McCain Spokesman: America Loves Him for His Rape Jokes

If you listen to McCain's campaign and his apologists in the Mainstream Media, you would think Americans love a president who doesn't pay his credit card bill, "forgets" to pay property taxes, makes crude comments about presidents' daughters and, as reported by John Arivosis on Americablog, tells rape jokes.

McCain campaign refuses to deny that McCain used to like to tell rape jokes. In fact, they say rape jokes are the kind of thing that Americans love him for.

"He's long said that he's said and done things in the past that he regrets. You've just got to move on, and be yourself - that's what people want. They want somebody who's authentic, and this kind of a stuff is a good example of McCain being McCain." - McCain spokesman yesterday.

Yeah that's what people want. Some of us who followed politics for a long time remember the 1990 race for Governor of Texas when Republican Clayton Williams (a McCain fundraiser, of course) was headed for election until he told a nasty one, himself. But even if it's not ok if you are a Republican, it's still ok if you are John McCain. After all, he's a (cough) MAVERICK, a POW and the MSM's best friend for over 20 years. I'm waiting for Chris Matthews to exaplain this one away.

•  An Old Boat Anchor...

  ...is an Old Boat Anchor, is a...

  by JeffW on Fri Jul 18, 2008 at 08:58:50 AM PDT

•  The rape joke was 22 years ago,

  tasteless though it was, and I'm willing to cut him some slack unless it can be shown that he's kept on telling this joke through the intervening 2 decades.

  OTOH, the time when he barked "you c*nt" at his own wife is more recent. Is that the kind of authenticity we want?

  by Kimball Cross on Fri Jul 18, 2008 at 08:59:22 AM PDT

  •  It's a matter of balance...

    If say Obama made the same joke but subbed Guerrilla for 'black man' - this campaign would pretty much be over.

    by RichM on Fri Jul 18, 2008 at 09:01:06 AM PDT

    •  Tit for tat.

      "If Hillary had said..." "If Obama did the exact same thing..." "But McCain's associated with Person X, and that's just as bad."

      by Kip the Dip on Fri Jul 18, 2008 at 09:07:33 AM PDT

      •  It's all so silly

        You're right that maybe Obama would be treated worse, but he's getting pretty decent media coverage also.

        Let's be honest here: how many of us have made offensive jokes in the past?  I like to think something I say today (I'm 19) won't resurface in 20 years and damage my career.  Let's cut him some slack...despite the fact that it pains me to say so.

        by New England Liberal Elitist on Fri Jul 18, 2008 at 09:26:09 AM PDT

  •  Rev. Wright's comments were seven years ago

    and yet they still dominate the minds of some people as evidence Obama shouldn't be president (my brother among them).

    by darthstar on Fri Jul 18, 2008 at 09:02:38 AM PDT

  •  22 years ago he was 50!

    it's not like he was some hot-shot kid. He was an old man when he made that joke.

    by Muzikal203 on Fri Jul 18, 2008 at 09:02:42 AM PDT

    •  weird

      by The Termite on Fri Jul 18, 2008 at 09:04:02 AM PDT

      •  Oh, I see what you mean now.

        Just saw your other comment. That was weird. Brilliant minds and all that...

        by Pager on Fri Jul 18, 2008 at 09:15:10 AM PDT

    •  hey, 50 isn't old!

      but really, by 1986, anyone who was even remotely aware of the feminist movement should have known better than to tell a rape joke.  It's inexcusable.

      by indybend on Fri Jul 18, 2008 at 09:30:23 AM PDT

    •  50, my friend, is NOT old!

      Thank you very much!

      by RO45 on Fri Jul 18, 2008 at 09:30:49 AM PDT

    •  50 isn't old, Muzikal.

      Especially if you're 58, like me.

      by Kimball Cross on Fri Jul 18, 2008 at 09:41:39 AM PDT

      •  Okay, he was old enough to KNOW better

        I'm sure you all got my point.

        by Muzikal203 on Fri Jul 18, 2008 at 09:46:43 AM PDT

    •  ahem

      I resemble that remark...

      by fotyc on Fri Jul 18, 2008 at 10:21:42 AM PDT

  •  How old was John McCain 22 years ago?

    50-ish?

    It was 1986.

    There's no excuse.

    by The Termite on Fri Jul 18, 2008 at 09:03:49 AM PDT

  •  I'm sure he hasn't really changed a bit.

    by LRT on Fri Jul 18, 2008 at 09:06:44 AM PDT

  •  He's remarkably consistent:

    1986.  Sadist and misogynist--rape joke

    1992.  Sadist and misogynist--calls his wife a 'trollop" and "c@nt"

    1998.  Sadist and misogynist:  cruelly mocks an 18-year old Chelsea Clinton's appearance with a piggish remark about Janet Reno

    His voting record on issues that impact women's lives bears this consistency out.

    by Geekesque on Fri Jul 18, 2008 at 09:09:17 AM PDT

    •  At least he didn't

      At least he didn't call a young female reporter "Sweetie", like that sexist bastard Obama! Did you know Obama also beat a woman?

      by Kip the Dip on Fri Jul 18, 2008 at 09:14:41 AM PDT

    •  He finished the at the bottom of his class

      Maybe he was the class joker.  Bush was a cheerleader. These are regular Joe's, and that's what people love about them.  Who cares whether they can run the country.

