks in charge), and when the heat came down he didn’t even support his own bill that this guy was giving him credit for. But hey, he’s a maverick, right?
Also, the guy noted that he has this great sense of humor. I gotta give him credit here and there for poking fun at his age, but for the most part, his humor is awkward at best and usually mean spirited. For example, how many folks remember this one:
Why is Chelsea Clinton so ugly? Because her father is Janet Reno.
For reference, this was back in 1998, when Clinton was seventeen. Nice.
Okay, that’s too far back for some of y’all. McCain made an appearance in Nevada just last month and when asked about avoiding campaigning with Governor Jim Gibbons. In response, he decided to make the old “And I’ve stopped beating my wife” gag. It wasn’t that funny back when Richard Nixon used it, and it sure as heck isn’t funny given that Gibbons was accused of assaulting a cocktail waitress just last year.
In Arizona, we’ve seen a pattern of this sort of humor. Long time Arizonenses remember the “seizure world” comment that poked fun at the elderly, ironic now that he’s the oldest candidate for president (I guess it was inevitable that it would become ironic). I managed to dig up this gem from his 1986 race for US Senate, as quoted in the Tucson Citizen:
Did you hear the one about the woman who is attacked on the street by a gorilla, beaten senseless, raped repeatedly and left to die? When she finally regains consciousness and tries to speak, her doctor leans over to hear her sigh contently and to feebly ask, ‘Where is that marvelous ape?’
I find rape jokes are always a sign of class, don’t you?
At the time, McCain’s spokesperson (Torrie Clark, yes, that one) alleged that this was story 
was some manipulation by the Richard Kimball campaign. Yep, it’s always the other guy’s fault. I wonder if the reporter on that story, Norma Coile, was treated to the screaming phone call that McCain has treated so many local reporters to when they dare write a negative story about him.
UPDATE - Because you demanded it, here is a PDF of the original article from 1986.
McCain Jokes about Gorilla RAPING a Woman
...Article detailing the media's dismissal of a joke by McCain: "Why is Chelsea Clinton so ugly? Because her father is Janet Reno"
http://www.salon.com/news/1998/06/25news b.html
Witness accounts by staff and reporters of McCain exploding at his wife, calling her a "cunt" and "trollop"
http://rawstory.com/news/2008/McCain_tem per_boiled_over_in_92_0407.html
McCain's more than tacit approval of "How do we beat the BITCH?" question by supporter
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l6Nt5ADY7 ug
Feministe Blog
http://www.feministe.us/blog/archives/20 08/07/15/john-mccain-thinks-rape-jokes-a re-funn/#comments
America Blog
http://www.americablog.com/2008/07/mccai ns-rape-joke.html
Wonkette Blog
http://wonkette.com/401166/the-latest-ge m-from-mccains-long-history-of-horrifyin g-wisecracks
Think Progress Blog
http://thinkprogress.org/2008/07/15/mcca in-finds-rape-hilarious/
Jed Report Blog
http://www.jedreport.com/2008/07/john-mc cains-ra.html
Crooks and Liars Blog
http://www.crooksandliars.com/2008/07/15 did-you-hear-john-mccains-womanrapegori lla-joke
June 11, 2008...1:43 pm
Why Women should run as fast as they can from John McCain
(I mean besides the fact he’s been a playboy).
John McCain presents himself as a moderate. (Arianna Huffington, for one, is actively trying to unmask him in her new book “Right is Wrong”). Let’s take a look at his voting record that should be of interest to women and enlightened men.
The following is from a post by David Greenberg, President and CEO of Planned Parenthood of the Columbia/Willamette on doublespeakshow.com:
John McCain is one of only a few Senators to earn a Zero percent lifetime rating from Planned Parenthood’s Action Fund, and he only scored that high because the organization doesn’t have a lower rating. Let’s look at how he accomplished this.
McCain is so extremely anti-choice that he believes that Roe was wrongly decided, saying, “I do not support Roe verses Wade. It should be overturned.” (Sen. McCain, Associated Press, February 19, 2007).
He further stated, “If I am fortunate enough to be elected as the President of the United States, I pledge to you to be a loyal and unswerving friend of the right to life movement.” (Statement by Sen. McCain read by Sen. Brownback at the March for Life, Washington, DC, January 22, 2008).
Further, in an interview with George Stephanopoulous on ABC’s This Week, McCain said, “I do believe that it’s very likely or possible that the Supreme Court should, could overturn Roe v. Wade”. (January 19, 2006).
But Senator McCain is also opposed to providing birth control to prevent the need for abortion. Let’s look at his record:
He voted against requiring health care plans to cover birth control (3/22/03).
He voted against comprehensive, medically accurate sex education (7/25/06).
He voted against international family planning funding (3/14/96).
He voted against funding to prevent teen and unintended pregnancies (3/17/05).
He voted against public education for emergency contraception (3/17/05).
And he voted against restoring Medicaid funding that could be used for family planning for low-income women (3/17/05).
NPR reported earlier this year that, “Many Republican voters seem to believe, incorrectly, that the current Republican front-runner, Arizona Senator John McCain, supports abortion rights.”
John McCain wants us to believe that he’s a moderate who supports improving the health of women in the United States, but in fact he’s among the most extreme members of Congress who voted against common sense measures on family planning, sex education and access to basic healthcare.
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God forbid McCain should get elected and appoint 2 conservative Supreme Court justices, thus sealing the court as a conservative stronghold.
Let’s not only protect Roe v. Wade, but all women’s rights. We cannot afford to have our society slip back into the Dark Ages. Let’s protect all our civil liberties.
McCain is making a hard play for all Hillary’s women supporters. Please help all women (and men!) understand the consequences. Pass this info on!
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