McCain: "And I stopped beating my wife just a couple of weeks ago."

[Thrill]

Women out there thinking of voting for this joke of a character. How does that joke play with you?

http://blogs.abcnews.com/politicalpunch/2008/06/mccain-gambles.html

[babylonsister]

1. He sounds more and more like * daily. This would be something

the dim one would say. I think McSame's sense of humor leaves a lot to be desired. Remember 'Bomb Bomb Bomb Bomb Bomb Iran'?

[Mabus]

12. I respectfully disagree

He's sounded like Bush for a long time. The media just didn't like to tarnish his image too much in the past. After all, the media are the ones that made McCain by promoting him as a "maverick" and they often pointed to how much fun he was on the campaign trail. McCain hasn't changed. The media used to like his humor and ust didn't report what an asshole he's been all this time.

[BrklynLib at work]

2. Another indication that McSame is losing some of his faculties?

[NYC_SKP]

14. Yes, I think so. Hell, I'm only 51 and I'm losing mine! nt

[NatBurner]

3. he's a real cut-up

maybe he can tour the catskills after his asskicking in november

[liberal N proud]

4. Stupidly inappropriate

It should be frightening that he even has those thoughts.

[blogslut]

5. Even wierder

...was how the comment had absolutely no relevance to the question.

[NewJeffCT]

7. I know, WTF?

It was totally out of the blue and not related.

[Thrill]

8. It just shows......Thats how he really talks

when he's around his buds. Or the Good O' Boys Club

[agentS]

19. Way out of Right Field

I thought he had learned better since "CUNTGATE" but I guess I was wrong.
http://www.truth-about-mccain.blogspot.com

I fully expect him to bust out a few N-bombs soon, maybe on live TV.

[snooper2]

6. Jack Tapper..

it's good to see he's somewhat of an equal opportunity idiot :rofl:

[ecstatic]

9. This is the "straight talk" that everybody is supposed to be in awe of

:puke:

What an asshole! And he's not even remotely funny.

[Mabus]

10. The "real" story is that the press is actually repeating what McCain says.

Back in 1999 and 2000 there was such a love fest between the media and McCain that reporters would take him off the record when he said stupid things. And they did it to protect him and his image. Speaking of image, don't forget that it was the press that gave McCain the "maverick" label for the way he interacted with them behind the scenes. Well, this is the type of crap that made him their hero. He would gather the media around him and tell inappropriate stories of his affairs or make inappropriate racial comments.

They used to think that things like this were irreverent and funny. Then again, these are the same media reporters who used to line up to be Imus in the Morning. Tells you a lot about the mentality of the political media, doesn't it?

[Hope And Change]

11. Huh?

[NYC_SKP]

13. What are you, Anti-American, spreading these lies against our hero???

MAJOR :sarcasm:

He was a "war hero" and a POW, which makes him somewhat immune to Media attacks.

And he is kind of pathetic, quite old, can't raise his arms due to the years as a prisoner, it looks cheap to attack him no matter what distasteful or malevolent things he's done.

Not that the media don't give repubs a pass anyway,

it's just that this one gets away with more.

[Thrill]

15. LOL. I'm kinda of pissed he's been beating up on Cindy. How do we know he's not still doing it?

We're suppose to take him at his word, that he has stopped?

[NYC_SKP]

16. I doubt he's stopped or changed much...

that kind of mindset and the consequential behavior is embedded in one's character.

Even if it's unexpressed and "managed", it's still in his heart.

My bet is that it slips out from time to time.

[blondeatlast]

47. He needs help. since he just stated that out of thin air, it's clear he's desperately

asking for help.

[Donald Ian Rankin]

17. This was a perfectly inoffensive remark; trying to manufacture an issue out of it is silly.

"When did you stop beating your wife" is a recognised idiom, and it's nothing to do with wife-beating. It was a witty and well-observed response to a silly question.

There are more than enough good reasons to oppose McCain.

This post is a perfect example of crying wolf, and in wolf-infested terrain at that.

[TBF]

21. Maybe in your country. Although my husband is British and I've never heard him say something

that stupid.

[Occam Bandage]

24. ...

http://www.google.com/search?client=safari&rls=en-us&q=%22stopped+beating+your+wife%22&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8

[TBF]

25. Just because you can google something does not mean it is not

sexist. Just because something has been repeated for years does not mean it is acceptable. Here's to evolution.

