# 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:** 4
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2008, 12:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mccain-finally-draws-a-line-on-slander/467405/61 "2008-10-11T12:16:25Z")
> [@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. I have two guesses: 1.) The Secret Service detail assigned to the candidates spoke to him and suggested that his comments have been stirring up threats against Obama and that he and Moosehead Barbie MIGHT want to tone it down a bit. Especially after not responding when that guy yelled “Kill him!” at that last rally. 2.) His lawyers have told him outright that he’s veering into slander territory, and that he’s going to have a major lawsuit on his hands. (I also wish he could have pointed out that being an Arab in and of itself is NOT cause for fear. That’s out and out racism-fifty years ago, all you’d have to do is substitute the word “Negro” for Arab.) ---
**Author:** ![Hentor\_the\_Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/8edcca/32.png) [@Hentor\_the\_Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hentor_the_Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2008, 1:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mccain-finally-draws-a-line-on-slander/467405/62 "2008-10-11T13:46:26Z")
> [@Guinastasia](#): > > I have two guesses: > > 1.) The Secret Service detail assigned to the candidates spoke to him and suggested that his comments have been stirring up threats against Obama and that he and Moosehead Barbie MIGHT want to tone it down a bit. Especially after not responding when that guy yelled “Kill him!” at that last rally. > > 2.) His lawyers have told him outright that he’s veering into slander territory, and that he’s going to have a major lawsuit on his hands. > (I also wish he could have pointed out that being an Arab in and of itself is NOT cause for fear. That’s out and out racism-fifty years ago, all you’d have to do is substitute the word “Negro” for Arab.) He’s also getting feedback from downticket Republicans who are suffering because of this bullshit. Norm Coleman didn’t want to appear with him, and made a statement about the tenor of the campaign. ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2008, 1:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mccain-finally-draws-a-line-on-slander/467405/63 "2008-10-11T13:58:00Z")
I’m not so concerned about McCain not bothering with a specific censure on the “Arab” thing. To me, it seemed like he was basically cutting her off before she got started on a longer rant. He wasn’t responding so much to the words as the music, there. The whole “I don’t trust him, he’s not really an American, he’s a Muslim” song and dance. Plus, there’s not much point in telling those kind of people that Arabs aren’t evil. It’s hard enough just trying to tell them them that belonging to a marginally less conservative political party isn’t evil. ---
**Author:** ![Dumbguy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/2bfe46/32.png) [@Dumbguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dumbguy)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2008, 2:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mccain-finally-draws-a-line-on-slander/467405/64 "2008-10-11T14:04:49Z")
> [@Kimstu](#): > > I don’t care why he did it, it was the right thing to do. Props to McCain. I agree. I thought it was a nice moment in an election cycle that could use a few nice moments. Later in the same rally a guy said he was afraid of an Obama presidency, and McCain said that was nothing to be afraid of. And again he got booed for it. One of the things I like about Obama is that he’s not afraid to compliment his opponents. Cynical motives or no, I’m glad to see McCain do it as well. ---
**Author:** ![Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e47c2d/32.png) [@Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biffy_the_Elephant_Shrew)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2008, 2:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mccain-finally-draws-a-line-on-slander/467405/65 "2008-10-11T14:15:06Z")
> [@Leaper](#): > > Actually, I’d read that the woman called Obama an “Arab **terrorist** ” before McCain took the mic away. > > If that’s true, then the follow up makes a lot more sense. It’s not true. She pauses after declaring “He’s an Arab”; that was clearly a complete sentence. Then she goes back to the thought she couldn’t manage to complete before that: “He is not…” McCain starts shaking his head, she says “No?” and at that point he takes the mike from her. We never do learn what Obama is “not”; I’m guessing a “true American.” ---
**Author:** ![Burton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/8e7dd6/32.png) [@Burton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Burton)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2008, 2:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mccain-finally-draws-a-line-on-slander/467405/66 "2008-10-11T14:19:13Z")
> [@Happy\_Lendervedder](#): > > Does anyone else find it odd that when a woman calls Obama an “Arab,” McCains’ response is “No, ma’am, he’s a decent family-man citzen…” > > Uh, I think it’s good that McCain is “standing up” to this nonsense, but I know Arabs who are, in fact, decent “family-men citizens” themselves. The two are not mutually exclusive. True, one would hope some one points that out on the Sunday Talking head shows. It doesn’t matter much to the idiots at his rallies though. I don’t think Palin has changed her tack either which makes them all the more disingenuous. McCain is grasping at whatever straw is immediately in front of him at this point. ---
