Posted on 02/26/2008 3:52:09 PM PST by jdm
Apparently, John McCain doesn't like the asinine emphasis on Barack Obama's middle name any more than Obama himself. After talk-radio host Bill Cunningham introduced McCain at a Cincinnati rally, the presumptive Republican nominee apologized for the disrespectful tone taken by his emcee:
McCain wasn't on stage nor in the building when Cunningham made the comments, but he quickly distanced himself from them and the talk show host after finishing his speech. McCain spoke to a couple hundred people at Memorial Hall in downtown Cincinnati.
"I apologize for it," McCain told reporters, addressing the issue before they had a chance to ask the Arizona senator about Cunningham's comments.
"I did not know about these remarks but I take responsibility for them. I repudiate them," he said. "My entire campaign I have treated Senator Obama and Senator (Hillary Rodham) Clinton with respect. I will continue to do that throughout this campaign.
McCain called both Democrats "honorable Americans" and said "I want to dissociate myself with any disparaging remarks that may have been said about them."
Asked whether the use of Obama's middle name—the same as former Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein—is proper, McCain said: "No, it is not. Any comment that is disparaging of either Senator Clinton or Senator Obama is totally inappropriate."
Some will ask what problem there could be with saying the candidate's full name. After all, Cunningham and others aren't making up names for Obama; Hussein is his real name. How can that possibly be "disrespectful", in McCain's own words?
The intent makes all the difference. Those emphasizing the middle name want to drive home the heritage of Obama, specifically his father. It seeks to extend the urban myth of Obama's supposed Muslim identity. The name "Hussein" has other connotations as well, a not-so-subtle link to Saddam Hussein, one of the worst dictators in recent times.
None of this is subtle, and anyone professing innocence of these intentions are either lying to us or lying to themselves. If we need to refer to Obama, his last name will suffice, or Senator Obama, or Barack Obama. Using the full name three times in an introduction makes it quite clear that the speaker wants to invoke a less-than-intellectual response to the likely Democratic nominee.
McCain rightly disassociated himself from that kind of politicking. Given that Cunningham represented his campaign at this event, McCain made the right decision to apologize for the speech and to categorically reject the tactic. He wants to win the election by remaining on the high road, not by appealing to fear and dislike. McCain just passed his Sista Souljah test, but his staff will have to do better to avoid these tests in the future, as Allahpundit points out.
McCain can kiss my butt! What a fool.
Huge mistake by McCain....
He shouldn't have just said anything. You don't play nice against Rats like Obama. Did Obama apologize on behalf of the NY Times' smear against McCain?
McCains kiss a$$ moment more like it. Better to say nothing. Every time he speaks it’s something dumb ... a hundred years in Iraq. even if it’s true you don’t say that.
Regards
What a complete phony!
Oh puhleease. If we have been gifted with the opponents middle name being Hussein then goody for us. His parents named him. People can make what they want of it.
NOT EVEN CLOSE,,,
when Slick pulled that crap--he had the black vote (base) 'locked up' while trying to appeal to others.
McCain HARDLY has the base 'locked up',,,won't gain any more support,,,BUT will lose some more conservative support.
I agree. I saw what Cunningham said on TV. There wasn’t anything but truth in it but I guess that’s just too shocking for today’s sensibilities. Make you puke.
I think I’ll just start calling him Hussein. Or Hussein O. Or B. Hussein. One of those.
Another reason I won’t waste my time voting for him. He still wants to make love across the aisle.
Geesh, could we please get a decent candidate?
Hello?
There may be some Democrats who are honorable Americans, but for the most part it has been Democrats who have dishonored so many men and women serving and sacrificing in our armed forces. McCain shows himself as a old RINO relic and a pandering Washington insider of the lowest order by heaping such INCLUSIVE praise on Democrats.
This is exactly the behavior I would expect from a Senator. They are overly respectful of each other - recall expressions like “my esteemed colleague”. They love to project the image of “The world’s greatest deliberative body”. To me, it shows that McCain’s loyalties are more to his brothers and sisters in “The world’s greatest deliberative body” than to the American people. It would have been better if he had said nothing about Cunningham’s comments, but no. I am not surprised.
When Slick was debating Pres Bush in '92,,,,in that debate with Carole Simpson as the moderator,,,when that guy with the long pony-tale asked that question,,,
which (paraphrasing here) asked--that character be kept out of the debate,,,and the debate ONLY be allowed to focus on issues--PRES BUSH LOST THE ELECTION RIGHT THERE.
The MSM was trying to take character and integrity "OFF THE TABLE" for that election--and that question did just that.
Likewise, in this situation,,,the MSM does NOT want to focus (or even discuss) Hussein's muslim background for fear that it will alienate Reagan democrats.
McCain played right into their hands by taking discussion of Hussein's islamic background "OFF THE TABLE". How sad, because it most certainly IS an issue in the post 9/11 world.
I feel that not only was this NOT a Sista Soulja moment,,,,it was just the opposite--the new version of the pony-tailed question "Can we just stick to the issues".
McCain just made the election of Hussein even MORE likely by taking Hussein's muslim background 'off the table'.
I like Captain Ed and often agree with him, though not so much here. What I don’t like about McCain’s reaction is that he didn’t have to grasp at the opportunity to act sanctimonious. He was’t in the building when the remarks were made and didn’t hear them. He could have said look, I don’t want to shoot my mouth off when I did not hear the remarks myself. I’ll look into it.
But no, he had to show off what a fine, fine fellow he is.
Good Grief! What a pandering jerk. Sorry. Make the a RINO pandering jerk.
Correct, of course. I don't think anyone is claiming this is particularly subtle.
If we need to refer to Obama, his last name will suffice, or Senator Obama, or Barack Obama. Using the full name three times in an introduction makes it quite clear that the speaker wants to invoke a less-than-intellectual response to the likely Democratic nominee.
So? Isn't that done ALL THE TIME in politics by people of both parties? How about Ann Richards' 'silver foot' comment about GHWB's parentage? Mr. Morrissey seems to be quite the pantywaist. The guy's name is Hussein. He's had decades to get it legally changed if he didn't want to be called by it.
McCain is showing why he won’t win in November, no matter if every conservative in the US votes for him. He wants a patty cake election and the ‘Rats will be playing hardball with plenty of dirty tricks thrown in.
Isn't he PROUD of it? If not, why not?
Isn't he PROUD of his heritage?
Isn't he PROUD of his muslim background?
Why isn't he using this to HIGHLIGHT his additional 'diversity' (which liberals boast is so important)???
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