On CNN, Politico's Allen defends McCain response to "bitch" question about Clinton: "[W]hat Republican voter hasn't thought that? What voter in general hasn't thought that?"
Discussing a campaign event at which a questioner asked Sen. John McCain, "How do we beat the bitch?" -- presumably referring to Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton -- Politico chief political correspondent Mike Allen said, "[W]hat Republican voter hasn't thought that? What voter in general hasn't thought that?"
On the November 14 edition of CNN's American Morning, during a discussion with co-anchor Kiran Chetry about Republican presidential candidate Sen. John McCain's (AZ) response to a question during a campaign event in Hilton Head, South Carolina, where a questioner asked, "How do we beat the bitch?" -- presumably referring to Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (NY) -- Politico chief political correspondent Mike Allen said, "[W]hat Republican voter hasn't thought that? What voter in general hasn't thought that?"
Allen's comments were noted in the November 14 edition of the National Journal's The Hotline (subscription required).
Allen continued: "And what people like about McCain is his straight talk, his candor, and if he had folded or buckled under that question, that would have looked ridiculous. There's no question about, as he said, the respect that the two of them have -- this is something actually your viewers would not know -- Senator McCain and Senator Clinton actually do have a genuine friendship in part because of their overseas travels from the Armed Services Committee, so they do not attack each other. But Kiran, this was just a funny moment on the campaign trail."
As Media Matters for America has noted, many media figures have called McCain a "straight talker" despite the stark inconsistency he has displayed on issues ranging from the Iraq war and the Bush tax cuts to his opinion of certain influential conservative, evangelical Christians.
Furthermore, in claiming that McCain and Clinton "actually do have a genuine friendship ... so they do not attack each other," Allen ignored McCain's previous smears of Clinton. As Media Matters documented, an October 18 Associated Press article reported that while campaigning in South Carolina, McCain "couldn't resist a swipe at Democratic front-runner Hillary Rodham Clinton." The article noted that during an appearance at the University of South Carolina Upstate nursing school, "McCain took one look at a nursing school's training mannequin and asked if the dummy's name was Hillary." The article quoted McCain as saying, "I was very glad to meet the dummy, named 'Hillary.' " The story, which the AP labeled the "Play of the Day," was picked up by numerous media outlets, including the New York Daily News, The Washington Post, The Kansas City Star, MSNBC.com, the Houston Chronicle, AOL News, ABCNews.com's The Note, Time.com, and the The Boston Globe.
And in 1998, while appearing at a Republican fundraiser, McCain reportedly made what New York Times columnist Maureen Dowd called "his disgusting jape": "Why is Chelsea Clinton so ugly? Because her father is Janet Reno." McCain reportedly apologized to President Bill Clinton for the comment.
From the November 14 edition of CNN's American Morning:
CHETRY: All right, so then on the flip side, let's go over to the GOPs for a second, and maybe being too candid can be the problem in this case. This was a campaign event of John McCain's in South Carolina on Monday. And let's just listen to what happened.
[begin video clip]
FEMALE QUESTIONER: How do we beat the bitch?
[laughter]
McCAIN: May I give the translation?
[laughter]
UNIDENTIFIED MALE 1: Leave it alone.
McCAIN: The way that --
UNIDENTIFIED MALE 2: John, I thought she was talking about my ex-wife.
[laughter]
McCAIN: But that's an excellent question. ... I respect Senator Clinton. I respect anyone who gets the nomination of the Democrat [sic] Party.
[end video]
CHETRY: All right Mike, does that hurt McCain?
ALLEN: Oh, give me a break. Of course not. First of all, I think it's kind of funny. You watch that tape, it's clear to him who she was referring to. He could have said, whoever were you talking about? Which might have been the deftest way to handle it.
CHETRY: But he said that's an excellent question.
ALLEN: All right. But what Republican voter hasn't thought that? What voter in general hasn't thought that? And what people like about McCain is his straight talk, his candor, and if he had folded or buckled under that question, that would have looked ridiculous. There's no question about, as he said, the respect that the two of them have -- this is something actually your viewers would not know -- Senator McCain and Senator Clinton actually do have a genuine friendship in part because of their overseas travels from the Armed Services committee, so they do not attack each other. But Kiran, this was just a funny moment on the campaign trail.
CHETRY: Well, it's only funny unless you're offended by somebody calling a woman the b-word. And I'm sure there are many who are. So it'll -- I mean, yes or no before I let you go: Should Hillary address this or just leave it alone?
