# John McCain Has Got to be One of the Dumbest People on the Planet **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [March 30, 2008, 2:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/john-mccain-has-got-to-be-one-of-the-dumbest-people-on-the-planet/443243 "2008-03-30T02:38:08Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2008, 8:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/john-mccain-has-got-to-be-one-of-the-dumbest-people-on-the-planet/443243/81 "2008-03-31T20:38:26Z")
[QUOTE=Shayna] **BrainGlutton** , you know I love ya, and these are all good and truthful arguments. But this thread is about **John McCain**. Please do not allow these guys to deflect the conversation away from the idiocy of their nominee’s comments. It’s the same game Hillary just played with the “Bosnia? What Bosnia? I would never have stayed in that church with Jeremiah Wright!” **Don’t let them get away with this shit**. Either they can support their candidate’s dumbass remarks or they have to acknowledge that they were some of the dumbest shit a presidential candidate could ever say. “I have to find out what my position was. Brian, would you find out what my position is. . .”?? _That_, from someone who wants us to give him control of our government? Is he insane?? [/QUOTE] Ah, well, getting back to the OP, sounds like the actions of a pol who doesn’t have his shit together quite the way he should, but it’s still too soon to make a definite diagnosis of Alzheimer’s. At the moment. ---
**Author:** ![UltraVires](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/ecccb3/32.png) [@UltraVires](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UltraVires)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2008, 10:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/john-mccain-has-got-to-be-one-of-the-dumbest-people-on-the-planet/443243/82 "2008-03-31T22:03:00Z")
Here is my take on McCain’s answer: He couldn’t give two shits about AIDS spreading in Africa, and if we are honest with ourselves, most of us don’t either. I mean, we care in a general sense in that we don’t want anyone to suffer, but it is so far removed from our lives that I doubt any of us wake up in the morning and have to go vomit because we can’t face another day in this cruel world, what with AIDS speading like it is in Africa. That being said, McCain probably hadn’t thought very much about it, and when asked, he got sort of stumped because he didn’t want to say the wrong thing and piss off the religious right, or say something different than what Bush had done and make waves there. So he tried to make a joke about getting his aide to check out what his position was, but the reporter wouldn’t let him off that easy, so he tried to brush it off. Some of you might say that he should have said what he felt anyways, but the truth is he doesn’t care. And you don’t either. ---
**Author:** ![E-Sabbath](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/e19adc/32.png) [@E-Sabbath](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/E-Sabbath)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2008, 10:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/john-mccain-has-got-to-be-one-of-the-dumbest-people-on-the-planet/443243/83 "2008-03-31T22:49:47Z")
You don’t care. Perhaps some of us do, jtgain. Maybe some of us have tried to help, despite the outpouring of antipathy from both our administration and the governments of Africa. Your attitude makes exactly as much sense as someone in the 80s not caring about AIDS because only the homosexuals get it. ---
**Author:** ![FoieGrasIsEvil](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foiegrasisevil/32/16638_2.png) [@FoieGrasIsEvil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FoieGrasIsEvil)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2008, 11:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/john-mccain-has-got-to-be-one-of-the-dumbest-people-on-the-planet/443243/84 "2008-03-31T23:12:08Z")
[QUOTE=E-Sabbath] You don’t care. Perhaps some of us do, jtgain. Maybe some of us have tried to help, despite the outpouring of antipathy from both our administration and the governments of Africa. Your attitude makes exactly as much sense as someone in the 80s not caring about AIDS because only the homosexuals get it. [/QUOTE] please cite how much “we” don’t care. Hasn’t the US population/government dedicated umpteen billions of dollars to this cause? I understand that from a wealth perspective that we as a nation could have given more, but…we don’t care at all? We don’t give? We don’t fund research? ---
**Author:** ![Captain\_Amazing](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6de8d8/32.png) [@Captain\_Amazing](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Captain_Amazing)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2008, 11:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/john-mccain-has-got-to-be-one-of-the-dumbest-people-on-the-planet/443243/85 "2008-03-31T23:23:16Z")
[QUOTE=E-Sabbath] Your attitude makes exactly as much sense as someone in the 80s not caring about AIDS because only the homosexuals get it. [/QUOTE] I think a lot of people in the 80s didn’t care much about AIDS because “only the homosexuals get it”. And actually, regarding this administration, for all the things you can criticize the Bush administration for, it’s actually been pretty good about aid to Africa and AIDS programs in Africa in particular. ---
