McCain Faces ‘A Little Bit Of Heckling’ During MLK Speech
McCain Faces ‘A Little Bit Of Heckling’ During MLK Speech
Today, Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) spoke to the Southern Christian Leadership Conference in Memphis to commemorate the assassination of Martin Luther King, Jr. As ThinkProgress has noted, as a congressman in 1983, McCain voted against legislation creating MLK Day.
Most Republicans (including then-Rep. Dick Cheney) supported the bill, later signed by President Reagan. McCain complained it “cost too much money, that other presidents were not recognized.” He eventually came around to supporting the holiday in a 1990 Arizona referendum that failed.
In his speech today, McCain tried to explain his misguided vote by stating, “We can all be a little late sometimes in doing the right thing”:
We can be slow as well to give greatness its due, a mistake I made myself long ago when I voted against a federal holiday in memory of Dr. King. I was wrong and eventually realized that, in time to give full support for a state holiday in Arizona. We can all be a little late sometimes in doing the right thing, and Dr. King understood this about his fellow Americans. But he knew as well that in the long term, confidence in the reasonability and good heart of America is always well placed.
During these statements, some in the crowd said, “We forgive you,” but many others began loudly objecting to McCain’s comments. CNN reporter Soledad O’Brien called it “a little bit of heckling.” Watch it:
O’Brien also noted that when McCain first emerged and greeted the crowd, there were some cheers, but there were also “some loud boos.”
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How many more flip-flops are we going to find out about this guy?
_AIO_
April 4th, 2008 at 12:15 pmHow soon before Exlax shows up disputing that there were any hecklers there are at?
April 4th, 2008 at 12:17 pmWhen do the trolls cue-up to tell us, “they weren’t loud, but polite and respectful boos.”
April 4th, 2008 at 12:17 pmI’m surprised he held his temper in check. I’m still waiting for him to challenge a heckler to a fistfight.
April 4th, 2008 at 12:19 pmDid McJowls call them “little jerks who should be drafted?
April 4th, 2008 at 12:19 pmThey weren’t loud, but polite and respectful boos.
April 4th, 2008 at 12:20 pmRalph beat me to it. Exley is probably looking for a random blogger that agrees with Exley to “prove” he’s right.
April 4th, 2008 at 12:21 pmTime to put Gramps in his own bubble, just like w. Reality and Truth are just too much for these GOPigs.
April 4th, 2008 at 12:21 pmGrampa McCain will eventually realize that he is too old feeble and foolish to be POTUS. He’s a little slow to catch on.
April 4th, 2008 at 12:25 pmMcSame better get used to those boos. They will follow both he and Bush around for a long time to come.
As for who TP supports? They shouldn’t support anyone.
Newsflash: News is informational and truthful. Try it sometime. It might hurt at first, like Neo opening his eyes for the first time after taking that red pill. Red state = blue pill.
The TRUTH has a liberal bend.
April 4th, 2008 at 12:27 pmMcCain voted against MLK Day at almost 50 years of age!
April 4th, 2008 at 12:28 pmExlax must check his selective deafness with a doctor, subito.
April 4th, 2008 at 12:30 pm“We can all be a little late sometimes in doing the right thing”
He should give the strategist/speechwriter responsible for this a raise.
Perfectly said.
April 4th, 2008 at 12:31 pm“confidence in the reasonability and good heart of Americans is always well placed” -HUH?
He’s talking to a crowd commemorating the MURDER forty years ago, of leader who dared demand civil rights in these United States of America. He’s talking to them at a time when the government of America is illegally wiretapping ALL of us; just like they wiretapped Dr. King. If Dr. King was leading protests in today’s America, he’d be subject to being “disappeared” as a terrorist, without access to an attorney; and probably, shipped to Gitmo and tortured. Reasonable & good hearted, indeed!!
I really think John McCain has totaly gone around the bend….
April 4th, 2008 at 12:31 pm#8 The progressive candidates are already out of the race. We’re left with the corporate sponsored candidates that fit the media’s narrative.
April 4th, 2008 at 12:32 pm#14… I don’t see Exeley on this thread. Has he been termed or is this going back to a Bush-the-Pitcher thread I missed?
April 4th, 2008 at 12:34 pmMc100yearwar will be making a similar speech years from now about it being a mistake for supporting herr dubyah’s war. It will go something like this:
April 4th, 2008 at 12:35 pmHe’s going to have to start screening his audience like Bush and Cheney, blood oath signers only, dip you pen in the blood of puppies and kittens.
Gramps doesn’t seem to sharp lately.
April 4th, 2008 at 12:35 pmI find it interesting that McCain was booed at the Southern Christian Leadership Conference. That sounds like a perfect venue for him. It would be nice to think that the south was finally going to join us in the 21st century, leaving behind their old prejudices.
April 4th, 2008 at 12:39 pmI’m already sick of the media fawning over this nasty-tempered, senile old crackpot.