ALLEN: This question? I think she should leave it alone because others will address it for her. People who are upset about it will have seen this clip, and Senator McCain will pay that price.
CHETRY: All right, it was great to have you on the show this morning. Mike Allen, chief political correspondent for Politico. Thanks.
ALLEN: Likewise, have a good week Kiran.
CHETRY: You too.
Media Matters: The Palin chronicles
The Friday Rush: A series of conflicts
Contrary to media hype, Sarah Palin is very unpopular
ALLEN: All right. But what Republican voter hasn't thought that? What voter in general hasn't thought that?
TRUE!
Ah MMFA the truth hurts?
Me thinks Brock is still doing penance here for his part in smearing the Clintons in the 90's
Seriously Dave, you're forgiven! They like you here, they really really do :-)
Those weren't 'true' or 'false' questions.
How do we impeach the pr*ck?
Fine. How's this Pete:
I agree cause it's the truth.
I disagree because it's nothing more than unsubstantiated claptrap.
So you don't think Republicans & others have ever thought of Hillary as a Bitch?
Well ok. I think you're being too kind.
Or naive.
I'm sure they do think of her that way. It's much easier than focusing on the issues.
That's not what Allen implied.
He implied that everyone thinks or has thought that way. Therefore, it's unsubstantiated claptrap.
Jeter,
Why do you and your Republican brethren think she's a B? Calling a woman a B just because you don't like her is a pretty sexist thing to do don't you think? I have my issues with Hillary, actually it’s more that I want the old guard gone and she represents that for me but I’ve never once referred to her or thought of her as that B. Now I really have my issues with GW. I think he’s a moron but I’ve never referred to him or thought of him as that MFer. J this feeling about HC coming from the right is very irrational. Maybe it is just because she’s a very strong, smart, and focused woman which are qualities considered to be a positive for men. Anyway I’m really really beginning to worry for her safety should she be elected. When these guys attack Hilary like this and in such a ugly way it actually kind of stirs up my side of the electorate and it does appear she’s being treated quite differently. Nobody would have ever stood up and asked McCain what he’s going to do about that MFER Edwards or that N-word Obama. This was ugly.You're not really expecting a rational response are you?
Well I always thought of Jeter as very rational, so yeah I guess do expect a rational response.
Life is full of small disappointments, no?
Lynn,
I just happen to agree with Mike Allen's statement"[W]hat Republican voter hasn't thought that? What voter in general hasn't thought that?"...that doesn't mean I think she's a bitch, or go around calling her that.
I'm gonna guess even Bill has had that word cross his mind once or twice in relation to his wife.
I'm not sure why folks think of her that way. I don't believe it's because she's tough & intelligent.
Maybe it's because she sometimes comes off cold, hard & scary? ;-)
You agree with "What voter in general" hasn't thought HRC is a bitch?
Oh really?
Maybe you can start with the part of the population that thinks enough of her they have her beating anybody the Republicans can put up against her.
No, I'm actually thinking of those folks that have said they'd never vote for her under any circumstances. The poll figures vary, but they hover around the 50% mark.
Things Republicans don't want you to know:
HRC is the candidate who fares the best when pos/neg ratings are factored together:
"When it comes to the favorability ratings, Clinton has seen hers grow more than any other of the candidates and now she has the highest percentage of voters who say they will definitely vote for her than she has had since the beginning. She has 35% who say they will definitely vote for her if she is the Democratic nominee. None of the other candidates has over 29% of committed support....
Bu subtracting the positive ratings from the negative, or the other way around, they arrive at the net amount of support for each candidate. Th candidates who has the highest net core support is Clinton. Her net number is -11 with 46% giving her a negative and 35% saying they will vote for her.
Giuliani has a net number of -14%, 43% definitely against and 29% defiantly for and Thompson is a close third with -15, 24% for and 39% against. Obama has fared the worse over the past few months with the biggest decline since August. His core opposition percentage has grown from 35% then to 43% today. Over the same time period, his core support percentage fell from 29% to 25%, which give him a -18."
[link to www.associatedcontent.com]
And this is from Rasmussen Reports. A poll all Republicans love.
" ...more than 40% of voters say they are committed to voting against five out of the seven leading candidates. The only exceptions are John McCain and Fred Thompson and they are not far behind with each of them coming in with 39% saying they are committed to voting against them."
HRC's positives will carry the day.
