# McCain finally draws a line on slander **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [October 11, 2008, 1:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mccain-finally-draws-a-line-on-slander/467405 "2008-10-11T01:50:25Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2008, 1:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mccain-finally-draws-a-line-on-slander/467405/1 "2008-10-11T01:50:25Z")
During a rally today, a supporter grabbed a microphone and stated that she “don’t trust that Obama. He’s an Arab.” McCain shook his head, said “nonono” and took the mike back, stating that Obama is a decent, honest American who just happens to have a different opinon. The crowd was NOT happy to hear that. Nor were they happy to hear him say that while he intends to fight, people must be respectful towards Obama. The crowd actuall booed him for that and were shouting at him. I applaud his trying to tamp down the crowds after Palin has gotten them all stirred up over the past week, and to basically renounce his own campaign’s strategy. This is dangerous ground for them to be trodding during a time of national turmoil. Ugly things have happened in the past when this is the case, including the Holocaust in one extreme example. While McCain seems to have regained his moral footing, his campaign has not, and remains rabid, vitriolic and unapologetic. These fuckers need to be fired (and probably arrested, for that matter) for inciting to riot. Shouts of “kill him” and “bomb Obama” are purely hate speech from the small, lunatic fringe of the right, who need very little to inspire them to do just that. I am disgusted with these tactics and these people. And if McCain allows it to continue, he will go down in the largest ball of flame in recent memory. ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2008, 1:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mccain-finally-draws-a-line-on-slander/467405/2 "2008-10-11T01:59:57Z")
Way to go, McCain! [offers celebratory fist-bump] ---
**Author:** ![Frank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Frank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frank)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2008, 2:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mccain-finally-draws-a-line-on-slander/467405/3 "2008-10-11T02:01:16Z")
One would hope that the American people are finally about to say to the rabid right, “You’ve done enough. Have you no sense of decency, sir, at long last? Have you left no sense of decency?” ---
**Author:** ![monstro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ba9def/32.png) [@monstro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/monstro)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2008, 2:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mccain-finally-draws-a-line-on-slander/467405/4 "2008-10-11T02:10:32Z")
I’m not impressed at this point. Anyone who has been watching the news for the last three days has heard all the commentary about his behavior and deteriorating public perception. He’s responding to this, not to his conscience. ---
**Author:** ![anu-la1979](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/47e85d/32.png) [@anu-la1979](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/anu-la1979)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2008, 2:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mccain-finally-draws-a-line-on-slander/467405/5 "2008-10-11T02:11:12Z")
God he (McCain) looks extremely uncomfortable at that rally. Booed by his own supporters. No wonder he picked Palin-his distaste for these rednecks is pretty apparent. I feel pretty sorry for him though I know he brought it on himself by allowing Rove to hijaack his campaign. I kind of got a kick out of how fast he snatched back the microphone from the lady who called Obama an Ay-rab. ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2008, 2:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mccain-finally-draws-a-line-on-slander/467405/6 "2008-10-11T02:29:32Z")
> [@Bryan\_Ekers](#): > > …[offers celebratory fist-bump] I think you mean, “offers celebratory _terrorist_ fist-bump”. ---
**Author:** ![pepperlandgirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f17d59/32.png) [@pepperlandgirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pepperlandgirl)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2008, 2:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mccain-finally-draws-a-line-on-slander/467405/7 "2008-10-11T02:30:53Z")
> [@monstro](#): > > I’m not impressed at this point. Anyone who has been watching the news for the last three days has heard all the commentary about his behavior and deteriorating public perception. He’s responding to this, not to his conscience. Indeed. And judging from some of the reaction I’ve seen, I fear that people will respond to it positively. “Oh, look, the race-baiting, fear-mongering, dirty politician corrected a woman who called Obama an Arab! He’s turned a corner! What a classy guy!” Though the only way this election could get more surreal is if there’s a Breaking News headline at CNN along the lines of **McCain lynched at McCain rally**. ---
**Author:** ![levdrakon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/49beb7/32.png) [@levdrakon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/levdrakon)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2008, 2:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mccain-finally-draws-a-line-on-slander/467405/8 "2008-10-11T02:43:44Z")
There’s a cite in here somewhere, right? Or, y’all just making shit up. Yeah, figured. ---
**Author:** ![Harborwolf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/c89c15/32.png) [@Harborwolf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harborwolf)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2008, 2:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mccain-finally-draws-a-line-on-slander/467405/9 "2008-10-11T02:44:05Z")
> [@monstro](#): > > I’m not impressed at this point. Anyone who has been watching the news for the last three days has heard all the commentary about his behavior and deteriorating public perception. He’s responding to this, not to his conscience. Indeed. After everything that has gone on and been said at his rallies, it’s a bit disingenuous to start claiming conscience this late. [He’s tamping down because fellow republicans were concerned about scaring the moderates.](http://news.yahoo.com/s/politico/20081010/pl_politico/14445) > [@](#): > > John Weaver, McCain’s former top strategist, said top Republicans have a responsibility to temper this behavior. > > “People need to understand, for moral reasons and the protection of our civil society, the differences with Sen. Obama are ideological, based on clear differences on policy and a lack of experience compared to Sen. McCain,” Weaver said. “And from a purely practical political vantage point, please find me a swing voter, an undecided independent, or a torn female voter that finds an angry mob mentality attractive.” ---
**Author:** ![Frank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Frank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frank)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2008, 2:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mccain-finally-draws-a-line-on-slander/467405/10 "2008-10-11T02:49:40Z")
> [@levdrakon](#): > > There’s a cite in here somewhere, right? Or, y’all just making shit up. > > Yeah, figured. _sigh_ [Cite](http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/10/10/mccain.crowd/index.html). There are youtube cites in the GD threads. I can’t be bothered to dig them up for you. ---
