"McCain didn't recall telling the rape joke"

[kay1864]

Not a denial (oops, a video might turn up), but the old "don't recall" BS.

At least it's in the MSM now, and not just in the Arizona press:

McCain's humor often backfires
Ben Smith
Thu Jul 17, 5:34 AM ET

Ever hear that joke about waterboarding? How about the one about killing Iranians? And why is Chelsea Clinton so ugly?

If you aren't familiar with those witty japes, then you've missed out on John McCain's lighter side. Rooted in a time before there was political correctness, and before there was the "South Park" backlash against political correctness, McCain's wisecracking persona is cutting at times, self-deprecating at others, and always amused by the political process swirling around him. Even in his pursuit of the White House, the candidate has — sometimes to the dismay of his handlers — managed to keep his sense of humor.

<snip>

Liberal bloggers have recently revived what is by far the most offensive of McCain's reported jokes, one that his aides say he doesn't recall telling, but which was reported in the Tucson Citizen, an Arizona paper, during his 1986 Senate campaign:

"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?'"

His spokeswoman said at the time he didn't recall telling the joke, something his current spokesman, Brian Rogers, reiterated to Politico.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/politico/20080717/pl_politico/11823

[niyad]

1. mclame is beyond sick.

[hatrack]

2. I'm sure he's apologized "if anyone was offended"

:eyes:

[spinbaby]

3. Not surprising

He probably can't remember much at his age.

[NJmaverick]

4. I suspect McCain can't recall if he put on underwear, this morning

there are plenty of things this senile old man, can't remember.

[NatBurner]

5. i wish he could recall it so he could retell it.

and possibly explain it. cuz i don't get it-

[Lautremont]

6. Don't you get it? Women love to be raped!

Ha ha, it's just so gut-bustingly hilarious.

[NatBurner]

11. oh, ok- it's "satire"

i guess the grouch is too hip for the room

[Overseas]

7. John Sidney McCain III's team says the gross jokes are part of his endearing authenticity!!

And McCain spokesman Brian Rogers said McCain's humor is, more broadly, central to his appeal.

"He's long said that he's said and done things in the past that he regrets," Rogers said. "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 stuff is a good example of McCain being McCain."

[derby378]

8. AAAAHHH-HA-HA-HA-HAAAA!!!

Obama isn't running against McCain! He's running against Clayton Williams!!!

:rofl: to the 10th power

[vaberella]

9. What annoys the hell out of me is the fact they list his gaffes as "humour"...Ugh!

[derby378]

12. "Ah, humor! AH! AH! AH!"

[whistle]

10. Someone give McCain a broom stick handle

[derby378]

13. Rape is not funny. Rape is the opposite of funny. But this is HILARIOUS.

McCain may have just handing the White House to Obama.

It's a damn good thing nobody caught him telling this joke over the past four years. At least, not yet.

[Fleshdancer]

14. oh yes! we women LOVE the whole beat me, rape me, leave me to die jokes!

Domestic and sexual violence is H-I-L-A-R-I-O-U-S.

:grr:

[Maine-ah]

15. he can't remember how he votes, he can't recall telling a very

tasteless joke....will he remember where the big red button is when he wakes up at three in the morning? JFC.

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

16. This implies there's video.

Otherwise they would have categorically denied it, IMO.

[kay1864]

20. Or at least "video that hasn't been found yet"

Kind of like Clinton's hug of Monica Lewinsky.

Lotsa news footage out there that gets viewed once by an editor then forgotten about. I'll bet there's been a few searches of the vaults already. Assuming they keep footage that long; who knows.

[Prophet 451]

17. I can think of only three possibilities here

A) He actually didn't tell it (seems very unlikely)
B) He didn't realise it was offensive (says a lot about his judgement)
C) He genuinely doesn't recall because his memories going (if anything, that's even more disturbing)

[Disturbed]

18. He told it & thought it was funny.

McLame has a repugnant sense of humor. I bet he doesn't recall calling his wife a trollop & a cunt, either.

[kay1864]

19. You're missing the obvious 4th possibility

The non-denial denial. They want to pretend he never told it, and wish the bloggers would forget about it. And they're praying that a video doesn't show up.