McCain's Supposed Adviser John Lewis Calls Him Out
By Jon Perr Sunday Oct 12, 2008 5:30am
Back in August, Republican presidential candidate John McCain stunned the audience at Pastor Rick Warren's Saddleback Forum by citing Democratic Congressman and civil rights icon John Lewis as one of the "wisest people that you know that you would rely on heavily in an administration." On Saturday, Lewis offered McCain some sage advice - and a stern warning - about the disgusting turn his increasingly ugly campaign had taken. Unsurprisingly, the supposed maverick shunned his supposed adviser's wisdom that the McCain campaign and its Republican allies were "playing with fire" by "sowing the seeds of hatred and division."
At Warren's Saddleback event with Barack Obama this summer, McCain surprised many by adding Lewis to a troika of trusted advisers featuring the usual suspects General David Petraeus and former Bay CEO Meg Whitman:
WARREN: This first question deals with leadership and the personal life of leadership. First question, who were the three wisest people that you know that you would rely on heavily in an administration?
MCCAIN: [...] I think John Lewis. John Lewis was at the Edmund Pettus Bridge. Had his skull fractured. Continues to serve. Continues to have the most optimistic outlook about America. He can teach us all a lot about the meaning of courage and commitment to causes greater than ourself...
Afterwards, Congressman Lewis responded to the news of his previously unknown role as a Republican presidential adviser by noting:
"Senator McCain and I are colleagues in the U.S. Congress, not confidantes. He does not consult me. And I do not consult him."
But on Saturday, Lewis did offer McCain some counsel and a stinging rebuke. In the wake of McCain campaign events in which Barack Obama was threatened and called a "terrorist," an "Arab," and a "traitor," Lewis blasted McCain and his running mate:
"As one who was a victim of violence and hate during the height of the Civil Rights Movement, I am deeply disturbed by the negative tone of the McCain-Palin campaign. Sen. McCain and Gov. Palin are sowing the seeds of hatred and division, and there is no need for this hostility in our political discourse.
During another period, in the not too distant past, there was a governor of the state of Alabama named George Wallace who also became a presidential candidate. George Wallace never threw a bomb. He never fired a gun, but he created the climate and the conditions that encouraged vicious attacks against innocent Americans who were simply trying to exercise their constitutional rights. Because of this atmosphere of hate, four little girls were killed on Sunday morning when a church was bombed in Birmingham, Alabama.
As public figures with the power to influence and persuade, Sen. McCain and Gov. Palin are playing with fire, and if they are not careful, that fire will consume us all. They are playing a very dangerous game that disregards the value of the political process and cheapens our entire democracy. We can do better. The American people deserve better."
For his part, McCain played the victim and demanded Barack Obama repudiate Lewis' hyperbolic comparison of the McCain-Palin ticket to George Wallace:
"Congressman John Lewis' comments represent a character attack against Governor Sarah Palin and me that is shocking and beyond the pale...I am saddened that John Lewis, a man I've always admired, would make such a brazen and baseless attack on my character and the character of the thousands of hardworking Americans who come to our events to cheer for the kind of reform that will put America on the right track."
In response, the Obama campaign kept the focus squarely where it belonged – on the hatemongering of John McCain and his increasingly desperate supporters. Just hours Obama had signaled his appreciation to McCain for scolding some of his angry GOP backers, his campaign responded:
"Senator Obama does not believe that John McCain or his policy criticism is in any way comparable to George Wallace or his segregationist policies. But John Lewis was right to condemn some of the hateful rhetoric that John McCain himself personally rebuked just last night, as well as the baseless and profoundly irresponsible charges from his own running mate that the Democratic nominee for President of the United States 'pals around with terrorists.' As Barack Obama has said himself, the last thing we need from either party is the kind of angry, divisive rhetoric that tears us apart at a time of crisis when we desperately need to come together."
As for John Lewis, his short but unhappy tenure as a close confidant to John McCain has apparently come to an end. As for McCain, he still has General Petraeus, who this week to McCain's certain dismay acknowledged, "You have to talk to enemies." Meanwhile, on Tuesday Meg Whitman got John McCain's seal of approval as a potential Treasury Secretary, just one day after eBay announced it was slashing 10% of its workforce.
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"Congressman John Lewis' comments represent a character attack against Governor Sarah Palin and me that is shocking and beyond the pale...I am saddened that John Lewis, a man I've always admired, would make such a brazen and baseless attack on my character and the character of the thousands of hardworking Americans who come to our events to cheer for the kind of reform that will put America on the right track."
Hate Talk Express is senile.