**Author:** ![Hamlet](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hamlet/32/2818_2.png) [@Hamlet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hamlet)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2008, 2:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mccain-finally-draws-a-line-on-slander/467405/11 "2008-10-11T02:55:29Z")
> [@levdrakon](#): > > There’s a cite in here somewhere, right? Or, y’all just making shit up. > > Yeah, figured. I’m curious, what, precisely, did you “figure”? ---
**Author:** ![pepperlandgirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f17d59/32.png) [@pepperlandgirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pepperlandgirl)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2008, 3:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mccain-finally-draws-a-line-on-slander/467405/12 "2008-10-11T03:02:06Z")
> [@levdrakon](#): > > There’s a cite in here somewhere, right? Or, y’all just making shit up. > > Yeah, figured. Wait, you think that several people in the thread just imagined a widely reported incident from a McCain rally? You _figured_ that we had nothing better to do on a Friday night than make up a lie that would be bizarre and, quite frankly, pointless? In case you figure that CNN is just making shit up as well, [here’s footage from youtube](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kf6YKOkfFsE). ---
**Author:** ![askeptic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/eb9ed0/32.png) [@askeptic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/askeptic)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2008, 3:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mccain-finally-draws-a-line-on-slander/467405/13 "2008-10-11T03:03:04Z")
> [@Bryan\_Ekers](#): > > Way to go, McCain! > > [offers celebratory fist-bump] that’s exactly the reaction they were hoping for when they planted the shill for him to slap down. ---
**Author:** ![choie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/choie/32/7829_2.png) [@choie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/choie)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2008, 3:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mccain-finally-draws-a-line-on-slander/467405/14 "2008-10-11T03:03:13Z")
> [@Hamlet](#): > > I’m curious, what, precisely, did you “figure”? Don’t be silly, he gave everyone plenty of time to respond to his query. It was perfectly reasonable for him to assume no one would respond with a cite by the time he clicked “post reply.” And darn it, they didn’t! He had you totally pegged. ---
**Author:** ![Frank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Frank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frank)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2008, 3:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mccain-finally-draws-a-line-on-slander/467405/15 "2008-10-11T03:06:00Z")
> [@askeptic](#): > > that’s exactly the reaction they were hoping for when they planted the shill for him to slap down. Yeah. Now the fucking Quebecois will be voting for him in droves. ---
**Author:** ![Terrifel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c68b51/32.png) [@Terrifel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Terrifel)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2008, 3:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mccain-finally-draws-a-line-on-slander/467405/16 "2008-10-11T03:11:00Z")
If he’s finally drawn a line, does that mean he’s no longer a maverick? ---
**Author:** ![Hamlet](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hamlet/32/2818_2.png) [@Hamlet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hamlet)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2008, 3:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mccain-finally-draws-a-line-on-slander/467405/17 "2008-10-11T03:12:35Z")
If there are any still in existence, could a “moderate” Republican tell me what they think about the “base” of the Republican party? What do you think about the increasing reports of these kinds of statements at Palin/McCain rallies? And do you agree that they should forsake a civil campaign and dive further into the mud? ---
**Author:** ![TVeblen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/4bbf92/32.png) [@TVeblen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TVeblen)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2008, 3:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mccain-finally-draws-a-line-on-slander/467405/18 "2008-10-11T03:19:16Z")
Way too little, way too late. I agree with **monstro** : this has nothing to with conscience or decency. It’s politically expedient back-pedaling because Palin’s whipped up just a little too much overt hate than GOP can spin away. That’s why she was stuck on the ticket in the first place but hey, McCain could have done something really mavericky, like apply the brakes, way before now. He didn’t. He went right along with the plan until the political backlash became too heavy. What a wretched legacy to leave. McCain was bitter and mad as hell over how Rove/Shrub treated him in '04. He’s going to lose this election and what an ugly, hateful way to do it. Maybe McCain really did have to dance to the devil’s tune all the way along–to get the nomination, accept ignorant, flashy Palin on the ticket and run the campaign according to the GOP’s scorched-earth play book. But on some level McCain had to know what goes around comes right back around. What he’s done in this campaign will set how he’s remembered. Maybe he thought the chance of winning justified it all. Wormwood and ashes. ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2008, 3:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mccain-finally-draws-a-line-on-slander/467405/19 "2008-10-11T03:21:39Z")
> [@Terrifel](#): > > If he’s finally drawn a line, does that mean he’s no longer a maverick? Not at all, it’s a crooked line. And four-eyes Palin can’t even see the line, so she’ll be ignoring it entirely. ---
**Author:** ![Kimstu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ecd19e/32.png) [@Kimstu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimstu)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2008, 3:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mccain-finally-draws-a-line-on-slander/467405/20 "2008-10-11T03:28:23Z")
> [@Chefguy](#): > > McCain shook his head, said “nonono” and took the mike back, stating that Obama is a decent, honest American who just happens to have a different opinon. The crowd was NOT happy to hear that. Nor were they happy to hear him say that while he intends to fight, people must be respectful towards Obama. The crowd actuall booed him for that and were shouting at him. I don’t care why he did it, it was the right thing to do. Props to McCain. Unless he or his campaign actually did deliberately orchestrate the whole thing with a planted stooge, in which case he just gets a :rolleyes: and a pass. If a candidate is going to put on an act for the camera, I’d sure rather have him stage artificial exhibitions of honor and decency than artificial exhibitions (or genuine ones, for that matter) of malice and lies. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mccain-finally-draws-a-line-on-slander/467405.md?page=2)