Student calls McCain out for political motivations of school appearance.
Student calls McCain out for political motivations of school appearance.
Today Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) stopped at his alma mater, Episcopal High School in Virginia, to lecture on the importance of teaching and the honor code. McCain’s toughest question came from student Katelyn Halldorson, who called the senator out for the political motivations of his appearance:
“I think judging by the amount of press representatives here and also by the integration of your previous political endorsements in your earlier personal narrative, we can see that this isn’t completely absent – er political motivation isn’t completely absent,” she said. “Yet we were told that this isn’t a political event. So what exactly is your purpose in being here – not that I don’t appreciate the opportunity, but I’d just like some clarification.”
“I knew I should have cut this thing off. This meeting is over,” McCain joked, before launching into a long description of his biography tour…
McCain concluded the visit by saying, “I hope that attendance here was not compulsory…I apologize if you were unwillingly in attendance here.”
According to one EHS staff member, attendance was required.
McCain doesn’t seem to know how to handle his youngest critics. Earlier in the campaign, a student chastised him for his refusal to support gay marriage. McCain called another student asking about the senator’s age “a little jerk,” adding, “You’re drafted.”
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38 Responses to “Student calls McCain out for political motivations of school appearance.”
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Way to go, Katelyn Halldorson. This country needs more people like you willing to stand up and speak truth to power (even if you have to raise your voice a little so the old man can hear it.)
April 1st, 2008 at 4:18 pmThe_Right_Stuff Says:
April 1st, 2008 at 4:19 pm
McCain has an excellent sense of humor that shows here. Good Job Mr. (Future) President.
You mean like:
“I hope that attendance here was not compulsory…I apologize if you were unwillingly in attendance here.”
Yeah, “right”-stuff, that line was so freaking hilarious, I could barely stop laughing and holding my sides in long enough to post this.
And a sense of humor is not the most important thing we could want in our president. I prefer a clear grasp of the issues and who the purported enemy is.
April 1st, 2008 at 4:30 pmIn the latest stop on his biographical trip down memory lane, presumptive Republican presidential nominee John McCain returned to his old high school in Alexandria, Virginia. As it turns out, that may have an odd choice for a man trying to reintroduce himself to the American people. Years after leaving the august halls of Episcopal High School, John McCain became a Baptist.
Even more curious is McCain’s shifting positions when it comes what he religion now considers himself to be. In June 2007, McClatchy reported, “McCain still calls himself an Episcopalian.” But as the 2008 South Carolina approached, McCain had a change of heart as he appealed to the Palmetto’s State’s massive evangelical base. By September 2007, McCain announced he had in fact switched teams: “It plays a role in my life. By the way, I’m not Episcopalian. I’m Baptist.”
For the details, see:
April 1st, 2008 at 4:32 pm“New Baptist John McCain Returns to His Old Episcopal High School.”
McJowls will need to “draft” a lot of little “jerks”, for his endless wars.
SIR! NO, SIR!
Hell NO! We WON”T go!
April 1st, 2008 at 4:33 pmA sense of humor is not a quality I require in a president. Bush has a sense of humor, and look where we’re at.
April 1st, 2008 at 4:39 pmmccain, like bush is not intelligent for impromptu quips….he inevitably looks like the fool he is when he stays from the script.
April 1st, 2008 at 4:47 pmMcCain doesnt sound presidential.
April 1st, 2008 at 4:48 pmI’m more concerned about his taxpayer funded foreign travel which included fund-raisers.
April 1st, 2008 at 4:50 pmmcain has the aroma of stale cigar smoke and aqua velva about him. he’s going the way of grampa fred.
April 1st, 2008 at 4:50 pmMcCain must have an index card in his hand labeled, “In case an a-hole asks me an a-hole question that makes me look like an even bigger a-hole” with a variety of responses suitable for the setting. What can McCain and the GOP possibly answer to kids not wanting more Republican failures shoved down their throats?
April 1st, 2008 at 4:51 pmAnd as I recall this is not the first time he has called people that question him jerks.
Sep 2007 Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) snidely responded to a high school student who challenged whether he was too old and too conservative to be president. McCain jokingly referred to the questioner as “a little jerk” who ought to be drafted:
When he keeps repeating this its not a ‘joke’ and he likely did it to create controversy.
April 1st, 2008 at 4:51 pmthat is an understatement! most “elderlies” don’t know how to react to the younger generation.
give it up, McCain! yer too elderly to run the country that has soooo many problems — thanks to your party.
April 1st, 2008 at 4:52 pmBesides what does a kid do when they are absolutly caught in a flat out lie……they crack a joke to try to difuse the situation. Mccain will do this often…
April 1st, 2008 at 4:52 pmHe got DISSED from a high schooler and he stumbled, this is the best the right has to offer come November.
April 1st, 2008 at 4:54 pmThe Maverick just can’t leave politics at the door. Good for the student for speaking out.
April 1st, 2008 at 4:55 pmAn honest response would have been, “Who told you such a stupid thing? How could this visit be anything but political?”