**Author:** ![mhendo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mhendo/32/3159_2.png) [@mhendo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mhendo)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2008, 12:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/john-mccain-has-got-to-be-one-of-the-dumbest-people-on-the-planet/443243/86 "2008-04-01T00:13:42Z")
[QUOTE=jtgain] Here is my take on McCain’s answer: He couldn’t give two shits about AIDS spreading in Africa, and if we are honest with ourselves, most of us don’t either. I mean, we care in a general sense in that we don’t want anyone to suffer, but it is so far removed from our lives that I doubt any of us wake up in the morning and have to go vomit because we can’t face another day in this cruel world, what with AIDS speading like it is in Africa. That being said, McCain probably hadn’t thought very much about it, and when asked, he got sort of stumped because he didn’t want to say the wrong thing and piss off the religious right, or say something different than what Bush had done and make waves there. So he tried to make a joke about getting his aide to check out what his position was, but the reporter wouldn’t let him off that easy, so he tried to brush it off. Some of you might say that he should have said what he felt anyways, but the truth is he doesn’t care. And you don’t either. [/QUOTE] Huh? The OP’s criticism of McCain was less to do with his position on aid to Africa than with his apparent complete lack of comprehension of the prophylactic (heh) value of condoms in preventing the spread of sexually transmitted diseases, and also with his open-mouth stupor over what the government’s policy should be regarding sex education policies right here in America. Of course, folks like **Sam Stone** , exhibiting intellectual generosity of Brobdingnagian proportions, choose to interpret McCain’s stupor as evidence of his laudable commitment to ideals of government non-intervention in private issues. The fact that the McCain camp’s own statements about the issue refute this interpretation is a mere technicality. > [@Captain Amazing](#): > > And actually, regarding this administration, for all the things you can criticize the Bush administration for, it’s actually been pretty good about aid to Africa and AIDS programs in Africa in particular. Yeah, in my opinion you can count the successes of the Bush administration on one hand, and still have enough fingers left to throw a fastball, but one area where they’ve done pretty well is on aid to Africa for HIV/AIDS-related issues. ---
**Author:** ![E-Sabbath](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/e19adc/32.png) [@E-Sabbath](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/E-Sabbath)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2008, 12:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/john-mccain-has-got-to-be-one-of-the-dumbest-people-on-the-planet/443243/87 "2008-04-01T00:31:33Z")
Meh. Not so much, most of the funds have been tied to abstinence programs, which work about as well as they do here. Okay, not quite as well. So, sure, more money… but forcing everyone to operate with both hands tied behind their back. They’ve made a whole lot of big noises about how much they’ve been helping Africa, though! ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Moto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9de0a6/32.png) [@Mr.Moto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Moto)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2008, 2:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/john-mccain-has-got-to-be-one-of-the-dumbest-people-on-the-planet/443243/88 "2008-04-01T02:37:33Z")
[QUOTE=E-Sabbath] Meh. Not so much, most of the funds have been tied to abstinence programs, which work about as well as they do here. Okay, not quite as well. So, sure, more money… but forcing everyone to operate with both hands tied behind their back. [/QUOTE] Funny, I was under the impression that the funds were tied to programs modeled after the one in Uganda that focused on curbing risky sexual behavior and had a pretty good record of success. Do you have some sort of cite to the contrary? ---
**Author:** ![Martin\_Hyde](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/47e85d/32.png) [@Martin\_Hyde](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Martin_Hyde)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2008, 2:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/john-mccain-has-got-to-be-one-of-the-dumbest-people-on-the-planet/443243/89 "2008-04-01T02:43:56Z")
[QUOTE=Diogenes the Cynic] Cite? What organization would that be? Please be advised that his church will not be accepted as an answer without evidence that it is, indeed, racist. Even Reverend Wright never said anything racist. [/quote] Last I checked I don’t have any obligation to cite an opinion. I don’t need a damn thing to be accepted by you or anyone else. A church is very much shaped by its leaders, and the leader of Obama’s Church is most definitely a bigot. I’m not saying I’m against providing cites–when I’ve made a factual