# McCain finally draws a line on slander

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mccain-finally-draws-a-line-on-slander/467405>\
**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:** 6

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**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\
**Post date:** [October 11, 2008, 11:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mccain-finally-draws-a-line-on-slander/467405/101 "2008-10-11T23:55:52Z")

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\<duplicate post\>

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**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\
**Post date:** [October 11, 2008, 11:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mccain-finally-draws-a-line-on-slander/467405/102 "2008-10-11T23:56:53Z")

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[QUOTE=ladyfoxfyre]  
Don’t let Palin see this thread, for god’s sake…  
[/QUOTE]

I think learning that Obama’s inbred would actually make him more popular with the base Palin is pandering to.

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**Author:** ![FinnAgain](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/finnagain/32/12500_2.png) [@FinnAgain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FinnAgain)\
**Post date:** [October 12, 2008, 12:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mccain-finally-draws-a-line-on-slander/467405/103 "2008-10-12T00:02:11Z")

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> [@Miller](#):
>
> I think learning that Obama’s inbred would actually make him more popular with the base Palin is pandering to.

That offends me! And whenever my offspring evolve thumbs, we will write you numerous angry letters!

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**Author:** ![susan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/susan/32/17537_2.png) [@susan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/susan)\
**Post date:** [October 12, 2008, 12:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mccain-finally-draws-a-line-on-slander/467405/104 "2008-10-12T00:03:43Z")

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I think you had better pray to Jesus for those thumbs, fella.

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**Author:** ![askeptic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/eb9ed0/32.png) [@askeptic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/askeptic)\
**Post date:** [October 12, 2008, 12:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mccain-finally-draws-a-line-on-slander/467405/105 "2008-10-12T00:17:30Z")

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> [@susan](#):
>
> I think you had better pray to Jesus for those thumbs, fella.

I doubt Finn will be prayin to jesus, just sayin…

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**Author:** ![Peanut\_Gallery](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/838e76/32.png) [@Peanut\_Gallery](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peanut_Gallery)\
**Post date:** [October 12, 2008, 12:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mccain-finally-draws-a-line-on-slander/467405/106 "2008-10-12T00:27:22Z")

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When I watched this video, my first impression was, “This is the end.” That rally was such a complete disaster. Last week I still would have bet money on McCain winning, but not today.

An interesting note … I heard NPR cover it this morning, and they played some of the exchanges, but none of the heckling was audible at all. IMO that was the most powerful part of it. The way they edited the story, you didn’t hear the crazy questioners (the announcer described the comments), you heard McCain feebly defend Obama, and it was cut. None of the background hatred. It was still an ugly story, but nothing like the video. To me, the story was “McCain boo’ed at his own rally” as much as it was “McCain briefly defends Obama.”

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**Author:** ![Sampiro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2acd7d/32.png) [@Sampiro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sampiro)\
**Post date:** [October 12, 2008, 1:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mccain-finally-draws-a-line-on-slander/467405/107 "2008-10-12T01:31:26Z")

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If any Dopers would like to help me cement history, I’m looking for volunteers to go with me to an Obama rally. The hard part will be all of us syncing our watches so we can scream exactly in unison  
\*“I SAW GOODY PALIN WITH THE DEVIL! I SAW CYNDI MCCAIN WITH THE DEVIL!”  
\*

We can keep the list going- Cheney, Todd Palin, Mike Huckabee…

If nothing else it’ll be interesting to see how long it takes before the Devil offers an official “I’ve _never_ socialized with those people! We just belong to some of the same organizations!” denial.

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**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\
**Post date:** [October 12, 2008, 1:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mccain-finally-draws-a-line-on-slander/467405/108 "2008-10-12T01:57:13Z")

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To be fair, the Devil rarely, if ever, socializes, seldom leaving his secure and undisclosed location.

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**Author:** ![OttoDaFe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ottodafe/32/356_2.png) [@OttoDaFe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OttoDaFe)\
**Post date:** [October 12, 2008, 1:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mccain-finally-draws-a-line-on-slander/467405/109 "2008-10-12T01:59:14Z")

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And if he did socialize, I’m not sure it would be with his moral inferiors.

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**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 12, 2008, 3:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mccain-finally-draws-a-line-on-slander/467405/110 "2008-10-12T03:18:40Z")

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> [@Boozahol\_Squid\_P.I](#):
>
> There’s a difference between “This man has poor judgement: he associates himself and allows himself to be influenced by terrorists.” and “This guy straps a suicide bomber vest on for size in the evening while chanting prayers of Jihad against American servicement.”
> 
> The former is a position of McCain’s campaign. If you think they’re overblowing his connection with the Weather Underground fellow, that’s fine, but it still seems to be within the bounds (bounds?!) of American campaign tactics. The latter statement is the mindset of the people like the woman in the video… and a disturbing number of McCain’s supporters.

OK. I’m not trying to be combative but you’ve lost me. Who said anything about strapping on vest bombs?

My point was (and is) the McCain camp disseminated information through literature and Palin’s remarks that lead that woman to those crazy thoughts. She made the leap they trying to get her to make and McCain knew it. That’s why he took the microphone back and shut her down.

