John McCain On Hardball: "The Views Of My Mother Are Not Necessarily The Views Of Mine"
By Logan Murphy Friday Nov 09, 2007 11:20am
Download | play 
Download | play
GOP presidential candidate Sen. John McCain appeared on Hardball yesterday with his 95 year old mother, Roberta. We all have family members who say or do things that embarrass us from time to time, but rarely does it happen on national television -- this was one of those moments.
It's obvious that Mrs. McCain is very proud of her son and she did a wonderful job touting his experience and service to our country. But when she was questioned about one of her son's opponents, Mitt Romney, she wandered into strange territory, leaving Senator McCain scrambling into damage control mode;
Matthews: "...You don't think Romney's done much heavy lifting for America then?"
R. McCain: "No, I don't. I think being Senator - uh a Congressman, uh, a Senator - whatever it was, a Governor for four years. And as far as the Salt Lake City thing, he's a Mormon and the Mormons of Salt Lake City caused that scandal and to clean that up, I - it's, it's not even again, it's not a subject."
J. McCain: "The views of my mother are not necessarily the views of mine."
(nervous laughter from Sen. McCain and Matthews)
R. McCain: "Well that's my opinion and you asked me."
Login or Register to post comments.
Hugh Huge-nips was claiming that the only anti-Mormon religious bigotry that Mitt Romeny would face would be from the evil, liberal Democrats.
Failing to note that Romney was elected governor of "liberal bastion" Massachusetts and that the Democratic Party elected Mormon Harry Reid to head the Senate.
Oh, that Huge-nips Hewitt, always wrong.
-GSD
That was just precious! What I wouldn't give to still have a mother! There's nothing as much fun as what the very young and the very old "say"! You're a lucky man Sen. McCain!
Politics aside, we should all look as good at 95!
I saw this. cringe worthy from start to finish. I think they saw Hillary come off all warm and cozy when she cast herself in this same New England cottage setting and tried to cash in for themselves. That's all fine and dandy, but who OK'd dressing up Mrs. McCain like she's going to a Civil War funeral? That's probably the best image to sum up this stunt. swing and a miss!
I would submit that in spite of his ignorance about the Iraq war, you could do a lot worse than McCain.
If something could be done about the flow of corporate money into campaign coffers, half of the corruption in D.C. would become impractical. Politicians might have to start currying the favor of voters rather than the multinationals. Nobody has gone after campaign finance reform like McCain.
When I first saw this clip, it reminded me of Weekend at Bernie's. R. McCain looks like she's being propped up with a stick up her back.
McCain is obviously not above pimping out his mom in hopes of making the point that he isn't really old. How fucking transparent can he be? Disgusting.
She is definatly still a milf...
I wish the clip continued... she is like that old gal on the tonight show. I bet she would have some great things to say about cross dresser guliani.
HILARIOUS!
hahahahahaha.....out of the mouth of BABES.
i bet it's a real intellectual round table over at the McCain house at the holidays. bloviating their latest racist sectarian rants while trying to reconcile Bob Allen's bathroom cruising advocacy for johnny's presidential bid.
Mommy Deadliest.
McCAIN’S GREAT GREAT GRANDMOTHER KNOCKS MORMON’S FOUNDER
If this gets the same amount of attention as Rev. Al Sharpton's comment about Mormons I'll be a happy man.
You know what ... good for her! And I'm no fan of crazy Mccain, but I don't want any religious nuts in office and a moron Mormon like Mitt would be a disaster. Not only have we had to deal with right trying to suppress Marijuana and gay rights - with a Mormon they'll be banning alcohol, porn and soda. The last thing we need is a religious nut right now and I personally don't trust a people that think some guy in the sky gives two shits what we put into our bodies. It's as silly as the Jews thinking God cares about what part of the animal they eat. Open up your eyes people and live for today, stop with these silly beliefs.
More 95-year-old mothers please!
They have such long memories . . . maybe she's on about Smith and those 14 year old girls . . .
What a lame attempt to make "Jonny" look youthful and viable as a candidate, instead of the crazy, embittered old man he is. That said, Mother McCain is a hoot. I say let her loose. I'd love to hear her opinions on all the candidates.
oooh..how cute, he's going for that sympathy vote..
(see I got me an old embarassing relative too..)
HahahaahahahaaAaarrrahahahahaha......crypt keeeepaaah!
Someone teach that man some grammar.
As for his mom, eh, not very eloquent. I'll leave it at that, out of respect for her being thrown into a situation like that. They should have done a little media training.