[Occam Bandage]

28. I was refuting the denial of its common use. The bizarre claim that it is 'sexist' is another beast.

[QueenOfCalifornia]

31. thank you.

Interesting.

But McCain sounds like an ass no matter what.

[Occam Bandage]

33. McCain is indeed an ass. Claiming he's an ass is more effective if we stick to the truth.

[thewiseguy]

27. Well observed response?

You just dont joke about these things. Why would he even have these thoughts?

[Occam Bandage]

30. "Why would he even have these thoughts?"

Because he has, at some point, studied logic?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fallacy_of_many_questions

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

37. Does the journalist's question strike you as particularly loaded?

[Occam Bandage]

38. To John McCain, it undoubtedly was, since he does not want to admit to

'running away from President Bush.' If he answers, "Yes," then he's declaring that he's running away from both. If he answers, "no," then he declares that he's running away from President Bush, which he obviously doesn't want to admit to.

So I'd say the question was indeed loaded. I believe presupposed statement in the question is truthful, but it is certainly disputed.

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

39. I'm asking if you think it was loaded.

Does the question merit the response?

[Occam Bandage]

40. Yes. The question included a statement that I believe is truthful, but which is disputed.

Since John McCain disputes that he is running away from President Bush, the question is loaded.

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

41. So you're thinking McCain is lying, as well as attacking the journalist.

OK.

[Occam Bandage]

42. Either lying or self-deluded. Hard to know, especially at his age.

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

44. Then I've got no problem with making an issue of this gaffe.

They say a gaffe in politics is when you accidentally tell the truth. This senile old coot unnecessarily savaged this journalist. Fuck him.

[Occam Bandage]

45. As evidence of his anger/temper, sure, I'd be on board.

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

46. I've told this joke myself.

On DU yet. Only it was much funnier. And told it knowing full well I may need to reap the whirlwind.

Telling it in a Presidential campaign... that's just stupid.

[Occam Bandage]

18. Fer Chrissake you people. It's a reference to a common mockery of loaded questions.

"Have you stopped beating your wife?" is the classic loaded question--if you say "yes," you declare that you used to beat your wife. If you say, "no," you declare that you currently beat your wife. You admit to being a wife-beater unless you completely reject the question as being loaded. He did not make up the phrase. It is not a sexist phrase.

[Thrill]

20. If Obama made the joke. He wouldn't be given the benefit of doubt from McCain

So why should we give it to him.

McCain is a wife beater and he should be held accountable

[Occam Bandage]

22. If Obama said that, and a few morons acted offended, I'd say the same.

[thewiseguy]

29. A few morons? You need to watch it.

Only someone who is ok with labeling people as morons would not have a problem with what McCain said.

[Occam Bandage]

32. Why? There are two options here:

1. The people complaining are completely ignorant as to the phrase's origin, usage, and meaning, and are still offering (and demanding people respect) their ignorant opinions.

2. The people complaining here are aware of the phrase, or are at least aware that they may be incorrect, and yet purposefully set aside the truth to try to trap a political candidate in a 'gaffe' born entirely of the ignorance of others.

I would happily call either of those people 'morons' were they Republicans. I'm inclined to look upon Democrats a bit more favorably, but...

[thewiseguy]

34. As I said only a person who throws insults around would have no problem with what McCain said

[Occam Bandage]

35. ...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ad_hominem

[Occam Bandage]

36. dupe

[TBF]

23. Unbelievable. I argued against Hillary being the victim of rappant

sexism, and here it is on DU. Nice.

[Occam Bandage]

26. It is not sexist in the slightest. The phrase hinges on the fact that wife-beating is a bad thing;

and something that nobody would want to be accused of or to admit in public. That is why "did you stop beating your wife?" is a loaded question--if you answer it 'yes' or 'no,' you admit to having beaten your wife, which is certainly a bad thing.

How is it sexist to imply that domestic abuse is bad?

Simply nuts.

[TBF]

48. The fact that you choose to use the phrase in the first place is the

sexism. Surely someone as intelligent as you are could find a million ways to say the same thing without evoking the picture of violence against women.

[helderheid]

43. He is batshit crazy