claim. But it’s almost impossible to prove someone is a racist, even someone who is a self-proclaimed racist. Racism is something that is only known for truth within the person, there’s no way–no actions, that can prove someone a racist or exonerate them from a charge of racism. That’s why I’m not going to get into a battle of semantics over whether or not Rev. Wright is a racist. I don’t feel one can make a factual claim as to whether or not someone is racist–you can make a statement of opinion, which is what I did. One doesn’t need to cite an opinion. I can give my reasons for holding the opinion if you’d like. Primarily it is because of things I’ve read about Rev. Wright in toto that make me think he’s a racist. FTR I think a lot of black religious leaders in his vein are racist. I know that’s not a popular view but I think it’s a realistic view. To be honest, I can’t necessarily blame a lot of these people for being racist. It’s human to hold bigoted feelings towards others, unfortunately that is one ugly aspect of humanity. A lot of otherwise decent people have fallen victim to these feelings, it’s much easier to fall victim to them when you and your peer group feel oppressed by a given ethnicity. > [@](#): > > Cite that he’s a racist? Cite that he’s ever said or believed anything racist? You ARE aware that he is just as white as he is black, are you not? I could just as well ask for a cite that Adolf Hitler was racist, or that a member of the Ku Klux Klan is racist. The fact of the matter is we can only make a general _assumption_ about whether or not someone is a racist. The only person who knows for sure is the person in question–even a pronouncement of “I am a racist” can’t be seen as definitive proof (people lie.) My assumptions about Obama are tied in with my opinions/assumptions about Rev. Wright and his Church, and the racist ideologies his church and many other churches like it toy with. ---
**Author:** ![Martin\_Hyde](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/47e85d/32.png) [@Martin\_Hyde](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Martin_Hyde)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2008, 2:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/john-mccain-has-got-to-be-one-of-the-dumbest-people-on-the-planet/443243/90 "2008-04-01T02:51:57Z")
[QUOTE=Shayna] Given that this is **my** thread, and the subject matter is **John McCain** , I’d like to ask that you take your Barack Obama hijack to one of the gazillion places there already are to bitch about Reverend Wright or any other supposed “connection” Obama is supposed to have. I can see now that the meme “But Clinton. . .” has now become outdated and replaced by “But Obama. . .” I’m not having it in this thread. If you can’t keep it about what a mental moron John McCain is, I’ll ask a mod to close this thread. Thank you. [/QUOTE] No, this is not a thread about John McCain, this is a thread about Barack Obama. I’m sorry, but you’ve clearly positioned yourself like **RTFirefly** was a few months back–you’re a partisan on the war path. Any political post you make has to be looked at in the context of who you are as a poster. While **RTFirefly** was just on a general anti-[Every Republican] warpath you’re on a pro-Obama war path. And that’s fine, there’s nothing wrong with using whatever public forums exist (including message boards of questionable utility in “getting out the word”) to advocate a candidate you support. But you can’t separate yourself from that advocacy. If John McCain was just a Senator from Arizona this thread would not exist. In your case, I don’t think this thread would exist if Hillary Clinton had clinched the nomination a few months ago–you’re only in this as an advocate for Obama, so it’s only fair we bring that into this, and that by association brings in discussion about Obama himself. > [@](#): > > Oh shove it up your ass, you stupid moron. As a matter of fact, it’s the 3rd item from the top of the list of articles listed on FARK under the politics tab from the day I posted this thread. See for yourself, schmuck. Don’t you DARE accuse me of not bringing something to the attention of this board in good faith. G-d you make me sick. > > The rest of your post is just more of the same baseless and false accusations, so I won’t dignify your scummy ass with any further reply. > > Now go fuck off. That’s fine and good, to cry like a baby and refuse further debate anytime someone calls you on your partisan bullshit. I will concede that it is entirely possible you did in fact discover this through innocent net perusal, it appears I was wrong on that–I wasn’t aware this story was on such prominent sites like Fark. However, “good faith” is a questionable term for you to use. You brought this to the attention of the board to push for Obama, period. If you were just interested in posting interesting news articles about McCain, or discussing John McCain, I wonder why you haven’t posted the article on Fark’s politics tab indicating McCain leads Obama in Rasmussen polling done in several blue states. ---
**Author:** ![Bosstone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/22d042/32.png) [@Bosstone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosstone)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2008, 2:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/john-mccain-has-got-to-be-one-of-the-dumbest-people-on-the-planet/443243/91 "2008-04-01T02:56:29Z")
How will John McCain’s brainfart hurt the Democrats? ---
