Quoted for posterity:
45 minutes into the event, McCain called on a man who asked a question that included a four-letter word. Here is the audio (mp3 runs 35 seconds) . Here is the transcript:
“Yes sir. Yes sir,” McCain said, gesturing to the man he had called upon.
“This question goes to mental health and mental health care,” the man began. “Previously I’ve been married to a woman that was very verbally abusive to me. Is it true that you called your wife a xxxxxxx?”
Via Tbogg.
Krista
Glad I wasn’t there. I would have been laughing hysterically.
Just Some Fuckhead
Now that donkey-blowing waste of humanity can brag to all his friends that he isn’t voting for McCain because McCain wouldn’t answer a direct question about whether or not he called his wife a bitch.
Just think about how godawful stupid you have to be to spend all that time getting into position in a public campaign event to ask something so completely and totally ignorant.
We’re doomed.
Wilfred
I don’t like McCain but unless someone can back up that charge with a tape or a witness willing to confront him on it then it’s just another cheap shot smear. If you’re going to be pissed off at the ones thrown at Obama you have got to stand up for the same principle when it’s somebody else. Fair play’s a jewel
Just Some Fuckhead
Damn.. I meant to include the adjective “cuckolded”.
nightjar
Funny. It’s got Ron Paul supporter written all over it. Those guys never give up.
John Cole
I could care less if it is true or not. What is truly awesome about this is the idea of someone dropping a C-bomb in the middle of several hundred middle-aged Iowa Republicans.
Krista
Oh it was definitely a cheap shot, but I’m always amused by the vulgar and inappropriate.
Besides, McCain’s been getting a seriously cushy ride with the media, so I can’t cry too many tears of pity for him. This won’t hurt his campaign at all– at most, it’ll be an amusing “and now something interesting for last” news bit.
Wilfred
It would be fun to bait McCain at his appearances by asking him things like: “Did you call your wife to hunt?” or “Is your wife blunt?” or “Cindy’s a real, hot-tempered runt, ain’t she John?”, or “If Cindy’s Lynn Fontanne, does that make you A. Lunt?”.
The it would be ok.
DonkeyKong
Good gravy, what kind of cunt..ry do we live in?
BH-Buck
From that link:
Maybe your not, sir. The point the man was trying to make: that’s what John McCain is all about.
Sheeesh!
Seitz
How about staying clear of name calling, and just ask McCain the following hypothetical:
If a middle class person with no public profile were exposed as not only a drug addict, but one who stole drugs from the charity that person was in charge of (like Cindy did), what sort of sentence would you reccomend? Would you reccomend a mere slap on the wrist, which is actually more than your wife got for the same crime? And would support that person’s efforts in trying to ruin the life of the person who exposed him? How do you square your answer with your hawkish stance on the drug war?
cbear
How about both? Fuck ’em if they can’t take a joke.
Seitz
Sorry, that came off wrong. I really couldn’t care less what people call that lying sack of crap.
norbizness
Since when do we have to asterisk “trollop”?
Doug
I’ll just note for the record that McCain didn’t say, “no.”
Great Gatsby
McCain’s response should have been:
“You’re a cunt. That’s what I think of you. Cunt.”
wasabi gasp
Marriage is between a man and his trollop cunt.
Sirkowski
Ooooooh snap!
Wilfred
I was thinking about that, too. I mean he had a whole range of possible answers beginning with a simple no and continuing:
“Yeah, but it was your wife, asshole, when she couldn’t break a 10 dollar bill.”
or:
“My wife doesn’t even have one. It was surgically replaced with an ATM that’s financing my campaign”.
or even a simple: “I’ll kick your ass for that you fucking…”.
But all we get is the schoolmarmish ‘language, language’, hardly a stirring riposte.
Could this snatch the headlines from Rev. Wright?
incontrolados
Tom Maguire is already on it:
I’d be shocked if he is actually a baptist minister – this blog looks like a good match for name, age, and location, but he is a former Biden worker now backing Obama.
Nothing in his educational background or expressed interests suggests he is a minister.
cleek
sexist
shortstop
No denial. “There’s people who don’t respect that kind of language…
…for example, Cindy fucking freaks out every time I call her that.”
ShouldKnowBetter
For some reason the HuffPo ‘related tags’ list is what cracked me up.
cbear
Sidney Blumenthal Uses Former Right-Wing Foes To Attack Obama
Looks like we have the answer to that whole who did what to whom, when question.
Hmmm, wonder who will be the first to come here and start the rationalizing?
KC
This is pretty funny. However, with all the friends McCain has in the press, this could really work out to his benefit. After all, given the poor sourcing, it was a pretty jerk-ass question to ask. Still, it is funny.
mapaghimagsik
Quoth Fat Albert:
The Other Steve
I found the Official Balloon-Juice glove!
Just needs a logo.
Ok, to get the joke… view the link and read the description and then look at the glove again closely. :-)
Zuzu
And hey, how ’bout that “related item”!
Dennis - SGMM
Sweet Baby Jesus, that site has the whole line of Blackwater wannabe gear. The only thing missing is the Asshole GI Joe Mercenary action figure.
