McCain only "postpones" event by 'rape joke' fundraiser
By SilentPatriot Sunday Jun 15, 2008 6:30pmOn Saturday, Nicole reported that John McCain abruptly canceled a fundraiser when he learned that the Texas oilman hosting the thing once made a tasteless joke about rape.
Sen. John McCain on Friday abruptly cancelled a Monday fundraiser that had been scheduled at the home of a Texas oilman, after ABC News contacted the campaign inquiring about a verbal blunder the Texan made during an unsuccessful 1990 campaign for governor.
Clayton Williams stirred controversy during his 1990 campaign for governor of Texas with a botched attempt at humor in which he compared rape to weather. Within earshot of a reporter, Williams said: “As long as it’s inevitable, you might as well lie back and enjoy it.”
Well, now it turns out that the McCain campaign didn't "cancel" the event; they just postponed it:
PR compromise
Late Saturday afternoon, a McCain aide confirmed to the Chronicle that the Midland event had been postponed but had not been taken off the calendar. The compromise allowed McCain to say he had not held a fundraiser at Williams' house; it gave Williams an opportunity to say that the event he organized had not been canceled.
PR compromise, huh? I guess the joke is only disgusting enough to temporarily distance yourself from it. Classy.
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Fact free McCain.
Reich-wingers are low-life misogynists. This will not phase the vile GOPig base. In fact, the reich-wing will applaud McGrampa for his support of misogyny.
My friends, when I said the lobbyists are responsible for a lot of pork in the budget, what I meant was, there is good money to be made porking lobbyists.
It is a funny joke.
McCain and the Republicans using of underhanded & deceitful tactics is like rape....
Whenever they do something awful like that, call the law on their ass and make them pay for what they have done!
Speaking of "my friends", I can no longer stomach The Weather Channel because one of the main weatherman - Dave - uses that term all of the time.
Lighten Up @ 4:
No, it's not.
McCain should think before he acts...not!!!
Wes Clark publicly smacking McCain AGAIN!!!
Lighten Up @ 4:
So as Duke Cunningham is being scrogged by bank robbers in his federal prison, that's a funny joke too?
At least Clayton Williams doesn't plaster on the makeup like a trollop.
Given a choice between the moral high ground and money, is it any surprise which way a republican will lean every single time?
I believe Bobby Knight said that once too. However, as tasteless as the "joke" is, this fund raiser said this in, what, 1990? Okay, so 18 years ago this guy said something inappropriate that a reporter overheard and in 2008 John McCrazy cancels a fund raiser because of this? I think we should be careful not to make mountains out of mole hills, because we are currently surrounded by mountains.
During one of Claytie's campaigns for gov in Texas, I worked as a secretary in a law firm. One of the attorneys brought good ol' Claytie around (this was after the rape thing). Claytie thrust his hand in my face as I was working and said something like "Glad to meet ya. Hope you'll vote for me." And gave me a brochure. I recoiled at his handshake and threw his brochure into the trash. Hell. I thought he was dead until this.
I dunno about harping on a guy who made a tasteless joke 18 years ago. Sure it was tasteless but it's also very stale. This smells of Jeremiah Wright but whatever... At least Jeremiah Wright said his crap alot more recently. I think we can safely assume that McCain is in the pocket of the lobbyists without having to go this far and play gotcha games on shit like this.
Now if he said that like oh... say 8 years ago, I say fire away!
Snore @ 14:
If this was Obama, the reich-wing MSM would be outraged for his "associations" with such a person.
my friends, the best jokes include trollop and c*nt, my friends.
my friends.
Dr. (terrorist fist jab) Matt @ 15:
And democrats, being the pussies they are, would join the fake-outrage crowd - as though they're above telling a tasteless joke from time to time. It's a disgusting joke, but this is much ado about nothing.
[Deleted. Please don't advocate any sort of violence at this site, not even if it is in a joking manner. Thank you. Site Monitor] Yeah, I said it. Then I smeared some boldface on it to make sure nobody misses it.
