During a press conference today, a reporter asked Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) if he was offended when, in August 2006, former Virginia senator George Allen used the word “macaca” to refer to a campaign volunteer of Indian descent working for Jim Webb’s campaign. McCain brushed off the question about the racial slur, saying only that he “thought it was very wrong” and “urged Senator Allen to apologize for that very quickly“:
Q: Many voters in Virginia took offense when Senator Allen used the word ‘macaca’ to describe one of Senator Webb’s volunteers who was of mixed ethnic background. Did you take offense when Senator Allen used that word?
McCAIN: Well, I thought it was very wrong and in fact, right away I urged Sen. Allen to apologize for that very quickly.
At the time, however, McCain didn’t seem all that offended by Allen’s remark. McCain appeared with Allen at a rally in Norfolk, VA, just five days after the incident. During that appearance, he praised Allen for his “leadership, his vision and his courage.” “We all make mistakes, and I have made my share,” said McCain [RichmondTimes-Dispatch, 8/17/06].
In fact, it’s not clear that McCain understood why the Macaca reference was offensive. Macaca often refers to a “monkey,” but can also be “considered a racial slur against African immigrants.” Yet at that rally with Allen, McCain remained attached to monkeys and cracked a joke about a man who used a monkey to get out of performing air raid drills. In the end, the monkey — rather than the man — is promoted to admiral. An excerpt from the joke:
I caught this monkey, and I trained the monkey that when the siren went off, he’d come out of the jungle, get into my airplane, start the engine, sit there, the “all clear” siren would go off, he’d shut down the engine, get out of the airplane and go back in the jungle. It was wonderful. I was sleeping like a baby.
Well, sure enough, one night it was not just Washing Machine Charlie. It was a real Japanese air raid. I came out of my tent just in time to see that monkey taking off in my airplane. I said, ‘Well, I can certainly see why you were not promoted!’ He said, ‘That’s not what makes me mad. The monkey retired as an admiral last week!’
Allen also went on to showcase McCain in television ads during his campaign.
Am I the only one who thinks that TP is overreaching with this one?
Flip the political affiliations around, post it on Townhall, and we’d all be ridiculing it.
Come on, TP, be a cut above.
June 16th, 2008 at 4:34 pmMcCain already mastered ‘flip flopping..’; he can change his statements in one day..sometimes in one hour..depending on whom he is talking to.
June 16th, 2008 at 4:36 pmNo, don’t tell me. McPutz is going to have Allen stump for him, complete with new macaca moments.
What a dipshit.
June 16th, 2008 at 4:38 pmIt just goes to show you that the old man will pander to anyone who is on the REICH side…..
June 16th, 2008 at 4:40 pm“We all make mistakes, and I have made my share,” said McCain [RichmondTimes-Dispatch, 8/17/06].
Do tell, my friend, do tell.
June 16th, 2008 at 4:41 pmGeorge Allen had one “macaca moment”. McShrub has 60 per hour, 24/7.
June 16th, 2008 at 4:45 pmMcCain polishes another turd and declares “Ohhhhh, Shiny!”
June 16th, 2008 at 4:48 pmAllen also went on to showcase McCain in television ads during his campaign.
Yes, that helped immensely, right Mr. Allen?
You would have been better off to run commercials featuring your old man. Fortunately, he didn’t live long enough to be embarrassed and humiliated by you.
June 16th, 2008 at 4:49 pmMacaca “moment”?
Try macaca LIFETIME.
*sigh*
Someone help us, please!!!!
June 16th, 2008 at 4:49 pmWe all make mistakes”
Crashing ONE plane could be called a mistake. But WHAT do you call crashing FIVE planes?
June 16th, 2008 at 4:49 pmHey! Perhaps George can loan Johnny McLame his noose – you know, the one he used to hang in his office right next to his Confererate flag! Yeah, that’ll do the trick – remind those uppity macacas to stay in their place!
/snark
June 16th, 2008 at 4:51 pmHey TP, why have both of my posts been censored? Sheesh.
June 16th, 2008 at 4:52 pmOne things for sure.
They are not going to have an intelligent conversion with each other!!
June 16th, 2008 at 4:54 pmThe republicans have to go for the racist and bigot vote as well as the ‘too scared to think’ vote. That’s the only way this election will be close.
