Maybe you missed this, but I love this story:
A speaker introducing Republican presidential candidate John McCain at a rally here Tuesday ridiculed Democratic contender Barack Obama for his intention to meet with “world leaders who want to kill us” and pointedly referred to the Illinois senator as “Barack Hussein Obama.”
Local conservative radio host Bill Cunningham went on to describe Obama as “a hack Chicago, Daley-style politician who is picturing himself as change.”
“When he gets done with you, all you’re going to have in your pocket is change,” he said.
McCain later condemned Cunningham’s remarks and apologized to Obama.
McCain could have shrugged the whole thing off by saying “this guy doesn’t speak for me,” but he didn’t. What he did do is throw a supporter under the bus for a minor political infraction.
There’s a dumb ass Rush Limbaugh wannabe in every radio market, and this guy was just doing his right wing radio schtick as a “warm up” for the senator. Well, he’s not happy with how Sen. T-Rex Arms is treating him:
“Why is he attacking me and not Obama or Hillary? He ought to attack Democrats and quit attacking conservatives like me,” Cunningham said. “I’ve had it up to here with John McCain. He’s off the list. I’m joining Ann Coulter in supporting Hillary Rodham Clinton.”
No kidding.
And what’s with the “Hussein” thing anyway? Inbred mouth-breathing types like to mention it as a way of saying:
“Hey look! This guys gots a funny name! He must be a A-rab or sumthin’.”
“Hussein” is like the “Smith” of the Arab world. It’s a common name in most of the world. It would be funny if Mahmūd Ahmadinejād’s middle name was Smith or something like that.
I can see the attacks ads already:
You though President Ahmadinejād hated The Great Satan… but did you know that his middle name is…
…Johnson?
Can we really trust someone with a funny American name? No.
This message was approved by XXXXXX because we need a president with a patriotic middle name.
If only we could export that kind of thing to other countries.
McCain did the right thing. I beleive he did this out of conviction .. a lesson few other politicians may understand.
As for the Hussein flap, Will you know effin well why it is an issue. The radical right uses word like this as code words, just as the insist on referring to the Democrats as the Democrat Party or calling Hillary Mrs. Clinton, etc.
By the way, assuming my Arabic is correct, Barack probably means “Blessed” as in Baruch in hebrew or Bendedict in European. Spinoza’s first names were Baruch or Benedict.
As I mentioned when this item first appeared (a few days ago), it seemed to me that McCain enjoyed the benefits of Cunningham’s diatribe by (a) being intruduced by a person who laughed off the comments and then said how much “they” appreciated all of Cunningham’s hard work for the Republicans, and (b) not denouncing Cunningham on the spot, but instead taking advantage of the stocked-up audience for his stump speach. Only behind the scenes, for the benefit of the national media cameras, did he condemn Cunningham’s remarks.
It seems to me that McCain is trying to have it both ways. And Cunningham isn’t going to play the sacrificial lamb quite so easily. His ego demands that McCain also acknowledge his worth to the Republican Party, rather than being disregarded as an errant whacko – like the uncle at Thanksgiving dinner who drinks too much.
But I agree that all the candidates have a potential problem with respect to whacko supporters or endorsers. Just this past week Obama had to reject the (unsolicited) endorsements of Farrakan and David Duke (ex-KKK leader) – two polar extremes if there ever were any. (Strangly enough, if you listen to all of Duke’s comments, he actually endorsed all three candidates – Obama, Hillary, & McCain). And all three candidates are being faced with the fact that not everyone contributing to their campaigns have stellar records.
Since the media isn’t seriously examining the positions or experience of any of these candidates, all that’s left is for them to run down these little items, hoping that they turn into bigger scandals.
This illustrates John McCain’s conundrum. Every time he tacks to the middle he loses conservative interest, and in fact antagonizes the bastards. Every time he tacks right he loses moderates. Because of this dynamic, there’s no way he can stitch together a winning coalition. Not gonna work.
The big difference is that neither Farrakahn nor Duke have any influence within the Dem party while McCain’s party is largely run by the rad tight.
The quesiton asked on BHO, btw, was outrageous for one real reason. While Hillary has run a less than clean campaign, Obama has been pretty careful not to throw mud. The worst Hilalry In can come up with was his use of the term disingenuous to apply to HRC and the claim that his mannerisms put her down.
For the record here are a few quite real issues BHO could raise:
1, Hillarie’s church recently placed an embargo on investiments in Israek.
2. Her husband insists he will keep running the Clinton Foundation even though this has already and will continue to involve him in bad affairs like the offering of a UN post to the fascist dictator of Khazakhistan.