He - like Bush - hasn’t the qualifications to be elected Dogcatcher - much less POTUS.
April 4th, 2008 at 12:40 pmdeebaser Says:
April 4th, 2008 at 12:34 pm
#14… I don’t see Exeley on this thread. Has he been termed or is this going back to a Bush-the-Pitcher thread I missed?
The second one, sorry, all are free jabs due to that thread, seems as if Exley had become a legend around here. A deaf leged.
April 4th, 2008 at 12:41 pm*legend
April 4th, 2008 at 12:42 pmRe exley - I’ve noticed that the number of trolls here has dropped dramatically since TP started getting national attention. I wonder if there is any connection? Whatever it is, it sure makes this place easier to visit and post. Now, if they would only ban by IP address, their moderators wouldn’t have to work as hard.
April 4th, 2008 at 12:43 pmBilbo Hussein Baggins Says:
April 4th, 2008 at 12:39 pm
I find it interesting that McCain was booed at the Southern Christian Leadership Conference. That sounds like a perfect venue for him. It would be nice to think that the south was finally going to join us in the 21st century, leaving behind their old prejudices.
SCLC is an old civil rights organization, Bilbo, founded by Martin Luther King.
April 4th, 2008 at 12:44 pmI love the Heckler that said “How do you feel about the Holiday Now?” He said “Fine”
Georgie got booed on the first pitch, Now McCain is getting Heckled and Booed ….I think we are making great progress hear folks..
Just maybe people are waking up and actually reading up about the potential candidates. It looks like they have McCain pegged. Great Crowd..Good Response
April 4th, 2008 at 12:46 pmI am continually surprised how the passage of time washes the dirt off politicians and that they can emerge from the pollution of their own mind-streams and look the American citizen straight in the face as innocent , new born babes.
April 4th, 2008 at 12:50 pm#4 RU
I am also surprised he held his temper. He stuttered alot and was looking at the crowd. You can tell he wasn’t pleased, it took every he had to keep it together.
April 4th, 2008 at 12:52 pm“We can be slow as well to give greatness its due, a mistake I made myself long ago when I voted against a federal holiday in memory of Dr. King.”
“Long ago” would be relevant if you were currently in your 40’s or 50’s ; you obviously are not………..
April 4th, 2008 at 12:54 pmHey gang! My ears were burning….
Actually, here — unlike the discussion held last Sunday –the audio and video evidence is quite clear that some in the crown was unsurprisingly not happy with McCain. ThinkProgress’ reporting of this incident is much more accurate.
By the way, Gummitch, you were quite correct in criticizing ThinkProgress last night for its distortted and dishonest charaterization of Bush’s leaving the NATO meeting. I applaud your honesty.
April 4th, 2008 at 1:03 pmExley Says:
April 4th, 2008 at 1:03 pm
I applaud your honesty.
For being something you have never been……..
April 4th, 2008 at 1:08 pmDr. Hussein Matt Says:
April 4th, 2008 at 12:28 pm
McCain voted against MLK Day at almost 50 years of age!
_______________________________________
Ah — that makes it a “youthful indiscretion” then…
April 4th, 2008 at 1:18 pmI DON’T KNOW WHAT SELF RESPECTING BLACK PERSON WOULD EVER APOLOGIZE FOR MkKKAIN’S RACIST KLAN AGENDA.
BUT INVOKING GOD AT THE END? JOHNNY BOY YOU ARE YOUR EVANGELICAL PIGS ARE ALL GOING TO ROT IN HELL
April 4th, 2008 at 1:21 pmmisshusseinmolly Says:
April 4th, 2008 at 1:18 pm
Dr. Hussein Matt Says:
April 4th, 2008 at 12:28 pm
McCain voted against MLK Day at almost 50 years of age!
_______________________________________
Ah — that makes it a “youthful indiscretion” then…
Wasn’t that Strom Thurmond?
April 4th, 2008 at 1:22 pmFourteen Defining Characteristics of Fascism
#8. Religion and ruling elite tied together. Unlike communist regimes, the fascist and protofascist regimes were never proclaimed as godless by their opponents. In fact, most of the regimes attached themselves to the predominant religion of the country and chose to portray themselves as militant defenders of that religion. The fact that the ruling elite’s behavior was incompatible with the precepts of the religion was generally swept under the rug. Propaganda kept up the illusion that the ruling elites were defenders of the faith and opponents of the “godless.” A perception was manufactured that opposing the power elite was tantamount to an attack on religion.
April 4th, 2008 at 1:22 pmDammit!
I was going to try and do my best Exley imitation, with pseudo outrage and TP criticism, when the bugger posts before I make my attempt.
Damn work, anyways!
Oh well, it would have been funny, trust me.
…and yes sir, you can hammer down the fact that your Mets look awesome, while my Tigers got swept by the friggin’ Royals, of all teams.