June 16th, 2008 at 4:55 pmI think McSame is going to blow up during this campaign. He is going to get into some sort of verbal altercation with a questioner and he’s gonna explode. It will be caught on video and he will initially deny it ever happened. Then he will swat it away by saying he is very passionate about America.
Let’s push him to the brink so everybody can see the real ‘maverick’ nutjob. He’s old and he’s mean. Those are not attractive attributes for a world leader.
June 16th, 2008 at 5:02 pmMaybe Allen will be his VeeP candidate. Wouldn’t that just make JoeL pop a gasket!
This could get REALLY good!
June 16th, 2008 at 5:09 pmupside99,
I would love to see J-LIE “pop a gasket”…
…And if McCaCaCain is looking for a VP whos strong suit is dumb then Allen is his man!
June 16th, 2008 at 5:13 pmStratRat Says:
I think McSame is going to blow up during this campaign. He is going to get into some sort of verbal altercation with a questioner and he’s gonna explode.
Actually, I predict it will happen during one of the debates, unless he takes some of Cindy’s meds.
He’s like a dormant volcano, but less powerful. If he says “my friends” one more time, I must just be the one whose head explodes!
PEACE
June 16th, 2008 at 5:13 pmdamn — whos should be whose…
June 16th, 2008 at 5:14 pmUncle Ho Says:
We all make mistakes”
Crashing ONE plane could be called a mistake. But WHAT do you call crashing FIVE planes?
An Ace?
June 16th, 2008 at 5:17 pmupside99 Says:
——————————————————————————–
Uncle Ho Says:
We all make mistakes”
Crashing ONE plane could be called a mistake. But WHAT do you call crashing FIVE planes?
An Ace?
No, an Ass.
June 16th, 2008 at 5:19 pmUnka Ho,
And being an old SARS (Air/Sea Rescue)guy in Vietnam, I took it VERY personally when I found out he wrecked 2 A1E Skyraiders. These Sandys were our favorite close air support planes in SEA. Saved a lot of lives.
June 16th, 2008 at 5:21 pmRepublican = bigot. Will be so glad when that party is finally dead. And yes, it is dying and will die just as soon as the baby boomers are gone.
June 16th, 2008 at 5:28 pmscytherius Says:
Republican = bigot. Will be so glad when that party is finally dead. And yes, it is dying and will die just as soon as the baby boomers are gone.
HEY!!! I am a Baby boomer!!
June 16th, 2008 at 5:31 pmBTW, How often does the loser of a war get to fly their flag in the winner’s territory? Every so often, someone displays the confederate flag as if those losers had not lost. Granted, those people are pretty fcking stupid anyway, but shouldn’t someone tell them they lost (nearly 15fcking0 years ago)? Free speech? No, confederates have no rights, especially in the current climate. In fact, since confederates are all for dissolving the Union, they should probably be considered enemy combatants and locked away for the safety of the United States.
June 16th, 2008 at 5:34 pmWe’re all boomers on this bust….
June 16th, 2008 at 5:39 pmHis recollections don’t seem to collect much.
June 16th, 2008 at 5:46 pmAt the time, however, McCain didn’t seem all that offended by Allen’s remark. McCain appeared with Allen at a rally in Norfolk, VA, just five days after the incident. During that appearance, he praised Allen for his “leadership, his vision and his courage.” “We all make mistakes, and I have made my share,” said McCain
Mistakes…you mean like seeking the endorsement of a disgusting hate mongering bigot like Hagee? Compared with the things that Hagee has said, refering to someone as a “monkey” probably doesn’t seem all that bad.
http://progressiveworldreview.com
June 16th, 2008 at 6:08 pm#25 – scytherius,
I wish that were true. I know way too many XGen age people that are a problem going forward as much as the boomers have been in the past.
These Xgen’s were the Ronnie Raygun kiddies that became known as the Yuppies and The Me Generation and they are raising a bunch of snot nose, selfish, arrogant, racist, fasicst, RePugniScums too!!
June 16th, 2008 at 6:08 pmCrashing ONE plane could be called a mistake. But WHAT do you call crashing FIVE planes?
A lousy valet parking?
June 16th, 2008 at 6:43 pmI call your macaca and raise you a monkey sock puppet.
I think mclame heard the story from the monkey.
June 16th, 2008 at 10:11 pm