**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, 3:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mccain-finally-draws-a-line-on-slander/467405/67 "2008-10-11T15:27:56Z")
> [@Guinastasia](#): > > I have two guesses: > > 1.) The Secret Service detail assigned to the candidates spoke to him and suggested that his comments have been stirring up threats against Obama and that he and Moosehead Barbie MIGHT want to tone it down a bit. Especially after not responding when that guy yelled “Kill him!” at that last rally. > > 2.) His lawyers have told him outright that he’s veering into slander territory, and that he’s going to have a major lawsuit on his hands. > (I also wish he could have pointed out that being an Arab in and of itself is NOT cause for fear. That’s out and out racism-fifty years ago, all you’d have to do is substitute the word “Negro” for Arab.) These would be my guesses, as well, but I would go with the first one. Should a supporter decide to take matters into his own hands, McCain’s name would be all over the attempt. As for providing a cite so that I wouldn’t be called a liar by the likes of **levdrakon** , I guess I forgot that some people here actually watch FOX rather than real news. Apparently his keyboard shorted out from the drool and he was unable to check on it himself, poor baby. ---
**Author:** ![Boozahol\_Squid\_P.I](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/d9b06d/32.png) [@Boozahol\_Squid\_P.I](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boozahol_Squid_P.I)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2008, 3:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mccain-finally-draws-a-line-on-slander/467405/68 "2008-10-11T15:53:05Z")
> [@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. I’m really not buying this. Highly negative elections (which this would continue to become if Obama was forced to respond to crap like this) tend to depress voter turnout. Depressed voter turnout would be a great way to increase McCain’s chance of winning this thing. > [@Happy\_Lendervedder](#): > > Does anyone else find it odd that when a woman calls Obama an “Arab,” McCains’ response is “No, ma’am, he’s a decent family-man citzen…” > > Uh, I think it’s good that McCain is “standing up” to this nonsense, but I know Arabs who are, in fact, decent “family-men citizens” themselves. The two are not mutually exclusive. McCain wasn’t so much responding to the charge of ‘Arab’ so much as the implicit charge of ‘terrorist’ that the woman was about to launch into. ---
**Author:** ![Kolak\_of\_Twilo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kolak_of_twilo/32/73_2.png) [@Kolak\_of\_Twilo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kolak_of_Twilo)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2008, 3:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mccain-finally-draws-a-line-on-slander/467405/69 "2008-10-11T15:53:20Z")
[Here](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LOU9xZ4zcss&feature=user) is a link to the comment and the interview with her after the rally. ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2008, 4:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mccain-finally-draws-a-line-on-slander/467405/70 "2008-10-11T16:09:28Z")
> [@Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](#): > > It’s not true. She pauses after declaring “He’s an Arab”; that was clearly a complete sentence. Then she goes back to the thought she couldn’t manage to complete before that: “He is not…” McCain starts shaking his head, she says “No?” and at that point he takes the mike from her. We never do learn what Obama is “not”; I’m guessing a “true American.” That jives with the short clip the BBC has been showing. In that clip, the lady’s face is not shown, as she has her back to the camera. Lucky for her! Personally, I would like to see that old bag humiliated in endless news bites. Disgusting, some of these people. ---
**Author:** ![gonzomax](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e8c25b/32.png) [@gonzomax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gonzomax)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2008, 4:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mccain-finally-draws-a-line-on-slander/467405/71 "2008-10-11T16:10:02Z")
The problem is bigger than the pugnacious Palin. On CNN ,I watched 2 dems and 2 repub spokesman arguing. The repubs stayed on message, Obama hangs around with terrorists . They stayed in the gutter and had repeated it over and over . Fox Gnus does it over and over. Rush repeats it like the lyrics of a rock and roll song. Stick it in your subconscious .and on Nov 4 ,you may pull the repub switch. It is all they have. McCain is realizing what he has unleashed and it scares him a bit. Sarah is loving it. ---
**Author:** ![Don\_t\_fight\_the\_hypothetical](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/59ef9b/32.png) [@Don\_t\_fight\_the\_hypothetical](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Don_t_fight_the_hypothetical)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2008, 4:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mccain-finally-draws-a-line-on-slander/467405/72 "2008-10-11T16:21:44Z")
> [@Boozahol\_Squid\_P.I](#): > > McCain wasn’t so much responding to the charge of ‘Arab’ so much as the implicit charge of ‘terrorist’ that the woman was about to launch into. And McCain would know, his campaign put that thought in her head. ---
**Author:** ![Boozahol\_Squid\_P.I](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/d9b06d/32.png) [@Boozahol\_Squid\_P.I](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boozahol_Squid_P.I)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2008, 4:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mccain-finally-draws-a-line-on-slander/467405/73 "2008-10-11T16:26:21Z")
> [@Don\_t\_fight\_the\_hypothetical](#): > > And McCain would know, his campaign put that thought in her head. :rolleyes: Yeah, the American media, particularly the stuff this woman’s been listening to for the past 7 years didn’t do it. It was McCain’s campaign. ---