Jeter,
Obviously I disagree with your view and what seems to be a shared view by right leaning people that Hilary Clinton is cold and scary, and to date no one on the right can give examples of what's so scary or so cold about HC. She is a very seasoned practiced professional politician and she and many politicians both on the right and left embodies all that's wrong with that. She is no better and no worse than any of the current lot that inhabit the halls of power. I believe the only reason HC is called a bitch because she is a woman because as nasty as politics is I have never heard anyone man or woman refer to a male politician as a MFer or a SOB at least cubically and laugh about it. It is a disgraceful example of a double standard since I can't ever recall a similar incident happening to a male politician. HC is not being afforded the same degree of respect and the next time I hear some conservative blow hard rambling on about the coarsening of America culture I’ll refer to how coarsely they treat a woman that’s done absolutely nothing to them, this Hilary hatred is weird and mean, My daughter and I met for breakfast this past Saturday and as usual politics was discussed. Barak Obama is currently my choice my daughter is currently supporting Edwards, but we are both quite bothered at how poorly HC is being treated and I must admit it’s softening our hearts towards her.Lynn,
While I do think many, especially those on the Right view Hillary less than favorably, & do think of her as cold, calculating, power-hungry & even ruthless, I don't recall the term "Bitch" being bandied about, at least out loud, by other politicians, pundits or journalists.
The person who referred to her that way was a member of the audience at a John McCain campaign event.
McCain could have handled it better. He wasn't required to scold the speaker, but he could have suggested that describing Hillary in that manner was uncalled for.
If Hillary were a man I suppose some might think of her as a tough SOB. Being described that way probably wouldn't bother many men.
I do understand how referring to Hillary as a "Bitch" can sound terribly sexist. I don't think there is any doubt that the hatred directed at Hillary is the residue of the Clinton years in the White House. They were relentlessly attacked by the Right from Day One, & her candidacy has simply relit that fire.
Whether they are at fault or not, they are a divisive duo. They are beloved or hated, with little gray area.
I liked Bill, I don't particularly like Hillary. It has nothing to do with her being female, nor do I consider her a "bitch". I don't like her for the same reasons I don't care for Rudy. I don't consider either a leader that can heal this country & make needed changes.
This country needs someone with fresh ideas. We need a leader who can end the divisiveness, & bring us together again. I don't believe Hillary can do that. We need to turn the corner fast or we're headed off the cliff.
the fresh ideas aren't going to come from the republicans. just more of the same old same old. and the contention that right wing hatred is limited to the clintons is false. whoever is the democratic nominee is going to be smeared. we've seen it already.
I havent thought that. I dont like Hillary, I dont want her to be the Dem nominee. I never really liked her but never once have I thought that about her.
If McCain had any class, he would have told the voter who asked the question, "That's pretty rude and inappropriate, ma'am. As this campaign goes, we can and should disagree with each other. But we shouldn't call each other insulting names. That is not how a great democracy stays great."
That would have been Straight Talk.
But...we know McCain has no class. He's a gutless panderer.
Well said. I was really pulling for McCain in 2000, not just for the primary, but for the general as well. And it was total BS how W's people "swiftboated" him. (Nobody called it that at the time of course, but it was the same thing.)
But this guy has lost all the respect I ever had for him. He has absolutley no spine anymore. He's a total sellout, on just about every issue of substance, and this "strait talker" stuff is total crap. He's a career politician who'll do or say anything to get elected. And that's exactly the guy you DON'T want to vote for. "Maverick" my @$$, he's nothing more that a meat puppet now.
OBAMA '08!!!!
Well at least they're not playing the gender card.;-)
Fine.
From now on, John McCain shall be referred to as "The Old Fart."
The Bitch vs. The Old Fart.
Could be the first step towards truth in campaigning.
ER, ya...true as night follows day. I'm a woman, and I've called Hillary "bitch"...well, actually "Fascist Bitch", and so does about everyone else I know. I do however, hope that she does get the nomination. She will never carry the male vote, not so much of the female vote, the south, the service industry (ahem...) or the rest she needs to win the presidency. And MMFA, why so silent about all the allegations of audience plants? Aren't they outraged that anyone would suggest this of Queen Hildog? Isn't she above reproach? C'mon, stick up for her.
True or not, I think it was ridiculous for CNN to even play this soundbite, much less discuss it. Does everything have to be covered? Even offensive remarks such as this from a questioner on the campaign trail.
Perhaps this is fine for The National Enquirer, but CNN shouldn't even dignify it.