      There is Republican precident for giving mediocre persons representation in high offices.    

      by Kayakbiker on Fri Jul 18, 2008 at 09:20:24 AM PDT

      •  But only if said mediocres

        promise to loot the treasury for the next 40 years and give it to renegade corporations.

        by wozzle on Fri Jul 18, 2008 at 09:28:14 AM PDT

  •  You have to admit,

    it is a stunningly appalling "joke". I went back and looked at the PDF file of the original article from 1986 but I am having trouble reading it. I would very much like to know in what he context he said this. And for the record, McCain denied saying it, back in 1986. Oddly enough, he does not seem to be denying it now.

    by Pager on Fri Jul 18, 2008 at 09:09:26 AM PDT

    •  He never denied it--it was a "I don't recall"

      statement--just in case someone had a recording.

      by Geekesque on Fri Jul 18, 2008 at 09:10:57 AM PDT

      •  You're right. Good point.

        I'm having a hell of a time reading the original article. If someone has a decent reprint of it, I'd love to see it posted. It's quite damning, actually.

        by Pager on Fri Jul 18, 2008 at 09:16:19 AM PDT

•  I don't know anyone who jokes about rape

  and I don't think my experience is that different from anyone else's. . .

  by Muzikal203 on Fri Jul 18, 2008 at 09:01:59 AM PDT

  •  Wasn't it Norman Mailer that said

    "a little bit of rape is good for a mans soul"...?

    by Sarge in Seattle on Fri Jul 18, 2008 at 09:07:05 AM PDT

    •  Didn't good ole Norm also stab his ex wife? n/t

      by Pager on Fri Jul 18, 2008 at 09:17:14 AM PDT

  •  I know a lot of people who tell offensive jokes

    just because they are offensive.  Rape jokes, dead baby jokes, pedophillia jokes, nothing is off limits.

    by VelvetElvis on Fri Jul 18, 2008 at 09:07:56 AM PDT

    •  "That was one hell of an act."

      "What do you call yourselves?"

      He took off his top hat an proudly exclaimed, "The Aristocrats!"

      by Kip the Dip on Fri Jul 18, 2008 at 09:12:09 AM PDT

•  Surrogates need to pounce on this....

  ....like white on rice.

  McCain's "these are not the droids you're looking for" defense must not stand.

  by The Termite on Fri Jul 18, 2008 at 09:02:15 AM PDT

  •  Corporate Media Mostly Ignore Misogynist.....

    The McCain lovin' MSM is not giving much if any air time to his offensive jokes.

    No accident that McCain's favorable/unfavorable number are better than Obama.

    We all know this: Obama will win despite the entrenched pro McCain bias of "the media".

    by frandor55 on Fri Jul 18, 2008 at 09:17:46 AM PDT

•  We should only pull it out...

  Every time Michelle Obama's thesis is mentioned.

  by Sarge in Seattle on Fri Jul 18, 2008 at 09:07:53 AM PDT

  •  Please tell me you're not comparing

    Michelle Obama's completely innocuous thesis with that vile piece of misogyny?

    by Geekesque on Fri Jul 18, 2008 at 09:10:21 AM PDT

    •  No, I'm just sayin'

      If they are going to dig 20 years back and try to use it, then they can't say about McCain..."but that was 22 years ago..."

      I agree, nothing wrong with her thesis!

      by Sarge in Seattle on Fri Jul 18, 2008 at 09:12:36 AM PDT

      •  McCain's joke is offensive

        and he's the candidate.  Those are two reasons we can use it.

        by Geekesque on Fri Jul 18, 2008 at 09:23:51 AM PDT

      •  Also, McCain was 49 when he made that joke.

        That's older than Michelle is now.

        by Geekesque on Fri Jul 18, 2008 at 09:24:23 AM PDT

        •  Good point...

          McCain argues that his POW years qualify him to be commander in chief. If so, I guess we can use stuff that he said when he was almost 50!

          by Sarge in Seattle on Fri Jul 18, 2008 at 09:37:07 AM PDT

•  I have fed this remark through my Translator:

  that's what people want. They want somebody who's authentic, and this kind of a stuff is a good example of McCain being McCain." -

  Translation:

  That's what people want. they want someone who's an Asshole, and this kind of a stuff is a good example of McCain being an Asshole.

  by Dartagnan on Fri Jul 18, 2008 at 09:11:59 AM PDT

•  The Chelsea Joke

  was absolutely awful. All these "Hillaryis44" and PUMA nutjobs are going to vote for McCain because Hillary was disrespected by Obama?

  They really are batshit!

  by Sarge in Seattle on Fri Jul 18, 2008 at 09:14:21 AM PDT

•  Too bad Earl Butz passed away earlier this year

  He'd have made a perfect running mate for McVain.

  by Dump Terry McAuliffe on Fri Jul 18, 2008 at 09:15:42 AM PDT

  •  Perfect other than

    Jesse Helms.

    by Kip the Dip on Fri Jul 18, 2008 at 09:17:56 AM PDT

•  "McCain being McCain"

  THAT's what his campaign said TODAY.  That is what this is about.  They say, TODAY, that rape jokes are part of what defines McCain.

  This is a huge deal.

  by reef the dog on Fri Jul 18, 2008 at 09:16:45 AM PDT

•  Personally

  I hate that McCain is allowed to get away with it. Rape is not funny or something political figures should implicitly support.

  by MoshebenAvraham on Fri Jul 18, 2008 at 09:20:33 AM PDT

•  Given that McCain was a POW

  isn't it likely that he is a rape victim himself?  Th

  by emt on Fri Jul 18, 2008 at 09:49:20 AM PDT