My perspective of the candidates on both sides in a nutshell:
hIllary, i see her as doing anything and saying anything to become president. she had some capital with bill behind her, but he since has squandered that with his pandering to the bushes. she will be the party's choice.
Edwards, a good decent man, but not enough votes to get the nod.
obama, definitely still has a chance, but too much of the politician is surfacing. saying and doing things that are too transparent. pandering to a certain segment to garner their vote. he underestimates them.
richardson, comes off in the debates as all about me and what i've done. chances of the nod, zip. needs to bow out.
biden, he has his moments both pro and con. chances, less than nil.
kucinich: the people's candidate. we all wish he would take it. he speaks the truth. chances, less than nil. sorry, that's just my take.
on the other side:
guilianni, be afraid, very afraid of this pretender to the throne. he would sacrifice his loved ones for the nod. unfortunately, he won't have to, he will be the party's candidate. we all know what his mantra will be: i'm the savior of NYC and i was the man of the moment in 911, moreso than the firemen and the police. I am superman and right next to God.
McCain, a nice man, sometimes candid, but he squandered any chance he had when he allowed bush to trash his family and then he did not respond. a little long in tooth as well. chances: less than nil.
the other guy, forget his name, the actor, oh yeh, fred thompson. has had a few good moments where he actually makes sense, but he's a little too laid back to present a serious challenge. chances, decent still. maybe 60 percent.
romney: needs to get out now before he pulls the classic mark twain if he hasn't already. To paraphrase, better to keep your mouth shut and have people assume you're a fool as opposed to opening it and verifying it. chances: his mormon base will not carry him across the street, less than nil. quit now.
I know, who asked me? actually no one, my wife even gets tired of my rants. this is in no way all inclusive or scientific in any way shape or form. oh well, what does carlin say, there are two buttons on that radio. well, on the computer it's even easier, you don't want to read pass it by. still would llike to hear some of your thoughts on the candidates.
Why does his mom look younger than he does?
mccain throws his own mother under the bus. What'd she say that was so bad. She's a 95 year old bat. Of course she's going to say crazy shit.
no longer a proud american @ 19:
You forgot Chris Dodd. Off with your head! :)
This is what happens when you use an elderly family member as a political prop. At least the good Senator didn't twirl his finger around his temple, roll his eyes and make a dementia joke.
hIllary, i see her as doing anything and saying anything to become president.
Exactly the image of her the GOP and the MSM have been fostering for years. Of course, I'd say that even if that image has some substance, it's still better than doing anything and saying anything to attack Iraq, or Iran for that matter.
You forgot to mention the two or three times towards the end of the show when Matthews mistakenly referred to McCain, when speaking to his mother, as "Your husband"!! More nervous laughter from McCain but he didn't seem at all ready to damage control that one.
The old lady's not senile, she's just speaking her mind.
Romney was gov of MA for one term -- whoop dee doo -- now he's qualified for the presidency? Haven't we had MORE THAN ENOUGH of an unqualified pRESIDENT?
WHy isn't Granny McCain running for the office of the presidency? She's have my vote. That was "Straight Talk" if e're I heard it!
It looks like my fingers are too fat to type properly! Sorry about the spelling errors!
"Mo-o-o-o-o-om! Stop, you're embarrassing me..."
Turk Meister @ 24:
....Perhaps, but still the truth--you seriously think Billary wouldn't consider invading Iran if it would help her in polls ?
It's to bad that Mc Cain's father is not around to answer about his lying that took place about the USS Liberty Israel bomb killings. I'd love to ask McCain the fighter pilot in Vetinam--did you enjoy your killings and what business was of USa to be there. No votes from me ,even if he tows his mother along.!
Hugh Hewitt's going to need more spot remover for his pants peeing
Turk Meister @ 24:
Good point, Turk,
Every effrort by the MSM to "equalify" candidates for the sake of their HORSERACE REPORTING makes me sick to my stomach. When's the last time ANYONE took a serious look at the ISSUE DIFFERENCES between DRUM-BEAT-TO WAR OF THE REPUBLICANS and the nuanced social issues of the Democratic field? For another YEAR we are going to have to listen to "...he's up by two points!" and "... her poll numbers indicate high negatives!" BORING!
You realize, of course, that if McCain were a Democrat, or if Clinton or Obama or Edwards said this, we'd have two weeks of breathless parsing of the word "necessarily":
"He said not NECESSARILY! That means they COULD be his views!!!!"
... which would morph a couple of days later into:
"McCain didn't repudiate his mother's views!"
... and then into:
"He had a chance to separate himself from his mother's views, and he quite pointedly didn't take it!"
... and then:
"What OTHER reprehensible views MIGHT his mother hold that he shares? Next on Tucker!!!!"
