McCain event canceled over fundraiser's rape 'joke' ("Joke" was 18 years ago...)

Clymer News Network ^ | 6/14/08

[Recovering_Democrat]

John McCain has called off a fundraiser at the home of a Texas oilman who joked about rape during a 1990 gubernatorial run in the state.

The Texan, Republican Clayton Williams, made the joke during his failed campaign against Democrat Ann Richards. Williams compared rape to the weather, saying, "As long as it's inevitable, you might as well lie back and enjoy it."

He also compared Richards to the cattle on his ranch, saying he would "head her and hoof her and drag her through the dirt."

Williams' comments made national news at the time and remain easy to find on the Internet. Even so, McCain's campaign said it hadn't known about the remarks.

"These were obviously incredibly offensive remarks that the campaign was unaware of at the time it was scheduled," McCain spokesman Brian Rogers said. "It's positive that he did apologize at the time, but the comments are nonetheless offensive."

[weegee]

“Better put some ice on that” - Bill Clinton to one of his real RAPE victims.

[1rudeboy]

Politics is war, and you have to be ruthless, especially when the press is devoted to making sure your opponent wins.

Precisely. Just like business is business. I just got done advising a friend over the phone regarding a pending transaction of her's . . . "hey, the two of you are friends and all, but the mirror is worth $1000."

[txhurl]

Clayton's disgusting comments are exactly why Ann Richards beat his * into the dirt.

I freely admit that's the only RAT vote I've ever cast in my life. In the primary, I voted for Tom Luce.

[Recovering_Democrat]

Says who? Please post a list of the offensive things you’ve said, and let the people judge. Because I guarndamntee you that some group out there will be outraged by what you said.

And don’t bother apologizing for it....not good enough, man. Slitting your wrists and crying in repentance still won’t let you find John McCain’s forgiveness.

I think we’ll just end up disagreeing on this, and strongly. McCain’s bending over on this is outrageous.

Of course, John McCain can still call liberal hypocrites his “friend” and write legislation with them....but not for a man who made a REMARK.

The judgement upon some ill chosen words by a Republican creates unforgiveable actions...he is turned into a pariah, unable to be seen in the same room with the candidate.

But liberal hacks whose actions constantly are taken to undermine our troops, or our president, or the unborn, or the taxpayers, those liberal hacks are given wide leeway to say and do whatever they want.

[weegee]

Barack Obama held TWO fundraisers (for overseas Americans apparently) in Communist China.

The media is in to win for OBAMArx.

[fr_freak]

That said, McCain was probably right to call off the fund raiser. The MSM would have made a much bigger deal out of Claytie's remarks (yes, I know, many years a go and he apologized, etc) than anything said by Rev. Wright.

If McCain had half a brain and any spine when it comes to politicking ( I don't question the sheer guts he must have had to make it through the Hanoi Hilton, so let's not go there), he could use anything the MSM might say about Williams to his own advantage.

For instance, if an MSM reporter had said, "Senator McCain, how could you associate with a man who makes light of the horrible crime of rape? Is it because you don't think rape is serious?" McCain could answer, "Williams said an incredibly stupid thing 18 years ago and has apologized for it sincerely. I believe that forgiveness is a quality that God encourages us to foster. After all, who here hasn't said anything he has regretted later? What I'd like to know, however, is why people such as yourself refuse to forgive a man ho has sincerely apologized for a joke, but will overlook the incredibly distasteful and disgusting things said by Obama's associates, such as the pastor of his church and good friend, Jeremiah Wright, who actually said 'Goddamn America' and has never apologized for that? What kind of double-standard are you people using? Why won't you hold Obama to the same standard? Is it because all of you guys in the media are really Obama fans that you'll overlook everything for him?"

I can almost guarantee you that this sort of exchange would only be necessary ONCE, and the MSM weasels would not have the huevos to bring up Williams ever again. And that is the whole point - the MSM ignores everything negative about Obama, or whoever the Democrat flavor of the month is, while trumpeting the slightest missteps of Republicans. If McCain and others would simply use that negative air time to turn things around on the Democrats and their puppets in the MSM, we might actually get somewhere.

[Wiseghy]

Are you kidding? The MSM would tie this joke/comment so tightly into McCain, most idiot voters won’t know that he never even said it. I can see exit polls now that would have had 25% of voters tying remark this directly to McCain.

Welcome to democracy in the Attention Deficit age.

[KJC1]

Yes we will disagree, and I can’t join you in your frothing over McCain’s distancing himself from comments that we would RIGHTFULLY be slamming if they came from anyone associated with Obama. If ANY man stood before our daughters, our wives, our sisters, and made these comments most FReepers if they are good to their word would rearrange their faces. But carry on, with whatever it is you thought you were out to carry on with.

[top 2 toe red]

I agree, McCain is right here. The Dims and the media would slaughter him for 'getting in bed' with Clayton.

I lived in TX at the time, that one little 'joke' was the last straw with a lot of people. If he could have kept his mouth shut, TX probably would not have been saddled with that loud-mouth Molly Ivins best girlfriend, louder-mouth Ann Richards.

[KJC1]

“their faces” should be “his face”

[BARLF]

I agree. Also the media would have used it against him had he gone forward with fundraiser.

[Interesting Times]

So can we cancel Doonesbury?

[Homer1]

no need to impugn a whole race...I can think of plenty of perjoratives without getting racial...

[raptor29]

If I remember correctly, the origin of the term ‘gook’ came from the Korean word for people, which is something like ‘guk’. I think the soldiers just picked it up from there, and it became a slur against all the asians we fought against.

[KJC1]

So you DO know what it’s like to be POW and even under that pressure you would be PC? WOW!!!

[PA-RIVER]

After years of torture? You dont scare me, I was married for 20 years to a liberal feminist. Now That takes courage my friend.

[KJC1]

Making light of this topic is so gauche (to use a French phrase) it suggests your IQ doesn’t even register. To compare a bad marriage to being a POW...wow...so lame I can’t believe it. Actually I would, if I read it on DU but somehow it is here and you probably feel pretty good about that.

[chaosagent]

For what it’s worth, Williams was quoting his momma or his grandmother when he said this.

I had an aunt back in Alabama who used to say the same thing.

[TNCMAXQ]

I still remember that 1990 campaign. The McCain people should have known it might be controversial. Still, it is true there is a double standard and lefties can say all kinds of vicious things and get away with it.

It’s something to think of how history might have been changed if Williams had been elected governor in 1990. Assuming Williams ran for reelection, then GWB would not have been elected in 1994. Presumably he would not have been a candidate for president in 2000 then. How different things might have been.

[TexasNative2000]

There is a tried-and-true solution for this. . . . it's really very easy and demonstrably effective. . . . .

McCain simply needs to say "Well, this isn't the Clayton Williams I knew 18 years ago." Case closed.