3. Ms. Clinton’s total emplyment outseide of her work for Bill or as NY Sen., was 1 year! Calling that experience seems dumb.
4. Shes till employs Ira magaziner, widley creditted with having oulled out the boirt
SJ@ 4: I assume this post got cut off by accident?
Did anybody catch McCain’s speech, where he proclaimed to be a proud Republican conservative liberal ….. (he tried to correct himself quickly).
Look, anybody who’s in front of a microphone several hours a day, campaigning with little sleep, can make a mistake now and then. That’s not a big deal. What’s hilarious is that you can hear the crowd gasp as he misspoke – you would think he had just confessed to murdering his mother.
The real question here is whether McCain would be able to “shut off” the efforts in his “behalf” of the Limbaugh/Rove/Scaife/Viguerie crowd even if he wanted to.
This is shaping up to be a very, very messy campaign.
Uh – what?
@ 4 – point 3: Total Employment – that’s a cute lie.
Let me start off with 4 years right now: She joined the faculty of the University of Arkansas Law School in 1975 and the Rose Law Firm in 1976. In 1978, President Jimmy Carter appointed her to the board of the Legal Services Corporation. Do I need to continue or do you you feel foolish enough yet?
@ point 1: – Proof?
@ point 2: While I don’t think it’s a bad thing to run the Clinton Foundation, but if you want to talk about bad spouses – Michelle Obama anyone?
Oh wait, we’re not allowed to talk about her because she’s not running for office, according to the Obama sheep. So which side of the double standard are you going to stand on?
@ point 4 – the only part of your message that was understandable was Ira Magaziner – who was part of the 1993 Health Care Reform that Hillary was in charge of. After the Health Care reform failed, Magaziner stayed to develop an E-Commerce policy initiative with OSTP staff and industry advisors. That initiative evolved to include a facilitative role in the formation the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN), to assume Internet administrative activities previously maintained by the US DARPA. Magaziner’s White House office also oversaw the development of legislation for American involvement in international health, including the development of “compulsory licensing” for developing countries facing health crises.
What’s the matter with having him on board?
Old news re Cunningham. Borrrrrrring.
Check out the babe on Drudge. The big Churchillian ‘V’ is either for Victory or for Eve Ensler.
8 “While I don’t think it’s a bad thing to run the Clinton Foundation, but if you want to talk about bad spouses – Michelle Obama anyone?”
Huh? Oh, yeah…another mantra of the wingnut “true believers”.
“It would be funny if Mahmūd Ahmadinejād’s middle name was Smith or something like that.”
It would be even funnier if Mahmūd Ahmadinejād’s middle name was Cunningham. As in: Mahmūd Cunningham Ahmadinejād.
What the hell — I can hope, can’t I?
The fact that 2 of the English-speaking world’s loudest Clinton-haters would switch to supporting Clinton because of a trival personal snit with McCain tells you all you’ll ever want to know about how shallow and superficial these people are.
Cunningham’s not just a local Cincinnati jock – he’s syndicated nationally, including Sunday evenings on KVI.
13 Sounds like a good reason not to listen to KVI on Sunday nights. Maybe even to let Fisher Broadcasting know you’re not and why.
Roger @ 11,
Yep, you can hope all right.
And I sure hope Hillary is finished by late tomorrow night. Obama is OK with me. Just as long as it’s not Hillary!
Sounds like McCain was in a “lose-lose” predicament in your opinion.
You’re really stretching to give him grief for apologizing.
Typical lefty attitude: a Republican does the right thing and is condemned for it.
http://www.tmz.com/2008/03/03/.....-election/
….pretty interesting….
“Did “The West Wing” Predict the 2008 Election?”
“The writers of “The West Wing” were using a helluva magic eight ball! The last two seasons of the show have some strange coincidences with the 2008 Presidential race.
SlateV.com created a video comparing the similarities between Barack Obama and Jimmy Smits’ character, Matt Santos. A writer for the show, Eli Attie, admits Smits character was directly shaped by Obama. The writer even met with one of Obama’s political consultants, who was working on his campaign for Senate at the time.
In the show, a Congressman of color runs for the Democratic nomination and the primary race is so close it leads to a brokered convention. Smits opponent is better-known, funded and experienced. Freaky!
P.S. — Santos won the nomination and went on to win the presidential election.”
I actually think McCain did the right thing. The thing wrong with politics is all the slander. If they all quit pointing out the wrongs on each side and concentrate on what each one of them brings to the table and how they will accomplish their ideas, we might get a clearer idea on where our candidates really stand.