**Author:** ![Don\_t\_fight\_the\_hypothetical](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/59ef9b/32.png) [@Don\_t\_fight\_the\_hypothetical](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Don_t_fight_the_hypothetical)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2008, 4:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mccain-finally-draws-a-line-on-slander/467405/74 "2008-10-11T16:45:36Z")
> [@Boozahol\_Squid\_P.I](#): > > :rolleyes: Yeah, the American media, particularly the stuff this woman’s been listening to for the past 7 years didn’t do it. It was McCain’s campaign. Care to point me a cite showing the American media calling Obama an Arab? ---
**Author:** ![Jolly\_Roger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/91b2a8/32.png) [@Jolly\_Roger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jolly_Roger)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2008, 4:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mccain-finally-draws-a-line-on-slander/467405/75 "2008-10-11T16:46:42Z")
Gawd, thats sad. That old lady is confused. ---
**Author:** ![Enola\_Gay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/3ab097/32.png) [@Enola\_Gay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enola_Gay)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2008, 4:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mccain-finally-draws-a-line-on-slander/467405/76 "2008-10-11T16:49:04Z")
> [@Hamlet](#): > > 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? I think he lost most of the moderates when he added Palin to the ticket. I used to be a moderate Republican (fiscal conservative, social liberal) and had intended to vote for McCain up until the convention. But Palin is waaaay too conservative for me to stomach, not to mention that the pick calls into question McCain’s judgement. The Republican party imo has become a laughing stock. It started with Bush and I honestly thought that McCain could turn it around, but now I have lost all hope. Most of the moderates I know are voting for Obama. The ones who are still in the McCain camp disapprove of his tactics and are ashamed of the base, but are still planning to vote for him for financial reasons. And yes, I agree they should forsake a civil campaign and continue their tailspin. If they clean up their act, they might actually win the election. ---
**Author:** ![Boozahol\_Squid\_P.I](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/d9b06d/32.png) [@Boozahol\_Squid\_P.I](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boozahol_Squid_P.I)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2008, 4:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mccain-finally-draws-a-line-on-slander/467405/77 "2008-10-11T16:50:04Z")
> [@Don\_t\_fight\_the\_hypothetical](#): > > Care to point me a cite showing the American media calling Obama an Arab? I was referring to the idea of Arab equalling terrorist. Can you show me a cite of McCain’s campaign calling Obama an Arab? fuck, this isn’t going to work out for me, is it? ---
**Author:** ![Merijeek](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f05b48/32.png) [@Merijeek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Merijeek)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2008, 5:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mccain-finally-draws-a-line-on-slander/467405/78 "2008-10-11T17:02:43Z")
> [@matt\_mcl](#): > > That’s what I took out of it, and I think it’s really sad that people aren’t all over him for this. Are there any other ethnicities we can contrast to “decent family man”? Here in Mississippi, Catholics are quite suspect. -Joe ---
**Author:** ![Merijeek](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f05b48/32.png) [@Merijeek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Merijeek)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2008, 5:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mccain-finally-draws-a-line-on-slander/467405/79 "2008-10-11T17:13:19Z")
> [@Don\_t\_fight\_the\_hypothetical](#): > > And McCain would know, his campaign put that thought in her head. Next you’ll be telling us that Dubya made people think that Saddam caused 9/11! -Joe ---
**Author:** ![Don\_t\_fight\_the\_hypothetical](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/59ef9b/32.png) [@Don\_t\_fight\_the\_hypothetical](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Don_t_fight_the_hypothetical)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2008, 5:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mccain-finally-draws-a-line-on-slander/467405/80 "2008-10-11T17:31:09Z")
You originally stated: > [@Boozahol\_Squid\_P.I](#): > > McCain wasn’t so much responding to the charge of ‘Arab’ so much as the implicit charge of ‘terrorist’ that the woman was about to launch into. Indicating to me that you thought McCain was responding to the terrorist part. The McCain camp did associate Obama with terrorists. I believe they did put that thought in her head (watch the above linked interview with her - it’s pretty clear). [Palin accused Obama of “palling around with terrorists”.](http://thepage.time.com/2008/10/04/palin-obama-palling-around-with-terrorists/) I’m at work now so my linking ability is limited. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mccain-finally-draws-a-line-on-slander/467405.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mccain-finally-draws-a-line-on-slander/467405.md?page=5)