This particular issue is made entirely out of "People in glass houses shouldn't throw stones." The Right has no monopoly on distasteful rape jokes, as we all bloody well know. There's probably a lifetime's worth in the archived comments here. Let's move on to more substantive issues that aren't as likely to blow back into our own faces like a rancid fart in the wind.
[If such comments exist in our archives it is simply because they got by us. If your point is that those comments that do exist in our comments section are representative of the views of Democrats, liberals, progressives or leftists, I will take the time to point out that the only thing that you can prove is that someone of unknown politics has posted it on this site- no more, no less. Thank you. Site Monitor]
Not that I am in any way, shape or form defending Clayton Williams- I voted against him every single chance I had- but that "joke" was almost 20 years ago.
Am I the ONLY ONE who has begun writing McCain's political obituary? I mean this guy wasted the THREE MONTHS he had to prepare for the general. Now he is too damn greedy to give back the money to a guy who believes that women should just "enjoy" rape when it occurs?
Obama might be winning women 90-to-10 by the time November comes.
The Fast Talk Express...
cg the 2nd @ 17:
Yeah, it's all good if jokes about rape and misogyny are just "time to time". No problem. Perhaps toss in a "black joke" from "time to time" as well. You fing POS.
the media won't report or remind anyone that mcasshat called his own wife a c*nt.
cg the 2nd assjacket @ 17:
WTF is wrong with you? nevermind!
Jeon Ji-Yung @ 18:
Before i realized you were going to demonize the left i was going to respond to this statement of yours. Rape is not funny under any circustances.
It may have been said here bofore, but not by regulars and not without me denouncing the statement if i read it.
That is a very broad brush you have in your hand i would be careful how i used it if i were you.
Do you comment here often? Or do you just drop by to empty your bowels and leave?
CoIntelPro for Pronktastic Democratic Party Victory @ 23:
The media don't report the truth.
Didn't Coach Bobby Knight take a bunch of heat years ago over this same "rape" joke.
A 1990 tasteless joke? 18 years ago people. get over it.
Tim @ 28:
The guy was nearly 60 when he told that joke. He wasn't some kid.
Face facts, the guy you're rooting for is a mentally disturbed, woman hating, rat bastard.
Just had to be said.
By the way, the way that guy was joking about rape, what do you think the odds are that he actually did rape someone in his life?
Well if he gets elected we should all get used to the idea.
[Deleted. Off topic. jess, I'm sure that are genuinely distraught about the disposition of your former pets. I would feel the same way. But no matter how hard you try to tie it in to the topic, this isn't what we're talking about on this thread. Please take it to an Open Thread. Thank You. Site Monitor]
I guess I missed the joke. Is that the set-up? Is it the punchline?
It's a tasteless comment, not a joke.
That said, it was a while ago. Way before McCain called his wife a c*nt.
nothing like some good old fashion republican doublethink to clear things up.
*
He arrived.
He evacuated.
He departed.
of course it didnt, it need da money..
xoites defends Constitution @ 25:
How is it "demonizing the left" to point out that there's no shortage of rape jokes on our side as well, and that to wield them against our opponents not only leaves us open, but practically demands that they in turn use similar remarks against us? There's so much we can go after them on without handing them ammunition to use against us. Real, substantive issues. There have been and will continue to be no shortage of morbid and/or distasteful remarks made by persons on all sides of the political spectrum. You might find my remarks and/or perspective distasteful, and I respect that. But I didn't come here to demonize the left; if I'm demonizing anyone it's humanity in general. I said what I said and bold-faced it so that people would perhaps look at it, stop for a moment, and think of other, similar remarks they've seen here - and then perhaps, just maybe, find a better stick to swing at John McCain than this 20-year old rotten bit of timber that could just as easily be used against us.
Texas Oilman Tells Tasteless Joke!! Stop the presses! I haven't been so shocked since I learned that Snoop Dogg smoked pot. Heck, maybe even going back to when they outed Liberace.
And my bowels are fine.
Jeon Ji-Yung @ 18:
Looks like the McCain campaign is outsourcing it's trolls to China.
Oh, and if you have any evidence of a Democratic politician making a similar remark, please post a link.