Hate talk express might be senile, but you are in denial. The Kind of Reform? You mean the kind of reform that will take us back to the days when buses have seat assignments based on one's skin color?
Reform = To improve by alteration, correction of error, or removal of defects; put into a better form or condition. To abolish abuse or malpractice in: reform the government. To put an end to (a wrong).
To cause (a person) to give up harmful or immoral practices; persuade to adopt a better way of life.
correction: I meant Hate Talk Express is senile and you ie. McCain also in denial. My bad.
They'll play the stupidity card, then turn around and blame John Lewis for this. You mark my words, they'll turn him into the bad guy when some black democrat gets lynched.
At this rate, they may lynch a black republican, or a white democrat... I doubt the biggotry and hatred are very defined anymore. The hate's just snowballing.
... Lewis's statement comparing McCain and Palin's talk to George Wallace. But they never make a misstep, never stir up hate themselves. Riiiiiight. Can't wait until Nov. 4.
Give an example.
It's funny how McCain camp said that they are not responsible for what their audience's comments but somehow Obama is being held accountable for John Lewis' opinion. double standard bastards.
Blatant double standard bastards.
No shame whatsoever.
It's also funny that McCain's camp can slip in their sarcastic remarks about Obama being a Muslim but when the sarcasim of being a racist was thrown back at McCain and Palin by Lewis it's down grading to their character.
Question: What do you call a lynch mob of cheering, booing people waving American flags?
Answer: A lynch mob.
How, by making this huge stink about project ACORN and pumping up the numbers to hundreds of thousands of supposed "fraudulent voters". They are afraid of the fact of their chances of losing growing in all three branches of Government. So what better defense than to Ramp Up the rhetoric on the possibilities of election voter fraud, get their base of moronic bigots lathered up.
Don't be surprised at violence from this election.
I fear for Barack and I fear for the American people.
We should ALL be calling all our relatives, children and friends to GET OUT THE VOTE, make it a landslide so their is no doubt who is the winner.
"make it a landslide so their is no doubt who is the winner"
That's exactly what Randi Rhodes has been saying since Sen. Obama was nominated.
I don't listen to that biotch any longer. After her tirade against Senator Clinton, Rhodes could be the last liberal voice on the radio and I still wouldn't listen to her.
Just curious (because I listened to Rhodes during that period) and I want to say first that you have a perfect right to listen to whomever,,,but what did she say about Hillary's campaign that had no basis in fact? Or was it the remarks she made at that night club that got her kicked off Air America and picked up by Nova? (She's back on Air America by the way).
It was the night club comments. And please, when it came to Randi's show, she was no better than Limbaugh or Hannity when it came to Senator Clinton, Randi was completely unhinged. I had actually stopped listening to her before the tirade.
oh fwiw, Randi is not back on Air America, she is on Nova M Radio. Now, your Air America affiliate may have her on as well, but that doesn't mean she is "on" Air America. Air America has some 60 affilates, Randi is on fewer than half that amount of stations.
I'm in San Francisco and Randi Rhodes plays on the Air America affilate here. Fortunately, if I want to listen to talk radio, we have more than one liberal / progressive station to choose from.
Yep. Tampering with ACORN registration can't help the DEMS in anyway. Ronald McDonald or Mr. Taco Bell residing on Main St can't get in to the voting booth without proper I.D. on Nov 4th... so what is the motive?
ACORN gets called to task every two years or so for voter fraud.... but generally there are about 10-100 total fake registrations. ACORN employs homeless/difficult to employ people as voter registrars - and generally vets the registrations thoroughly so as to avoid difficulties - but generally a few fake ones make it through. The Democrats have nothing to gain by having fake registrations - and aren't interested in it. ACORN is not part of the party and has their own agenda - although FOX, the WSJ, and rightwing radio try to conflate the two entities, they aren't (anymore than Focus on the Family or similar groups are the same as the Repulican party).
I disagree. What they are getting ready for are court cases about who won the election. Has anyone noticed that the states that they are contesting acorn are the battle states? They are preparing for battle alright. Just legal battles. Remember Florida?
Are reading about the plan to move against America should a Democrat win the election? Martial Law has already been planned and Bush will stay in office. The military is already doing training missions, they have a special new technologically sophisticated weapon to use against us and they have internment camps waiting for us.
Our votes will be purged and miscounted. It happened in the past and it will be worse this time. The Republicans know all about it and will stir things up so bad that it will come to pass. They will destroy this country rather than give up their power.
We must demand recounts this time around all the way to the supreme court if need be. Democracy is at stake.