I heard this audio clip on three different radio stations while driving to work this morning. It has become news.
It is unfortunately a sad statement on what the general population reacts to.
To give exposure to any citizen who uses that language while engaging in any political questioning of any candidate does not deserve national attention.
Have you seen what Hollywood is putting on TV these days? That's tame - I agree it's wrong - but that's what our culture has deteriorated to.
Are you kidding?
The candidate's reaction deserves all the attention in the world.
Your knee-jerk reaction to anything I write is boring, your post makes no sense to mine.
As usual you're missing the point or willfully acting ignorant, its hard to decide which.
The story isn't what the woman said.
The story is McCain's reaction.
No it is not. McCain is not a member of the media, the highlighted portion are not his words, and the headline is not his words.
You want ignorant, look at yourself.
Tommy why waste your time with Johnny One Note?
He argues just to argue. It doesn't have to make sense.
I am learning Jeter, you are so right........thanks for the reminder!
Just continue on with your derogatory remarks towards women and leave the discussion to the rest of us.
jeter, tommy made a comment and johnny responded. it's too bad your devotion to your hero leads you to trash someone for no other reason than disagreeing.
It's a lonely job being a far right nut job on this site while trying to convince people you're really not.
You posted it doesn't deserve national media attention.
I responded the candidate's reaction deserves all the attention in the world.
Do I have to carry on both ends of this discussion myself?
Exactly... and McCain should have exercised more discretion and maintained the proper decorum befitting a candidate for President.
It's one thing for a bunch of anonymous smart alecks like us to unload on politicians in colorful language on an internet forum but I truly would prefer to see candidates for high office demonstrate more dignity. If McCain truly respects Hillary Clinton, as he says, then he should have told the questioner that she should not refer to Clinton in those terms at his public event. He certainly would have gained my respect had he done that.
I cannot believe you missed it too. This site doesn't report on what the candidates are saying, but the media's reaction to it.
I can't believe I have to say this.
To put the thread in context you first have to decide if McCain's remarks were proper or not. For the reasons I enunciated, I think they were improper and therefore an attempt to defend those remarks are likewise improper.
To put the entire subject in context is why I think insulting and disrespectful stuff like this original question for McCain is inappropriate to discuss on a serious news/political show. Where it belongs I could care less.
the attention it brings is the fact that mccain should not have said "excellent question".
Ditto to you, read my post above to JNYC
Perhaps you both need to read up on the mission statement. It is not about McCain's reaction at all, it's about Allen's.
That's right.
And Allen was doing what?
He was defending McCain's reaction.
For someone who constantly highlights this site's mission statement, you are actually clueless as to what it is, aren't you? Read it again when you highlight it.
Contrary to your salivating partisanship it isn't all about teeing off on the "far right" with every breath, that you do, endlessly.
why are you always the final word of what should and should not be discussed. your original comment had nothing to do with the mission statement, did it?
Try to make sense ok?
Listen.
You originally posted the national media shouldn't cover this.
I responded.
You then tried to connect MMFA's mission statement to what the national media is doing c.
They're apples and oranges and you're coming off as being one very confused individual.
hello? i'm aware of the mission statement. you made a comment that this kind of remark does not deserve national attention. i said yes it does, because of mccain's reaction to it. you commented, i answered. ok?
Then we disagree.
I agree that everything shouldn't be covered, be it a tip or a slur word. What I find quite interesting is discussions I've been having with fellow workmates. All insist this type of information is absolutely essential to understand what kind of character a candidate will really have. Interestingly, all of them (republicans) value voters like McCain or Gulianni because acting like complete @sses comes off as a strong assertive macho man to them. And the tipping thing? Surprise, they couldn't care less what the truth ended up being, to them it was believable that Hillary would stiff a working stiff so who cares what the truth was.
So in conclusion, I suspect it won't matter what you or I think, there are way to many idiots out there who value all this garbage that passes for modern day politics.