But he's a Republican, so everything's cool.
It's fun to see a rare unscripted television moment go wrong like this. I think the comments that McCain was cynically using his mom as a prop in order to seem younger himself are dead on (pun intended), so it's fun to see it backfire. Note McCain's body language -- it's probably unintentional, but he even adopts the posture of a little boy.
That said, his mom looks and sounds remarkably young, fit and with it for her age. And don't forget, Arizonans are famous for "straight talk." Barry Goldwater used to let fly some doozies, and he was well respected for his honesty. Ironically, that is why so many people admired John McCain in 2000, and why so many of them are so disappointed now that McCain dropped his own straight talk to pander to the religious right and other far-right interest groups.
God bless the Moms!!! Remember you will only have one in your whole life. So lover her and cherish her if you still have her. As far as John goes, I think he would better thinking about retirement.
At least his mother's being honest, not trying to package herself as being anything other than what she really is. I question the wisdom and judgment of the Senator in thinking that it was a good idea for his 95-year old mother to be put under the TV media scrutiny lamp. That's a tough venue for people in their prime who are experienced at dealing with public questioning.
She makes a lot more sense than Barbara Bush does, who's much younger and actually has experience as a first lady.
She did bring up a very valid point: how unbelievably lacking in broad experience all/most of the repub candidates are. Even if you don't support what her son stands for, which I do not, he's the only candidate on that side whose record on its surface makes any sense as being a good, qualifying background to be president. The rest of their records are so sad they're funny.
I'm not sure what "scandal" she was referring to in SLC. Would that be the "scandal" of simply being a mormon? Hmmm. Why isn't anyone tearing into Romney for his recent statement that our right to being kept alive should be given a higher priority than our real civil, constitutional rights. With all his young, conservative, republican, not-going-to-serve-their-country-in-the-military sons standing in support behind him, when he makes a statement like that, I just can't understand why he doesn't get nailed on it.
I've known Roberta McCain for almost 30 years and she is a terrific person.
We should all be so lucky to have a fraction of her energy and intelligence. I also knew Senator McCain's father, Jack--he was a hoot. Believe me, I disagree with McCain's politics (especially Iraq and his coziness with Bush) but please don't knock his mom. She is a great lady and has done so much for so many that people don't even know about.
Matthews is an opportunist and a faker--I no longer watch him but I am surprised that he drifted away from his m.o. which is I am sure, constantly rattling on about the Clintons.
andrew @ 30:
I seriously hope that she and everyone else would consider the negative consequences of invading/attacking/bombing Iran. And no, I don't think she would invade Iran to help her in the polls as I haven't quite bought into the image of her projected by the GOP and the media as someone who would do anything to attain higher office. Of course the dems haven't stolen two presidential elections in a row with their shenanigans nor impeached a president for a lying about a blow job. If you listened to the talking heads the last few years, they always suggest that everything she does is a political calculation. It's that transparent theme that runs through almost all the reporting on her and I try not to fall for GOP propaganda. I am not one of her fans, but I'm willing to give her the benefit of the doubt when it comes to obvious GOP talking points attempting to frame her as a political opportunist as propagated by the media.
J. McCain: “The views of my mother are not necessarily the views of mine.”
That is all America needs: yet another semi-literate president who insists upon chronically torturing the English language.
I think the lady was great. Older people and kids have a way of saying they way they see it. Kids learn to be political and say the right thing, while older people gave up playing the game. They understand there is no point on trying to maintain facades that everyone sees right through. They are so used to saying how they feel it, that they forget to get into the game when necessary.
Straight Shooter @ 22:
of course you're right on Dodd. about the only comment that really sticks out about him was his reluctance to side with hillary and ny in issuing drivers' licenses to illegals. to me that's a safe venue. hell, three quarters of the american public is against that. you want a base, you want applause, just get on the box of jabon and state don't give those mezcans a license. when you do , you're condoning their illegality. easy to say. harder is a solution. not to wax poetic, but are we not after all is said and done brothers. we had common beginnings. we were fortunate enough to be born in the land of plenty. those who would trek across mexico first and then strive to reach the US, they must have a powerful drive. there is no plane they can hop on to the border. they walk, hop atop trains, and they lose limbs and lives and are robbed and raped along the way. but hell they're coming here to pillage our social services system, they're coming to take advantage of all that we offer and they go to the front of the line ahead of good people who have tried to do things the right way. so let them eat cake.
trust me, there is no easy answer, but the conservatives will make this their sounding call in the next election. next time you are of a like mind, "let them eat cake," don't be surprised to find fat ass russ or hannity siding with you.
andrew @ 30:
She has already voted to give Bush authority to use military force in Iran. She seems to support all wars, all the time. She's a corporate attorney who sat on Wal-Mart's board of directors. I don't know where people get the idea that she's somehow "liberal."