**Author:** ![Martin\_Hyde](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/47e85d/32.png) [@Martin\_Hyde](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Martin_Hyde)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2008, 3:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/john-mccain-has-got-to-be-one-of-the-dumbest-people-on-the-planet/443243/92 "2008-04-01T03:01:42Z")
[QUOTE=mhendo] Huh? The OP’s criticism of McCain was less to do with his position on aid to Africa than with his apparent complete lack of comprehension of the prophylactic (heh) value of condoms in preventing the spread of sexually transmitted diseases, and also with his open-mouth stupor over what the government’s policy should be regarding sex education policies right here in America. [/QUOTE] Actually I think it’s easy enough to see that McCain was talking about spending government money on distributing contraceptives, and his answers were in the vein of “I’m not sure spending government funds on these programs helps prevent the spread of HIV.” There’s certainly evidence that condoms can stop the transmission of HIV from one person to another–however, it is not something to just be assumed that spending money on distributing condoms or whatever is going to lower the rate at which HIV is spread. I believe the data shows such program do help lessen the spread of HIV, but no program is perfect, and someone who isn’t involved regularly in such programs has no factual basis to say whether or not those programs are effective. You can be unsure about how effective a _program to distribute contraceptives_ is without being unsure as to whether or not a condom can prevent the spread of HIV. It’s not a subtle difference, McCain wasn’t talking about whether or not a condom can prevent the spread of HIV from HIV+ person A and HIV negative person B. He was talking about a government program, and that was what the reporter was talking about. (I find it interesting the reporter was using the words contraceptive in his initial questions and condoms in his later question. A contraceptive isn’t necessarily going to do jack-shit to protect you from infection. Not all contraceptives are condoms.) ---
**Author:** ![gonzomax](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e8c25b/32.png) [@gonzomax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gonzomax)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2008, 3:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/john-mccain-has-got-to-be-one-of-the-dumbest-people-on-the-planet/443243/93 "2008-04-01T03:07:32Z")
Mr, Straight talk McCain knew the truth. He is not stupid. He was trying to remember the position which would not offend the base he is trying to pander to. He was evasive and lying. ---
**Author:** ![E-Sabbath](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/e19adc/32.png) [@E-Sabbath](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/E-Sabbath)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2008, 3:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/john-mccain-has-got-to-be-one-of-the-dumbest-people-on-the-planet/443243/94 "2008-04-01T03:25:18Z")
[QUOTE=Mr. Moto] Funny, I was under the impression that the funds were tied to programs modeled after the one in Uganda that focused on curbing risky sexual behavior and had a pretty good record of success. Do you have some sort of cite to the contrary? [/QUOTE] > **[BBC NEWS | Americas | Bush's affair with abstinence](http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/3887177.stm)** > > BBC News Online's Clare Murphy looks at why the Bush administration is so enamoured with abstinence as a means to prevent Aids. A third, this one says, goes to abstinence education programs. I’m aware of the Uganda program, and what it credits. I’m also aware that non-abstinence programs are considerably easier and cheaper to run, and show greater effects. [http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2007/juneweb-only/126-52.0.html](http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2007/juneweb-only/126-52.0.html) Remember, Abstinence brings dignity. > **[Married to HIV](https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2008-feb-22-ed-abstinence22-story.html)** > > Abstinence-only programs are of little use in Africa, where often it's husbands infecting wives. Of course, if you’re married, you have every right to have sex with your wife. Even if it kills her. > **[Bush accused of Aids damage to Africa](https://www.theguardian.com/world/2005/aug/30/usa.aids)** > > A senior United Nations official has accused President George Bush of "doing damage to Africa" by cutting funding for condoms, a move which may jeopardise the successful fight against HIV/Aids in Uganda. Of course, it doesn’t matter if your program may do damage to the successful Uganda program. You’re preaching abstinence. ---