That moronic "joke" uttered by a wealthy yahoo a generation ago served it's purpose when it got the late great Ann Richards elected Governor of Texas.
It's time to move on to actual, relevant issues.
There's a war going on that McCain wants to keep going on, for instance.
It's predictable that every time McCain makes a gaff or associates his campaign with a repugnant character like Clayton Williams, the concern trolls show up. It's always the same message, better not bring this up because Democrats are just as bad.
This is relevant in light of the McCain's campaign to try to peel female Democrats away from Obama by claiming his campaign was sexist. Otherwise, I'd give it a pass.
Lighten Up @ 4:
Okay..........as long as it's a female in your family, and not mine, you go right ahead and cackle your ass off.
Again, THIS SOB WAS 59 years old when he told this good ole' boy rape "joke."
jitter @ 40:
NO..........First, LET'S CLARIFY THAT THE GUY WAS FIFTY-NINE-YEARS-OLD and rape, a violent crime, is a horror.
BrokenArrow@ 45
Been there, done that.
Knock yourself out, friend.
jitter @ 46:
Spoken like a true sociopath.
You don't see anything wrong with your behavior, do you?
Don't laugh if you don't like rape jokes, but pipe down if you intend to treat this as a real issue - it isn't.
I think what is interesting about this stupid story is that McCain has to continually distance himself from his own fundraisers...I think I would get whiplash from grabbing the money and jumping back on the Straight Talk Express to zoom to the next bus stop.
Dr. (terrorist fist jab) Matt @ 22:
Wow, name calling. Classy. Google The Aristocrats.
Snowball @ 39:
Isn't this kind of ignorant joke exactly what the original poster was talking about? As far as I know, Jeon is a Korean name. Besides, Jeon may live anywhere, not necessarily China.
Does McCain not research any of the people he accepts money from or seeks money from? Some of the ugly information that has come out about his supporters/fundraisers could've easily been discovered by simply Googling their name. I just don't get. On top of that, such a statement about rape is inexcusable and all McCain can do is "postpone" the event? McCain makes it very difficult to see his good qualities (the ones that use to exist during his "maverick" days).
The Sauda Voice
they knew c.williams said what he said........they thought no one would find out or they just don't care........they wanted that cash........i think mcBlame should have to explain his association(s)
cg the 2nd @ 50:
In case you hadn't noticed (or your just pretending not to) you started with teh insults first.
I should also point out that people who think that someone else suffering (and the person being raped is surely suffering) is funny, is worse than an animal.
It's also a sign of a very dangerous mentality.
I recommend a great book: Bob Altemeyer's The Authoritarians. It's a forty year study of Authoritarian behavior.
The behavior that Clayton Williams is easily explainable in that book. Simply said, most authoritarians are hostile, maladjusted, and even worse... they think that everyone else is, or should be like them.
It's why they tend to gravitate towards extremist groups that seek control, like: Republicans, extremist religious institutions, and other fascist groups.
Quite a few of the people Altemeyer studied showed strong sadistic tendencies.
The behavior is explained in detail. I will also point out that UCLA and NYU had similar studies conducted that came to the same conclusions. Authoritarians are very dangerous.
The study is free to download. I recommend that anyone interested should read it. It confirmed many of the things I've long expected.
Numinous @ 54:
If you're referring to my calling the democrats pussies - well, they do recapitulate on everything when they feel a little heat on from the Republican fake-outrage machine. General Petraeus, Iraq war funding, telecom immunity, you name it. They'll start joining the crazy choir - hence, they're pussies. I don't think this type of name-calling is anything new on these message boards - you could write a dictionary just on insults towards Republicans that were written on these forums. Seems to be fair game, provided it's not directed at a particular poster. Am I wrong for thinking there's a difference between what I said and someone else calling me an 'fing POS'?
The weakness of the Democrats are why the Republicans throw these hissy-fits all the time - but it doesn't make them right for doing so, and we don't need to raise our blood pressure over this non-issue as a retaliatory measure.