"At Warren's Saddleback event with Barack Obama this summer, McCain surprised many by adding Lewis to a troika of trusted advisers featuring the usual suspects General David Petraeus and former Bay CEO Meg Whitman"
May I buy an E for the above sentence?
Don't you mean an 'e'?
I've been commenting at C & L for years and suddenly my comments have "not verified" next to my name. What's with that?
go to the upper right hand corner of the screen, register your name. registration brings you a few extra features also like flagging responses in Red with a box around them amongst other things.
Happy Trails
You need to register since the format has changed. Look at the top of the page in the right hand corner to get going.
I was registered long time ago on the old system, tried to do it on the new system and get error message, saying blah blah 'user name taken' or invalid password.
and not received a new password in any email.
They will straighten it out for you. I had the same problem, but they got right to it and fixed it in a day
good advice
John McCain obviously lives in La-La-Land. Why would he think that John Lewis would be in his camp? He should not mistake politeness for support or make claims about others that are off-the-wall.
Ted Koppel was on MTP this morning -- He has a documentary on Discovery that airs tomorrow on "The Last Lynching", which occurred in Mobile in 1981. They played a clip of it -- tough stuff.
re: Lewis. John Lewis has been through some things that I doubt very few - if any of us - have ever gone through or will ever go through. So I understand where his feelings on the McCain campaign come from. I'm not sure I personally would compare McCain with Wallace. I don't think McCain is a racist. Wallace was most DEFINITELY a racist.
Now McCain's campaign staffers... That may be another story.
It doesn't have to be about race. McCain, like Wallace, told lies to whip up support for his cause that disparaged the innocent and often had deadly consequences. This is irresponsible leadership - abuse of power and misuse of public discourse. McCain is responsible.
I'm not saying all Republicans are racists, but does anyone doubt the GOP is the party of racism?
...control his supporters, how can we expect him to lead a nation?
Todd Palin is a member of a political party that wants to secede from the United States of America and Alaska form its own country then Sarah addresses their 2008 convention, is this who we want in the White House, someone who hates America, our diversity values, our sexual tolerances and our desire to give all working class men, women, children, and babies health care along with ending a illegal Police Action in Iraq based on a neocon lie.
Why do secessionists hate us and our values of respectful tolerance ? Maybe Sarah and Todd are closer to Russia then we could ever have guessed.
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=g7TgDanmWkg
How about the Visigoth Party
The fact that Sarah Palin can look into the camera, and say with a straight face, "no..you have to read the report", when confronted with the 12-0 vote on her abuse of authority -- why is anyone surprised that McCain & Co. are reacting how they are, about John Lewis' comments?
McCain/Palin are lying, fearmongering, warmongering vessels channeling hatred and bigotry -- and now they're cut to the quick by someone calling them out on it?!?
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!
I totally agree!!!! HA HA HA HA HA HA
Fuggeddabottit!
They're not going ANYWHERE!
It seems the only "partisan" believers are the voters. Governments reward previous government fraudsters with cushy jobs in a new administration. Happens everywhere. They'll be on the taxpayer dole until such time as they don't want to be.
anney: He may have lost Petraeus too, now that the General is saying some of the same things as Obama.
McSame "Did I say Lewis was one of the 3 wisest men I knew? I'm sorry I meant Clarence Thomas. Lewis's recent straight talk made me realize my mistake. Clarence Thomas was who I meant to say, the man who mold I will put on the supreme court."
There's too much of Thomas' mold on the Supreme Court already.
That mold would be Racist mcCain fulfilling the goals of another right wing racist Republican, Racist Roald Reagan, in repealing the 1964 Civil Rights Act, and Raist McCain called the 1964 Civil Rights Act "...the most dangerous piece of legislation in the history of the United States." That comment alone is proof that Racist McCain wants to repeal the 1964 Civil Rights Act. Racist Reagan called the 1964 Civil Rights Act, as well as the 1965 Voting Rights Act, "...unfair to the South", when Racist Reagan told a Los Angeles Time reporter that he would have voted against the passage of the 1964 Civil Rights Act if he hadbeen in either the U.S. House or U.S. Senate in 164, when Racist Reagan first entered politics as the 1966 Republican Candidate for Governor of California.
The anti-black Negro conservative racist Clarence Thomas, who hates black people more than Trent Lott, Jeff Sessions, and Sarah Palin collectively, his sick racist white supremacist dreams about casting a vote in the Supreme Court to either strike down the 1964 Civil Rights Act, or cast the vote to reinstate or rebuild the Plessy vs. Fergusen decision.
Mc Panderer gets burned by his own weakness and ineptitude. What a surprise.