**Author:** ![mhendo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mhendo/32/3159_2.png) [@mhendo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mhendo)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2008, 3:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/john-mccain-has-got-to-be-one-of-the-dumbest-people-on-the-planet/443243/95 "2008-04-01T03:36:53Z")
[QUOTE=Martin Hyde] I’m sorry, but you’ve clearly positioned yourself like **RTFirefly** was a few months back–you’re a partisan on the war path. [/quote] It’s lucky we’ve got balanced moderates like you to point out who the partisans are. [QUOTE=Martin Hyde] Any political post you make has to be looked at in the context of who you are as a poster. [/QUOTE] Quoted for truth. It’s something i remember every single time i read one of your contributions to this message board. Your have such a tenuous grasp on reality that you’re really not worth debating. Your “arguments” in this thread challenge the late, unlamented **milroyj** for the most disingenuous, tortuous, illogical statements i’ve seen on this board. And that’s quite a feat. I can’t decide if you’re the dumbest person i’ve ever come across, or just the most dishonest. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2008, 4:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/john-mccain-has-got-to-be-one-of-the-dumbest-people-on-the-planet/443243/96 "2008-04-01T04:01:32Z")
[QUOTE=jtgain] Some of you might say that he should have said what he felt anyways, but the truth is he doesn’t care. And you don’t either. [/QUOTE] We mostly **don’t,** but we should. And some of us do. McCain should, but he doesn’t, not in any slightly defensible respect, any more. And those of us who do, should not take him seriously in any way, not now, and not in November. ---
**Author:** ![stolichnaya](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bcef8e/32.png) [@stolichnaya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/stolichnaya)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2008, 4:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/john-mccain-has-got-to-be-one-of-the-dumbest-people-on-the-planet/443243/97 "2008-04-01T04:03:52Z")
> [@](#): > > With Obama, I don’t need to google anything at all. I can just point out he’s a long time member of a racist organization–and I can say I don’t trust the man. I think he’s a black man with a sense of entitlement that hopes to “put one over on whitey” by getting elected to the Presidency where he will proceed to implement some of the most horrifying programs of wealth redistribution from white to black we’ve ever seen. I think most middle class Americans realize such programs are anathema to their well being and I hope they will vote against a racist like Obama. Hilarious. Wait, scary. Um… Hiscarilous. edit- man- i didn’t see that this had made it to two pages. Now I see that Rubystreak has used the exact same words as me up there in post 51. What a coincidence. ---
**Author:** ![Rubystreak](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e5b9ba/32.png) [@Rubystreak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rubystreak)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2008, 4:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/john-mccain-has-got-to-be-one-of-the-dumbest-people-on-the-planet/443243/98 "2008-04-01T04:31:36Z")
[QUOTE=stolichnaya] edit- man- i didn’t see that this had made it to two pages. Now I see that Rubystreak has used the exact same words as me up there in post 51. What a coincidence. [/QUOTE] Seriously, if this is what the McCain flaks have got to offer… this whole election circus hasn’t even gotten \*started \* being entertaining yet! Hold on, America, this is going to be one crazy, fucked up, hiscarilous ride to November. ---
**Author:** ![Belowjob2.0](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Belowjob2.0](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Belowjob2.0)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2008, 6:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/john-mccain-has-got-to-be-one-of-the-dumbest-people-on-the-planet/443243/99 "2008-04-01T06:22:13Z")
> [@](#): > > If John McCain was just a Senator from Arizona this thread would not exist. He’s a Senator from Arizona WHO’S RUNNING FOR PRESIDENT! Shayna’s claim: McCain’s not too sharp. Your retort: Doesn’t matter, his opponent’s a racist. So your retort is both illogical and untrue. \*\* How do people become (and stay) so ignorant?\*\* ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Moto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9de0a6/32.png) [@Mr.Moto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Moto)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2008, 12:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/john-mccain-has-got-to-be-one-of-the-dumbest-people-on-the-planet/443243/100 "2008-04-01T12:44:13Z")
Huh. Very interesting cites, **E-Sabbath**. They rather prove my point - that the Bush administration is funding condom distribution, and that the successful Uganda program that we both admire makes abstinence and fidelity cornerstones of its efforts. So I don’t know what your beef is. You have me terribly confused. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/john-mccain-has-got-to-be-one-of-the-dumbest-people-on-the-planet/443243.md?page=4) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/john-mccain-has-got-to-be-one-of-the-dumbest-people-on-the-planet/443243.md?page=6)