Seattle Jew, You either need to slow down on the keyboard
or repeat the 7th grade but your posts are a difficult
read.
Why McCain Should Choose Huckabee
“Much depends on … Mr McCain’s eventual running-mate. Many Mormons believe Mr Huckabee used Mr Romney’s faith against him, as when the former Baptist minister asked a reporter ‘Don’t Mormons believe that Jesus and the devil are brothers?’ If Mr Huckabee is on the Republican ticket, there could be a latter-day revolt.”
http://tinyurl.com/ywg4xz
@18 That’s like asking Hitler Youth to uphold the Boy Scout oath, sweetie! When are you going to get it that Republicans are incorrigble?
Why It Doesn’t Matter Who McCain Chooses
“Polls show that Americans now trust the Democrats as much, if not more, than Republicans on national security and terrorism — a striking change from … earlier in the decade.”
http://tinyurl.com/2peah3
ROGER THE POLLS SHOW McCAIN BEATS BOTH YOUR GOONS.SHIT ARE YOU STILL ALIVE.
@19 mark
I type terribly. When I was in the seventh grade (we called it class six), the emphasis was on Latin and French. Typing was not taught.
I am also using a version of FFox that is in beta and does not support Google Spell Check.
I will try to do better.
I sure Rush will be glad to know Will considers a conservative radio host to be a deejay.
SeattleJew:
Mozilla/5.0 Gecko/20080201 Firefox/2.0.0.12 works great.
Heilary Cliton’s campaign just made some news. Apparently they ask their his panic supporters on Spanish-language TV through various ads to show up at tonight’s caucuses fifteen minutes earlier than her supporters in the same English ads.
Is Heilary stereotyping again? Is she suggesting her Latino buds might be un poco tardío?
23
You’re another manifestation of Puddy, aren’t you? The most intelligent one.
@ 27:
Look at you getting all dusted up! There’s a little truth in every sterotype isn’t there?
Remember, I’m “part black” too.
Puddy’s Prick
I know that the old version works, but I am uisng FF 3.
Howsabout it?
look at the wives …
McCain’s wife .. she looks as if she always ready .. to be embalmed
Hillary’s wife is so ugly shee looks like a man.
Obama’s wife looks like one of the servants at the White House.
Dear Goldy or Dave: 3/8/08
horsesASS.org: how come no mention of th e tax bill to raise our engine litre size taxes ??? guess the bill fell through th e cracks, but 2009 is comming up???
Wasnt bad enough that she raised our license tags after we voted to have them lowered ?
what is she doing to our young people who can hardly survive ??
they do not make much money???
I have a grandaughter who finished 2 years of college BEFOR she graduated from hi school. than went to pullman & completed 2 years in 1 year & 1 summer cost her 37,000.00 dollars. had to move out of th e Dormitory because of th e Drugs & partying ?? to her own private apartment to be able to complete her mission. & now lives in seattle.
ALL of the illeagles got their college time for FREE, a paid for party time , all drove brand new cars some tricked out??
grandaughter has been iin seattle two years just trying to pay off her college loans while riding th e buss back N forth to work.
im so fed up with this crap if i was younger id leave the damn country & wouldnt look back. the polititions have stole my pride & respect .
or us Retired Senior Citizens who are just squeezing by on ou r fixed income~~~~~ is she gonna haress us till our death showes up.???? we cant even take a vacation now from price of tags insurance gas ?? im 72 & dissabled is she trying to push us into th e hole???
illeagles work under th e table mowing lawns — no business license?? while un proven wifes draw SSI & low income welfare. they go to store him on one cart heaping full of meat hers heaping full of other groceries. thats 2 carts plum full.
my wife & I are barley able to cover th e bottom of our cart with groceries i can carry into th e house on one arm in plastic sacks !!& it breaks us $100.00 ?? that is what i CALL TERRorISM !!! NO SENIOR DISCOUNTS. than th e state patrol tries everything imaginable to take our drivers license cause we are limping a little when it comes up due. what do we have to do leave the misserable state at 70 years young???????
what is going on ????? now th e senitors are trying to give up our english language that our soldiers have been blown to pieces trying to protect our Freedom while our politicals are trying their damndest to take our born & raised american freedom away from us ?
IM am complaining ???? who do i complain to ??/ we arent even allowed to vote on our out come . that is being raped & pilliaged by our own voted in polititions. they are th e traitors !!!
Lester M. Daniels Richland WA 3/8/08 mossaget2@aol.com
worked all my life in washington state- raised family paid taxes .