If only Ruth had taught her son to tell the truth, no matter what the consequences, McShame might still be a hero, in my mind. Now we know who truly is on the Straight Talk Express and it ain't lil Johnny.
You don't suppose she was talking about Brigham Young's massacre of the settlers back in the 1850s, do you? That's going pretty far back into her childhood.....
"...the views of mine."
Is he taking locution lessons from Dubya now?
Josh @ 20:
Seriously. I thought she was his sister and less senile.
J. McCain: “The views of my mother are not necessarily the views of mine.”
Meaning Mom is planning on supporting the Demmycrat in the general election.
Prabhata @ 41:
exactly , times short!
Roberta McCain is the best looking 95 year old woman alive, dead, or yet to be born.
What did she say about Ghouliani?? My Mom is like this-- all her kids are the best, ever, at everything (even though we are not). That's what mothers' do. (Isn't it?)
His mom didn't spend any time as a POW, like her son did. Correct me if I'm mistaken about this, but I'm pretty sure that being held as a POW and being tortured for more than a year impacts your over all health and life expectancy. I could be wrong about this, but hey.
Listen, there are all kinds of legitimate reasons to not vote for Sen. McCain. That he has not aged as well as his mom is not one of them.
Don't get her started about the blacks and the Jews.
I don't think she was properly vetted before being asked to join Sen. McCain on the campaign trail
Linda @ 52:
I'm guessing that you are wrong about that. Nothing ages a parent like knowing their child is in harm's way. I'd suggest the McCain's are a clan of healthy minds and bodies, good genes, and a positive outlook towards life's inevitable perils.
I think JM is an honorable and patient man who has had to deal with hyenas like Bush for a long time. Your country could pick a worse president, and usually does.
What "scandal" is she talking about? I was hoping someone here would say something on it, but no takers so far.
I liked her, I really liked her. She sounds like the most honest person on that show. I almost spit out my drink I laughed so hard at what she said. It was classic. And damn your right she looks good for 95! Is G.g.g.i.l.f. the term? Great, great, great grandma I'd ...... lol to clean up that salt lake city thing, hahahahahahaha, Salt Lake ROFL!!!!! But to those that say she will be bitching about the Jews and Blacks next well the blacks not so much anymore, but the Jews ( err Neo-cons) are pissin some people off.
Although Mom McCain's response was rather strange, I think her son's arterial flow problem is much worse than hers.
What "scandal" was she talking about anyway?
WF @ 54:
WF, and we probably will, but in different ways. McCain is an honorable and patient man, and way better than some of the other more dangerous ones that have tossed their hats into the ring, such as Giuliani. It's hard to figure out why McCain let the Rove machine beat him up so badly in SC, and then after it was over, offered his support for them. That doesn't indicate someone we can trust. His singing about bombing Iran was pretty bizarre, too. Was evidence of some real deterioration in judgment. Trust and judgment are, I think, two character issues that we cannot overlook. Somehow, just thinking that the others are worse than him doesn't help me sleep at night. Sad that we can't seem to do better than this.
attention everyone sweating Mrs. McCain's feminine wiles:
you are being really, REALLY creepy
I fail to see what was "embarrasing" about this.
Chris DID ask her for her opinion, and she gave it. I'm not even sure what she said was false. High profile members of the LDS church WERE involved in the Olympic planning, as well as many LDS contractors. Did they help screw it up by cronyism? I have no idea, but she's entitled to her opinion. (FWIW, even if they did screw it up, they did a good job of pulling together to fix what they broke... good on ya, SLC volunteers.)
The only thing this proves is that this grand lady can still speak the truth of her beliefs without lying to be polite. John stepped off the "straight talk express" long ago... Now he just hangs out with Faldwell and Robertson, and weakly allows torture to happen in his own party, on his watch.
J. McCain: “The views of my mother are not necessarily the views of mine.”
xenon:"That is all America needs: yet another semi-literate president who insists upon chronically torturing the English language".
-----------
Xenon, I was waiting for someone to pick up on "....not necessarily MY VIEWS". Good but still naughty!! Split infinitive!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
...should read: ".......president who insists upon torturing the English language CHRONICALLY".
J. McCain: “The views of my mother are not necessarily the views of mine.”
As I always suspected, these politicans would disown their own mother in order to becoem president.
Whose crazier?