April 1st, 2008 at 4:56 pmThe_Right_Stuff Says:
April 1st, 2008 at 4:19 pm
McCain has an excellent sense of humor that shows here. Good Job Mr. (Future) President.
_______
Oh yeah. He definitely is quite the jokester. I like that one he was telling last week about al-Qa’ida operatives going to Iran for training. Remember? That one had me rolling with laughter!
April 1st, 2008 at 4:56 pmI think what therightstuff is trying to say is that McCain is a fcking joke.
And McWirestouching is the best and brightest the Repugs have to offer.
April 1st, 2008 at 5:06 pmTwo points:
1) When I hear of these interactions, I am really grateful and proud of the college-age generation for cutting through the crap and putting these tough questions to the politicians. Keep up the tough questions - the press won’t and most others don’t.
2) When I hear McCain attribute a snide and inappropriate comment as a so-called “joke,” I don’t believe him. He knows what he says. It takes me back to most of the comments made by George W. Bush, especially the one about everything being easier if he were the dictator. Time has shown that he wasn’t kidding, and has been trying to act as a dictator with virtually every aspect of government.
April 1st, 2008 at 5:14 pmWith his calling for “little jerks who ought to be drafted” comments on numerous occasions, it may be indicative of what he would do as POTUS-reinstate the draft-via executive order under the “unitary executive” theory. No Congressional approval needed or sought.
All the more reason that a vote for McCain = a vote to kill a soldier and for more wars.
April 1st, 2008 at 5:20 pmHey! Don’t piss the old coot off, he’s likely to keel over!
Then Daryll’s prophesy would come true…
April 1st, 2008 at 5:23 pmSM says; Someone lied to me.
______________________________
And Bush & company LIED 935 times for a war in Iraq prior to invading it.
April 1st, 2008 at 5:24 pmTired ~ good point! Can we fire the damn MSM journalists and give their jobs to these students?
April 1st, 2008 at 5:25 pmWhen was the last time McCain addressed his alma mater like this (with compulsory attendance)? If it wasn’t when he was running for president, then this was a political event. If he goes there every year, then this could be construed as just another one of those annual visits. Obviously he would have no reason to speak there if he were running for re-election to the US Senate (he represents Arizona, not Virginia), so in all honesty, unless he goes to this particular school all the time, I see this stop as a purely political event.
April 1st, 2008 at 5:27 pmOne would hope that Sen. McCain is old, and wise, enough to realize that war is not a joking matter. Especially when American troops are in a war zone.
Alas, he continues to emulate the “Frat Boy in Chief” who currently plagues us.
April 1st, 2008 at 5:29 pmheard a great joke the other night… sums up this joker perfectly, in my opinion…
you’ve all seen it too…
letterman said, about mccain: “he looks like the guy who gets fresh with
the new waitress at I-HOP.”
eh? eh?
April 1st, 2008 at 5:34 pmHis little “Yuk, Yuk” come backs should be a hint into the psych of the true McSame, you don’t make jokes like that unless you truly mean them.
McSame = Loose Cannon (or should I say Loose Nuke)
Flying Monkey for President, anything but a Republican.
April 1st, 2008 at 5:38 pmI hope someone was able to keep count of the usage of “my friends” during this punishment….er….speech.
April 1st, 2008 at 5:40 pm“I knew I should have cut this thing off. This meeting is over,” McCain joked, before launching into a long description of his biography tour…
Excellent, St. John. The account of this incident is all over the college ‘net.
I read it via my daughter’s email of same.
April 1st, 2008 at 5:54 pmGood job, McBush. High marks.
Way to accumulate that youth vote McClueless.
April 1st, 2008 at 5:55 pmThe_Right_Stuff Says:
April 1st, 2008 at 4:19 pm
McCain has an excellent sense of humor that shows here. Good Job Mr. (Future) President.
This fall we’ll see how good a loser he is.
April 1st, 2008 at 7:13 pmIf John McShrub can’t handle a high school student, how is he going to stand up to Al Qaeida?
April 1st, 2008 at 7:53 pm.
If McTORTURE can’t handle the American youth and their questions, then can he handle Al-CIA-duh?
.
April 2nd, 2008 at 1:36 amYou think it’s funny for a Presidential candidate to make thuggish comments as long as they suppossed to be funny?
“I apologize if you were unwillingly in attendance here.”
“a little jerk”…“You’re drafted.”
People are asking legitimate questions and the Sentor tries to dismiss them with remards that are implied threats. A good sense of humor? Only if you’re trying to roust people.
April 2nd, 2008 at 4:55 amLOL, really? You aren’t serious TP, are you? I think McCain knows exactly how to handle young people - with a joke. I mean, what McCain said in response was funny for crying out loud! I thought liberals prided themselves on having a sense of humor…
April 2nd, 2008 at 6:14 amSince he’s “a little jerk” himself, McNasty can’t help being nasty.
April 2nd, 2008 at 9:54 amMcCain gives a “lecture on the importance of teaching and the honor code”? The mud puppy is in the bathtub.
May 1st, 2008 at 10:51 pmIsn’t everything that McCain, Obama, and Clinton have been doing that past 2 years, by nature, political?
May 5th, 2008 at 2:23 pm