MDee
Somewhere there is video of this. Just can’t remember where. The ladies were shocked and appalled. Lots of intake of air. It was a typical McCain crowd so you can imagine. Even McCain looked a little shocked. Slightly disappointed no one swooned.
In was a wildly inappropriate thing to repeat in mixed company. You take your chances at town halls. It’s probably the hardest hitting question McCain will ever be asked in the coming months. especially if he keeps those ribs and backrubs coming to his press buddies.
Of course, it’s not like the media was ever going to ask the question or even hint that McCain has anger issues and a potty mouth anyway. Oh no, why use a guy’s own words against him when it’s so much easier to use some other guys words, especially if he’s a scaaaaary black minister.
Zuzu
Oh yeah, Tom Maguire, the expert at chawing over irrelevancies whilst unable to find his a$$ with both hands.
KRK
Apparently, the guy was pulled out and questioned by the Secret Service.
And he is an ordained Baptist minister.
http://iowapolitics.com/index.iml?Article=125056
NR
I will say this – if the story about McCain calling his wife that are true, then the three reporters who saw it and are hiding behind anonymity are even bigger douchebags than McCain.
Adam
Anonymity? Chris Schecter claimed it in his recent book, and it was confirmed by Chellie Pingree (former head of a DC watchdog org) and Mark Schmitt at TAPPED (all-around schmot guy). Who’s hiding behind anonymity?
Chuck in Michigan
UHmmm.. it is now known that he is NOT a Baptist Minister, but rather a former campaign aid to Joe Biden and now a B. Hussain Obama supporter and a Democrat.
Nice try, now go support that house negro and leave a real American leader alone.
You’re welcome.
firebrand
Speaking of Cindy McCain, am I the only one who looks at her and thinks of Cruella De Vil?
grandpajohn
Yeah but remember this was a bunch of repubs so why would we expect them to get a point about the the negative character of one of their chosen
grandpajohn
No, remember Mcbush is a republican
grandpajohn
It seems to me that maybe their should be more emphasis on this part of the story that is being ignored
Questioned by the secret service for using a 4 letter word? and escorted from the building? all for requesting Mcbush to give an honest answer to a question relating to his famed temper? does the term “fascism” sound familiar here?
Punchy
What’s so wrong wit callin yer wife a “xxxxxx”? seems like a complement, especially if you throw some “o”s in between….
jake
So. The Secret Service is OK with “Bitch” (as in “How do we beat the bitch?”). However, “C^nt” (As in ‘Please confirm or deny that you called your wife a c…’) is a no-no.
Gotcha.
Note: I’m assuming McCane had SS protection when the “Bitch” incident occurred.
drag0n
I hope he gets asked that question everywhere he goes!
This election just got fun!
Jamey
McCain’s wife is a thieving pillhead. McCain himself is the cunt.
I hope this has been helpful.
crack
I’m sure this isn’t the right place to put this, but when I try and send it in email it gets blocked.
Iacocca’s new book may be referred to as shrill.
http://www.snopes.com/politics/soapbox/iacocca.asp
Dug Jay
“What is truly awesome about this is the idea of
someonea Balloon Juice regular dropping a C-bomb in the middle of several hundred middle-aged Iowa Republicans.”Corrected for likely accuracy.
Zifnab
If McCain is elected President, in four more years we won’t have to deal with such a travesty of justice. Its a real shame that foul language like that can’t land you in an undisclosed location for an indefinite number of years. Parrish is clearly a verbal terrorist.
Xenos
Any bets on whether Parrish is on the terrorism no-fly list with Nelson Mandela by now?
lilysmom
Grandpajohn I agree with your comment at 7:53 AM.
The Secret Service pulled the man outside and FUCKING questioned him? What happened to free speech????
Is McCain so emotionally frail that is was deemed a threat to his life?
Republicans do not belive in the Bill of Rights.
Dan
I am not buying that story about McCain either. It’s a Richard Gere/hamster story. Fun to spread around, a lot of people believe it, but just doesn’t hold up.
Dan
Next time he gets asked a question about this he should just say “Look, cocksucker ….”
grandpajohn
Or hell maybe he could just respond with an honest yes or no answer. I mean if Obama can answer the same stupid questions about his minister several thousand times then surely the old straight talking maverick could answer one question one time.
Scrutinizer
Silly person. That’s what the Free Speech Zone is for. He was standing in the wrong zone, that’s all.
“The White Zone is for loading and unloading only. If you have to load or unload, go to the White Zone. You’ll love it. It’s a way of life.”
The Other Steve
Leader of what?
Lavocat
Check out the Rude Pundit’s take on this (5/2/08 post). This was so fucking funny that it brought tears to my eyes. Now THAT boy can write some wicked ass satire!
Tom Hilton
Those links confirm a different McCain story–about him getting Chellie Pingree fired from Common Cause. Which is actually a more incriminating story, but not the one at issue here.
The Populist
It will become McCain’s “asshole” moment (as in when Bush’s mike was still on and he told Cheney that the NYT reporter was an asshole).
Zuzu
(Prior corrected to include link)
Oh yeah, Tom Maguire, the expert at chawing over irrelevancies whilst unable to find his a$$ with both hands.