But where I STRONGLY disagree is in this second statement you wrote - and let me be clear that this is not in any way a defence of the 'rape joke'. That statement is such a gross exaggeration and oversimplification, and it assumes a number of things, such as: a) the joke represents the joke-teller's views. b) the audience is laughing at the suffering and not at, say, the shock value of it. Of course, both are highly false, so let's cut the bullshit about suggesting that Clayton Williams somehow supports rape because he told a stupid joke about it. And let's be honest - we've all had guilty laughs before: that's why I referenced The Aristocrats, to illustrate that 'humour' and 'bad taste' are not mutually exclusive. I could point to a number of highly dicey jokes on The Daily Show, but they don't lessen my opinion of the show or the man - comedy by its very nature skates that fine line between irreverence and tastelessness. It's so easy to cross that line, especially when you're not a comedian, and it's glib to assume that when that line gets crossed, that the intent was purely malicious and could only be done by a malicious person.
Another reason for Clinton supports to move to McCain. HAHA.
This is ridiculous. I do not support McCain, but the guy in question made a tasteless joke 18 YEARS AGO! And it was only "within earshot of a reporter". It's not like he said it during a speech. I've told some tasteless jokes in my life. Dark humor is dark humor. If someone raised hell because they heard me tell a tasteless joke 20 years ago I would question their constitution. How does one live in today's world, where horrible atrocities are committed daily, if something like this gets under their skin so much?
He couldn't cancel it. He might offend the pro-rape lobby.
sean @ 57:
If this was JUST about an extremely tasteless joke (I can tell you've never been raped), you comment might be pointed. However, they guy has said so many despicable things about women, including some nastiness about how he saw Ann Richards cattle and he intended to "head her and hoof her and drag her through the dirt". This is the guy that JS McSame wants on his campaign? It says much about his character or lack thereof!
tuddies @ 48:
Spoken like a person who has never been raped. "lie back and enjoy it" is wonderful advice and someone who has been violated would see the enormous amount of humor in it, too!
Not a classy guy... but I don't know how much mileage we can get from an 18 year old joke.
But I guess it's more recent than the 71 year old joke that's running for office.
alright, come on now. this is the same stupidity that we keep seeing about everyone Obama ever shook hands with. he made an idiotic joke. it cost him the governor's mansion. it's not the most important fact about him.
Um... C&L seems to think that the exact opposite of a bad thing (Fox) is a good thing. It isn't.
Who cares if John McCain doesn't cancel becausue of a "tasteless" joke. The guy didn't say it at an event at a microphone, he was overheard by a reporter. Sounds like the politically correct bullshit to me.
FastMovingCloud @ 60:
This joke is probably not for a rape victim, why does every joke have to be "safe"? Edgy humor is funny, if you like jokes about chickens crossing roads and such, you probably have no place in the argument of what is funny. I'd be willing to be most people aren't rape victims, therefore, we shouldnt' all pussy foot around hoping to not offend anyone. Stupid thing to say at an event, but it shouldnt' have anything to do with McCain's campain, which has enough legitimate problems that entries like this really caricature what those of us who want Obama in office are trying to accomplish.
First, some context. I was a personal friend of Ann Richards and I remember Claytie's joke. It was not "overheard" by a reporter, it was told to a group of reporters.
BUT CANCELLING AN EVENT OVER THAT 18 YEAR OLD JOKE IS HPOCRISY CONSIDERING A MORE OFFENSIVE JOKE McCAIN HIMSELF TOLD THAT IS SLIGHTLY MORE RECENT.
"Why is Chelsea Clinton so ugly? Because her father is Janet Reno." J. Mc Cain.
How can McCain judge Clayton Williams to be unworthy and how can the press ignore the parallel?
Walnutmon @ 64:
quoted for truth!
Mclovesrapejokes,is a huge fan of rape.He want's to rape the people of Iraq,for their oil.
I think Clayton Williams wife should keep,a close eye on him.If he say's to her.Honey i plan to go fishing,WITH a guy friend.He really is raping a young boy,in a Dairy Queen man's bathroom.
Numinous @ 47
Oh come on.
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