April 4th, 2008 at 1:24 pmAt least the Wings got the President’s Cup, which automatically means NO LORD STANLEY for MoTown!
DRxJ,
Mets look good but we also have Pedro on the DL now! After four innings!!!!
Did you watch ESPN Baseball Tonight on Sunday before the (now infamous) Nats game? They were making World Series predictions and Steve Phillips predicted Mets-Tigers…We’ll see…Remember we have a bet on that series if it happens.
Phillips said the Tigers have the best offense “in the history of baseball” (which I thought was a little strong).
I will root for your Red Wings….I like the Original Six teams (’cept the Rangers)…My Islanders collapsed this year…again.
April 4th, 2008 at 1:30 pm“They were not booing!!!!! TP is lying!!! TP is distorting!!! There were NO Boos!!!”
April 4th, 2008 at 1:51 pm~ ExLax
Exley Says:
April 4th, 2008 at 1:30 pm
DRxJ,
Mets look good but we also have Pedro on the DL now! After four innings!!!!
Did they finally get new uniforms ?
April 4th, 2008 at 2:24 pmHow can this man breath with that much shit on his face????
Is it possible for him to shove his nose any farther up the butts of whomever it is he reading his speech to at any given moment?
April 4th, 2008 at 3:05 pm“We can all be a little late sometimes in doing the right thing”:
April 4th, 2008 at 3:18 pm… Sure, but how old are you and how long will we wait for until you get ‘things’ right?!
McCain hasn’t given a speech supporting MLK until now that he wants Blacks votes. As an old man he stayed strong against MLK Day. Now at the age of 71 years old he sees the light in hopes for a vote. Freshman Senator Obama didn’t know what it was like to be a Black Man in America until he went to college. He lived the great life in wealth with his Mother and Grandparent not giving a thought what struggles were going on in the US. Now he’s all over Dr. King with his speeches but he didn’t bother to read beyond the words I have a dream. As Obama attacks the Clintons one only need to point out this to the so called black Senator:
I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.
Dr. King was not looking for a vote when he marched for Civil Rights and didn’t use others to promote his own personal interest. Even Dr. King wouldn’t vote for Obama if he were alive today.
McCain might just get some black votes as most Black Americans didn’t bother to reflect on how they got the equality they have today, their to busy going to the Mall on Dr. Kings Holiday. Now like most Americans if asked about Dr. King all they know is his speech in Washington DC and his death and the words I have a dream beyond that nothing.
April 4th, 2008 at 4:30 pmHis message is being lost and people like Obama are using his name for politics only. McCain could be glad if Dr. King never had a Holiday named for him as he said in his speech today he didn’t know many blacks as they didn’t live in Arizona. Now McCain came from a Military Family and he along with his Father and GrandFather served with Black Soldiers in the US Military yet he can’t remember that.
The only good thing about this is that he was able to have enough courage and an intelligent think process to be able to change his mind. Unlike a certain president that NEVER changes his mind about ANYTHING! But wait, what am I complaining about him for, he has less than a year left in office. How about we vote for a candidate that makes GOOD decisions and sticks to them…I know a man currently running, and it definitely ISN’T John McCain.
April 7th, 2008 at 1:14 amThe president cannot be a little late sometimes in making the right decision. And in my dialect of English “a little late” does not translate into 25 years (poor decision in 1983, but admitting it in 2008). I don’t want to hear 25 years from now that invading Iraq was a poor decision, but that that’s ok anyway. I don’t want to hear that pulling research money from non-medical scientific studies was a poor decision, but that’s ok anyway. I WANT A PRESIDENT THAT CAN MAKE A RIGHT DECISION TODAY!!!!
April 7th, 2008 at 10:36 amIf it were left up to you libs, we would have a holiday for any and everybody. Lets have a holiday for Barrack for being the 1st half/black man to make a serious run for president. Lets have one for Hillery too, for being the 1st. woman to make a serious run !
April 7th, 2008 at 1:53 pmI watched for ANY of the News Networks to press him on his vote …….& NOTHING. They could broadcast 2 weeks str8 about Rev. Write, but NOT one reporter had the BALLS to ask McCan’t why he voted the way he did not only in 1983, but until the 1990’s on getting the MLK day honored (P.E.’s “…By the Time I Get to Arizona” was for McCain & wasn’t made in ‘83). I see people on here blasting Obama, but not anyone asking why the Press let McCain get a free walk on this. He voted against it, not his Pastor(who lets be honest, was vilified the way MLK was in his day. FOX would lead of the News of MLK’s death like it was a great day of relief for the U.S.) Life wasn’t like the Huxtable’s when I lived though the 80’s & to think that this guy who thought he was standing up for something then & being a real American; I want to know why he thought that way then & why the press acts so scared to piss off the dude. THAT’S WHY YOU HAVE PEOPLE HECKLING ……BECAUSE THE PEOPLE WILL ASK WHAT THE PRESS WON’T!!!
April 7th, 2008 at 2:40 pm