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**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 12, 2008, 3:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mccain-finally-draws-a-line-on-slander/467405/111 "2008-10-12T03:31:09Z")

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My wife thinks they’re trying to get him assassinated. I wouldn’t go that far, but all it takes is one nut to get a little too worked up.

I actually blame the right wing media – Fox News and talk radio – more than McCain, though…well, Palin is just as bad as the radio screamers, I guess.

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**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 12, 2008, 3:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mccain-finally-draws-a-line-on-slander/467405/112 "2008-10-12T03:38:52Z")

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I wouldn’t go that far either, **Dio** -I think they were trying to smear him, “You’re soft on terrorism!” (the claim that’s going around for years in Washington), but went a little too far, and it backfired. And now McCain doesn’t know what the fuck to do.

I’d blame McCain more, if only because Palin’s dumb as moose shit.

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**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 12, 2008, 4:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mccain-finally-draws-a-line-on-slander/467405/113 "2008-10-12T04:01:47Z")

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> [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](#):
>
> My wife thinks they’re trying to get him assassinated. I wouldn’t go that far, but all it takes is one nut to get a little too worked up.

I’m seriously worried about something like this, too, even though I would not go so far as to think McCain’s campaign has that in mind. But both of the only two sitting senators we’ve elected president died in office: One (Harding) from natural causes, the other (Kennedy) from unnatural ones. This is not a good precedent, especially when the winner of this election is going to be either a senator who is as old as Moses or another who could turn into a lightning rod for every James Earl Ray wannabe. ☹

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**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 12, 2008, 4:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mccain-finally-draws-a-line-on-slander/467405/114 "2008-10-12T04:39:23Z")

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> [@Siam\_Sam](#):
>
> I’m seriously worried about something like this, too, even though I would not go so far as to think McCain’s campaign has that in mind.

While I don’t think that McCain has it in my mind, I have a feeling that Palin does. Not only do I think she would welcome something happening to Obama, I think she’d probably set about figuring out how to bump off McCain as soon as they got into office.

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**Author:** ![Rand\_Rover](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/db5fbb/32.png) [@Rand\_Rover](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rand_Rover)\
**Post date:** [October 12, 2008, 4:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mccain-finally-draws-a-line-on-slander/467405/115 "2008-10-12T04:46:12Z")

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> [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](#):
>
> While I don’t think that McCain has it in my mind, I have a feeling that Palin does. Not only do I think she would welcome something happening to Obama, I think she’d probably set about figuring out how to bump off McCain as soon as they got into office.

Just wanted to quote this before you edited.

You are an idiot.

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**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\
**Post date:** [October 12, 2008, 4:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mccain-finally-draws-a-line-on-slander/467405/116 "2008-10-12T04:54:02Z")

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> [@Rand\_Rover](#):
>
> Just wanted to quote this before you edited.
> 
> You are an idiot.

What, you circle overhead waiting for the opportunity to swoop down? Have you considered hobbies? Stamp collection? Drug addiction?

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**Author:** ![Muffin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/muffin/32/4341_2.png) [@Muffin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Muffin)\
**Post date:** [October 12, 2008, 4:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mccain-finally-draws-a-line-on-slander/467405/117 "2008-10-12T04:59:38Z")

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> [@Sampiro](#):
>
> If any Dopers would like to help me cement history, I’m looking for volunteers to go with me to an Obama rally. The hard part will be all of us syncing our watches so we can scream exactly in unison  
> \*“I SAW GOODY PALIN WITH THE DEVIL! I SAW CYNDI MCCAIN WITH THE DEVIL!”  
> \*

Palin is already protected from that sort of stuff, thanks to a [laying on of hands ceremony by Pastor Thomas Muthee](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iwkb9_zB2Pg), who has [experience at driving out witches](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_Muthee).

Gotta wonder, though, who the hell would vote for someone who takes that stuff seriously, and thinks that it is appropriate to drive a person out of town for being a witch? That Palin is seriously messed in the head.

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**Author:** ![askeptic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/eb9ed0/32.png) [@askeptic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/askeptic)\
**Post date:** [October 12, 2008, 5:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mccain-finally-draws-a-line-on-slander/467405/118 "2008-10-12T05:02:15Z")

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> [@Rand\_Rover](#):
>
> Just wanted to quote this before you edited.
> 
> You are an idiot.

What on earth makes you think he would want to edit it? Oh yeah, you are an idiot. Before you yell at me, I promise I don’t want to give cash hand outs to any poor people…

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**Author:** ![FinnAgain](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/finnagain/32/12500_2.png) [@FinnAgain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FinnAgain)\
**Post date:** [October 12, 2008, 5:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mccain-finally-draws-a-line-on-slander/467405/119 "2008-10-12T05:03:58Z")

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> [@askeptic](#):
>
> What on earth makes you think he would want to edit it?

To be fair, it is a pretty damn strange accusation, to put it mildly. But by the same token, anybody who thinks that Dio would edit out an offensive remark, without a ten page trainwreck of a Pit thread at least, simply doesn’t know him very well.

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**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 12, 2008, 5:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mccain-finally-draws-a-line-on-slander/467405/120 "2008-10-12T05:04:20Z")

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> [@Rand\_Rover](#):
>
> Just wanted to quote this before you edited.
> 
> You are an idiot.

Why would I want to edit it?

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