It is an absolutely appropriate news item and hopefully it will spark a national discussion about the double standard women still face and why do some feel it’s okay to call a woman a b-itch anytime she does something you don’t like or just because you don’t like her. So far I'm the only "girl" that has weighed in on this subject and what you "boys" don't seem to understand is that referring to HC as a B in a public political forum and laughing about it is no different to me then if someone had stood up and asked What are you going to do about that N-word from Illinois or that Wo-p from NYC? Calling HC a B is disparaging and bigoted and that kind of sentiment has no place in the public political forum. McCain should have responded with some strait talk and told the supporter who said this and the cackling idiots in attendance that it was inappropriate to refer to a US Senator and former first lady as a B. Hell, maybe HC is correct about going against the old boys club, I’m surprised that you and Jeter don’t get this or are you two normally rational conservatives so blinded by HC hate that you don’t see the big picture beyond HC? Let’s say Laura Bush was running for president and I stood up in a similar forum and asked Obama what was he going to do to stop that B. Now I would never do that because I know how hard it is for a woman when she ventures out of her assigned zone and have to deal with men and brainwashed women that have been socialized to believe that certain jobs or functions are the sole province of men and if your Bill O’reilly specifically WCMs. Now I’ve never been a bra-burning (I actually like pretty bras) feminist but this is so obviously a double standard to me.
Let's watch the far right get down to basics:
The Democratic candidates are either bitches or n'ggers or traitors.
That's the kind of talk that gets the Republican base excited.
Oh yeah let's not forget fa'ggot (can't believe MMFA is filtering this) too.
That was a big applause line from the Republicans when Coulter called Edwards that.
johnny, I get your point, but I also have my reservations about holding McCain accountable for laughing at somebody elses stoopid remark.
It wasn't that phony, forced laugh that Rush and Hannity fill 75% of their shows with, it sounded like he was really caught by surprise. It's tough not to laugh at really inappropriate things.
Yeah, he could have commented if he thought it was wrong, but part of me takes the same position I take with the right wing shrieking heads like Coulter; Let them talk.
The GOP has a segment of their base that's happy to avoid issues if they can just be fed "Hillary's a Bitch". Let them make it a campaign slogan. Then, when things get down to the bone, they can be asked "why is Hillary a bitch" , at which point, they'll have to come up with some reasons.And it will become apparent that they've just been conditioned with talking points.
On the other hand, if the rightys counter by trying to corner the other side by asking for reasons why Bush is an idiot, or Giuliani is a phony, or Romney is a candy-ass, they will be given real reasons(if the Dems can get a decent candidate up there).
Am I lowering the bar for political discourse? Maybe, but I'd rather know what the Repubs are saying behiind closed doors.I've voted third party, with no effect, for most of my life, and it drives me crazy seeing the potentially decent Dems lose to the party that should have been extinct before they started, and lose by trying to be centrist and nice.
I agree with you about McCain's laughter probably being one of surprise and I agree its a good idea to let these nut jobs who make up the Republican base expose themselves for what they really are. After all, sunlight is the best disinfectant.
I do think McCain missed an opportunity to show some real leadership by not immediately and forcefully disassociating himself from the comment even if it wasn't a popular position in the room.
That's really the only way to deal with it: let people know comments like that have no place in the public arena.
The apologists who try to gloss this over by asking "who hasn't thought that" are dead wrong.
HRC, according to Rasmussen Reports, has the most solid positive support of any candidate and what the right wing nut jobs think "everybody knows" isn't agreed to by the electorate at large.
That's really the only way to deal with it: let people know comments like that have no place in the public arena.
That's my point exactly, that and I continue to wonder why men irregardless of political affiliatian think's it's OK to let the B word fly so freely when they are talking about women they don't like. It reminds me of the Queen Latifa song Unity. The chorus repeats Who you calling a B"
I find it amazing that Don Imus', Fox News and other news outlets justification for him calling a bunch of basketball players "nappy headed hoes" was "Rappers use such deragoatory terms all the time." Here you have it now A Politician has a chance to correct such tactless language in public discourse, and it's laughed off as a joke. Does anyone else see the amazing irony? It's actually defended on CNN as to whether the whole situation would hurt McCain. This loser actually says on national television "But what Republican voter hasn't thought that? What voter in general hasn't thought that?" I haven't. I think I understand America's logic now though. When you're conservative you're allowed to make deragotory comments and still be seen as a decent person. But if you're any other race or ethnicity well . . . . you know the rest.
"I've called Hillary "bitch"...well, actually "Fascist Bitch", and so does about everyone else I know." -Shortstance
This post is from another woman. So how does it feel to be a cavewoman? I don't know how you'll ever make it without a man to bring home the bacon but at least you'll always have Geico commercials.
Calling a woman a bitch b/c you are a woman yourself, doesn't make it acceptable. Educate yourself and get out of the Stone Age.
Those women have Aunt Thomasized.
have been