McCain's Mom or the Mormon?
http://blogs.abcnews.com/politicalradar/2007/11/iraq-front-and-.html
What scandal? The problem is, which to pick? She's old enough that issues revolving around how the Mormons ended up out there in Utah in the first place are possibilities. Smith kept getting pushed west, partly by angry townsfolk unhappy that he kept marrying their under-aged daughters.
Could also be as someone else posted here, the Mountain Meadow massacre.
If she's talking recent, I suspect she is referring to the FLDS leader, Jeffs, who just was convicted of rape for marrying an under-aged girl to her cousin. They aren't mainstream Mormons, but that's because they follow the original teachings of the founder (33 wives, it was the only way into heaven after all), instead of the post-revelations, oh God-didn't-really-mean-that version of Smith's teachings.
Yeah, the LDS guys are at a crossroads. Like Thomas Jefferson that got pissed off at all the fake ritual and "bow before the priest" crap that was injected into, and partially ruined the ethics of Jesus, and so cut out the B.S. resulting in the Jefferson bible...
... The modern major Mormons DO have quite a bit going for them. 2 years of universal service (or in their case "missions") isn't a bad idea. The vast majority of your church members thusly bilingual. The emphasis on family, and good parenting... community support... volunteering... healthcare. Preparedness for disaster, and the responsibility to share with others. All good stuff.
But they need to come up with the "Jefferson Book of Mormon" and reduce their creepy fascist power structure of the church (with it's weird aristocracy and shaming people into "their place"). Cut out all the crap about Smith tripping in the forest, racism, sexism, the different spirit planets, whatever. And they are currently fighting to ditch the guys with dozens of 12 year old girl sex slaves imported into Utah and Arizona and held against their will. That's probably a pretty good start, but they should keep going. Otherwise they run the risk of heading towards the scientologists.
Tangentially related to McCain's mother I know... but there is potential in that community, even if extended kingdom around SLC still creeps me out personally. I don't think Romney is in any of that. he's just another rich conservative white guy that says things like, "Double Guantanamo! I'd double it!!" As poor as the decisions McCain has made lately, and as old as he is, those left on the Red Team would be FOOLS to nominate anyone else.
PWND!!! ...by his mother...!!!!!!
LMAO!
Ron Paul is going to make Republicans' lives a living hell during the primaries. He is the Republican Ralph Nader. This is going to be good.
A 95 year old woman does not belong on a presidential campaign trail. A geriatric is likely to say or do anything with less aforethought than an obscenity blurting Tourettes Syndrome idiot. It's no coincidence that the elderly are the prime targets of scam artists and con men. Leave great grand mammy at home baking cookies where she belongs.
'The views of my mother are not necessarily the views of mine'.
'THE VIEWS OF MINE'!?
WTF, does poor deluded McCain think he's already president, or is he just practicing the 'style' of his kissin' buddy, G.W.?
Preacher Boob @ 70:
Is the children of mine learning?
Turk Meister @ 24:
Hmm, I thought the GOP/MSM was trying to make her appear "shrill" or a "harpy." I think what has earned her the reputation she has as an opportunist or triangulator has been her actual actions. Exhibit A: Kyl-Lieberman amendment.
swarmofkillermonkeys @ 66:
I resisted that parallel at first, but it is an eerily effective one. Smith (just with what he tried to pull with the Eqyptian translations as well as pretending to walk on water back in his Upstate NY days) puts him in a league with Hubbard. And the "Governing Planets" Kolob and Oliblish stuff really moves the parallel along, doesn't it? Brrrrr. (At least the Scientologists don't/didn't claim that blacks have dark skin because of the stain of evil, so I'll give them that.)
Honestly, even talking about what Mormons believe brings out the religious persecution accusing crowd, so in an effort to be equitable and PC until we puke, let me say that I'd be open to giving Romney a pass on all this religious, uh, diversity, if he'd just fess up to what he believes. But he doesn't. He dodges the entire issue and is clearly uncomfortable with it getting brought up. Given that, he's either a faker inside his own religion and doesn't want to admit it, or he believes it all and doesn't want to be in a position of trying to defend it, which is probably impossible within a standard American Christian context. Based on his dodging answers I don't trust him, AT ALL. If he's elected . . . we're moving to New Zealand.
Straight Talk Repressed
Having his mother on was obviously a gimmick to make himself look younger. Once an adult, twice a child; they will say the most unexpected things. It backfired on him.
budda @ 13:
This was a very ignorant qoute. Let's try to keep some sort of intellectual view when posting.
zugzug @ 21:
I agree, this clip shows just how stupid and desperate McCain has become.
Login or Register to post comments.