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.
uff-dah,I might get reprimanded fer that....
Afraid to take on the MSM (just like Dubya) and we’re supposed to think he’s gonna take on Tehran and Pyongyang. What a total crock.
"America, I refuse to make a big deal of Husseins middle name. Barack Hussein Obama is not a terrorist. Repeat, not a TERRORIST. No matter what his middle name is. He is not Hussein Osama. It is not polite to refer to him by the middle name his Muslim father gave him. He is not Sadam Hussein."
yitbos
Yuh know, why don't you and all the other blowhards on this thread get back to me when Cunningham wins an election.
I'll be waiting a long time.
This is probably a really dumb question, but here it goes....
Could another person be selected to run on the Republican ticket during the convention?
McCain made a huge mistake
But, C-ham makes a bigger mistake if he continues to support McLame. C-ham needs to distance himself from McLame
Only a McCain liberal thinks John Sidney McLame looks good after this.....
Juan is just reaching out to his best friends...
If McCain is in the apologizing mood, then let him apologize to the Swift Boat Veterans for the Truth About John Kerry.
They were right; McCain was wrong. End of story.
No wonder they call him John McLame.
If Ed Schultz instead of Bill Cunningham had warmed up the audience by calling President Bush a chimp, Secretary Rumsfeld a bloodthirsty old fool and Mitt Romney a polygamist, *you can bet that Sen. McCain would have made no such statement disavowing the commentary.* And most likely Sen. McCain would have known Ed Schultz and not called him “that man.”
I think I read on another thread a comment from some Arab person that Barack is just a short form of Mubarack.
So to be accurate, we should probably use the senators real name. MUBARACK HUSSEIN OBAMA.
That way he won’t be mistaken for an apostate MUSLIM.
How’s about “B O”.........:)
What’s your middle name, Dane? Are you ashamed of it?
Bill Cunningham will be on tonight’s Hannity & Colmes - 9pm EST. Bill is also pretty ticked that the Rezko trial is being silenced by the lamestream press.
agreed
Sad but true statement. This is what really makes me mad about McCain, he’ll throw conservatives under his bus, but praise democrats or make no comment when they denigrade any republican.
Pathetic.
Not a smart move by McCain, imho.
This is exactly why at the end of the day his campaign will represent a collection of wasted opportunities. Every time I almost convince myself to get motivate, he opens his mouth.
I heard something about this on the radio, today, but I didn’t know what the person was talking about. So, according to McCain, Barack Obama’s own middle name disparages him?
How can you be disparaged by your own name.
McCain is an idiot, but I already decided that I wasn’t voting for him, so it shouldn’t matter to me.
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