McCain Campaign's "Bitch" Email Fibs About What Actually Happened
One other quick thing about the email the McCain camp sent out attacking CNN for covering his supporter's "how do we beat the bitch" moment: It fibs pretty audaciously about what actually happened at the event.
Here's how the email, from McCain campaign manager Rick Davis, describes it:
A voter used a word that I would not have used to describe Senator Hillary Clinton and asked the Senator how he was going to beat her. Senator McCain first responded by saying that he respected Senator Clinton, as he has said repeatedly throughout the campaign. Then, focusing on the question, he pointed to the new Rasmussen national poll showing that he is the only Republican candidate who can beat her in a general election.
Actually, that's not how it happened at all, as the video shows. Rather, what happened was that first the supporter asked the "bitch" question. Then he laughed and said, "that's an excellent question." Then he went on to talk about the poll. Than, finally, as an afterthought, he added that he "respected" her. He did not "first respond" by professing his respect, as the email claims.
Special thanks to TPM Reader JH for sending this in.
Comments (9)
Daniel wrote on November 14, 2007 3:42 PM:Meanwhile, it's Romney that is shooting upwards in national polls... at McCain and Thompson's expense!
Greg wrote on November 14, 2007 3:47 PM:and Huckabee cruising in iowa!!
Keith Burton wrote on November 14, 2007 5:18 PM:I watched the video. It appeared to me tha McCain laughed at the inaneness of the questioner and the position that it put him in. He then tried to deal with answering the question as best he could. I don't think that he contributed to any disrespect to shown towards Clinton. I'm no big fan of either of these candidates.
Anonymous wrote on November 14, 2007 6:01 PM:This just confirms my view of south carolina as a state with a lot of classless people.
votenic wrote on November 14, 2007 6:59 PM: 2008 Presidential Election Weekly Pollhttp://www.votenic.com
Results Posted Every Tuesday Evening. dirtyword.net wrote on November 14, 2007 9:34 PM:
'how do we beat the bitch?' shirts, hats, stickers, mugs, buttons, magnets, and more are now available now at:
it's the new anti-hillary conservative catch phrase!
Would he have laughed it off and reacted the same way if someone had been asking about Obama and said, 'How do we beat the n****r?' AND use the situation to raise funds? No.
Would he have replied "Excellent question?" Absolutely not.
Chalk it up to being put in such an awkward position he choked? I don't think so. It may have been awkward but he had ample opportunity to take a stand and he failed and is continuing to fail.
I thought McCain's reaction showed a lack of statemanship. He's a grown man and a seasoned politician-I would expect greater presence of mind in a man who wants to lead the country. I would not expect the man to act like a goofy teenager on the playground.
But the email is far worse. That video is widely available and it's plain to see that the email does not tell what really happened. The country has seen that McCain does not respect womanhood. Now it sees that he does not respect our intelligence. Does he really think we are going to believe his words over our own eyes?
Pete Sikora wrote on November 17, 2007 6:18 PM:McCain also presumed that the question referred to Clinton. Undoubtedly, the woman did mean Clinton. But if you're running for President, shouldn't you at least pretend you don't know who she meant?
