Does John McCain Care About Women's Issues?
Perhaps an equally important question to ask is, "Do derogatory and sexist jokes about women contribute to the challenges women face by perpetuating stereo-types?"Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) has made some very public statements regarding his policies and positions on women's issues and most are not favorable. But in politics, even when people agree on issues, they often disagree on approaches.
However, John McCain's public disdain for women as evidenced by off-handed remarks and jokes, even about rape, are something that should not be tolerated and written off as "differing opinions."
McCain Insults and Degrades His Own Wife
Apparently, no woman is safe from McCain's humor, including his wife, Cindy McCain. As reported by Cliff Schecter in The Real McCain, John McCain refers to Cindy as a c*nt after she teased him about his hair loss. He reportedly replied, "At least I don't plaster on the makeup like a trollop, you c*nt."But this is not "old" McCain humor. It is reflective of his current sense of "humor." As recently as August 4, 2008 his crude jokes about women are still being launched.
The Miss Buffalo Chip Pageant features topless (and sometimes totally nude) contestants. John McCain said, "I was looking at the Sturgis schedule, and noticed that you had a beauty pageant, so I encouraged Cindy to compete. I told her [that] with a little luck, she could be the only woman to serve as both the First Lady and Miss Buffalo Chip." (Watch video clip)
Here are more comments and jokes McCain has made on record, about women.
1986 – The Senate Campaign, a Good Year for Insulting Women
The Tucson Citizen, an Arizona paper in the heart of McCainville, reported on jokes made by McCain, which later he apologized for. Here are two distasteful jokes he delivered without shame:- "Did you hear the one about the woman who is attacked on the street by a gorilla, beaten senseless, raped repeatedly and left to die? When she finally regains consciousness and tries to speak, her doctor leans over to hear her sigh contently and to feebly ask, 'Where is that marvelous ape?'"
- He also referred to "Leisure World," a senior citizen retirement community, as "Seizure World."
1998 His Attack on a Teenage Girl – Chelsea Clinton, and Alzheimer’s Patients
In 1998, John McCain jokes to guests at a Senate Republican fundraiser: "Why is Chelsea Clinton so ugly?" Answer: "Because her father is Janet Reno." Chelsea, was 18 at the time.In 1998 McCain attempted to apologize for his inappropriate joke about Chelsea Clinton. The apology was minimized, when McCain offered reporters a reminder about another joke, “The nice thing about Alzheimer's is you get to hide your own Easter eggs.”
He revived the Alzheimer’s joke again in 2008 during his presidential campaign, only this time McCain rewrote the joke to make himself the target. Still, I fail to see anything funny about Alzheimer’s or John McCain’s sense of “humor.”
More Recent Comments Degrading Women
According to John McCain a vice president only has two jobs: “casting tie votes in the Senate and inquiring daily about the health of the president.” Perhaps this is why Sarah Palin’s lack of experience in both domestic and foreign policy is not an issue.McCain to Fox News: "The French remind me a little bit of an aging actress of the 1940s who is still trying to dine out on her looks but doesn't have the face for it."
And earlier in 2008, McCain responded to a question with the line, "And I stopped beating my wife just a couple of weeks ago." I am sure Cindy is grateful.
In 2008, in a controversial ad campaign, McCain takes aim at Obama’s celebrity comparing him to Britney Spears and Paris Hilton as just another “vapid celebrity.”