I still can't understand why Obama is a terrorist. If he is a terrorist then he really sucks at it because as far as I know his kill count is 0.
Its nice to see that these same people have called out Bush for meeting with the taliban in Texas when he was Governer of Texas so he could strike an Oil deal.
Oh wait, sorry they didn't.
Then again Bush is white, so it's ok.
Nobody likes McCain and that includes the GOP. The only reason the right wants him elected is so they maintain some power. Other than that they despise the man.
The reason I bring this up is because often times a politician can get away with a lot of the things McCain isn't getting away with. And he doesn't get it. I mean, "Why me?" he must be asking.
He keeps name-dropping and the person whose name he dropped turns around and slams him. Nobody wants him playing their music at his functions. Nobody will come out and say they're McCain's friend.
Basically nobody really wants him to be president but the right is willing to make the sacrifice as long as they don't actually have to say anything good about him.
I also think everybody knows he's toast. Fox will keep up the battle and their fighting a pretty desperate one but I think even they see the writing on the wall.
With the economy still not hitting bottom, I think McCain is the sacrifice. Why? Because in 4 years, if the economy is STILL crap, the Rethugs will sweep back into power. Obama better be a miracle worker. If the economic trend continues, he will be blamed for the millions of jobless and homeless.
No-one talks about the injustices of the 40000+ military and 10,000 innocent civilians deaths of an illegal invasion. I think about them just about every day and I'm not American. I call that genocidal terrorism. anyone going to be marched off to the Hague for that one?
According to numerous reliable sources (including the U.N.), the number of Iraqi civilian deaths (women, children, male non-combatants) was between 300,000 and 500,000.
I think that it is good for all Democrats to keep poking at McCain until he blows up once and for all. The George Wallace comment may or may not have been over the top (I think it was right on target personally). The main thing is that Obama didn't make it himself, so he gets to look presidential. And it is just one more irritation for McCain, who has a low threshold for pain.
My theory is that McCain's comment at the John Warren thing took John Lewis by surprise, and at some level pissed him off, but being smart, Mr. Lewis waited until a time when it could do maximum damage to repudiate it, very likely in coordination with the Obama campaign.
I remember long ago reading an account of the 1980 campaign based on interviews with someone on the inside of the Carter campaign. I can't remember who wrote it or where it appeared, but the jist was that by this time in 1980, with Carter trailing Reagan in the polls even less than McCain trails Obama, they knew it was over. In a meeting they had with Carter, his top campaign advisers told him that there was no way he could win and that he needed for the good of the country to start preparing for a transition.
It is possible that McCain also knows he is toast. Alternatively, since McCain is one of the only military pilots in history who succeeded in crashing five planes, and since his advisers are only good at flinging feces and grimacing, he does not know.
Hey, McCain only crashed four planes! The fifth one got blown up by a stray missile while it was still on the carrier deck...
So is he the unluckiest pilot ever because he lost all those planes - or the luckiest one because he lived to tell about them?
John Lewis was careful not to compare McCain to Wallace while at the same time he did exactly that. I'm starting to like this new look Democratic party. They no longer seem to sit idly by and allow the other team to bash and trash them with insane rhetoric. Obama is quick to defend himself where Kerry and Gore did not.
This is the Gooper pathology. They can say and do ANYTHING they want but YOU can't, AND you'd better not call them out for it, OR they'll get ANGRY and belligerent. Christianist theology 101: The perp is the vic.
All I have to say is whatever happens Nov. 4; the Gooper plastic bubble is going to shatter into a million pieces like the EPA dome over Springfield did in the Simpson's movie.
Here we go with the race card in full force.
Oh, come on now Mad Bomber, do you think us Republiecans, have begun to fight yet? Just wait until we get out those white robes, hoods and crosses!
YOU CAN PULL OUT ALL OF THAT BULL IF YOU PLEASE BUT THIS IS 2008 BABY NOT 196NOTHING! YOU BETTER THINK WITH THE HEAD ON YOUR SHOULDERS AND NOT BETWEEN YOUR LEGS!
I think John Lewis is right on. If you grew up in the 60's and was a minority you understand. I think the McCain machine is taking this Country back to an ugly time in our history and although they weren't specifically encouraging the violent comments they did not immediately respond, which in itself, encourage and gave their followers the perception it was ok. I am glad to hear the McCain campaign has decided to reject these comments from their audience.
John Lewis hit the nail on the head.
Americans seem to have a false sense of security and think political violence won't happen here. But you can't be a public hatemonger and then pretend like you have nothing to do with the violence that will eventually insue. PALIN is especially guilty of this. Either she is so green and naive that she doesn't realize the power she wields from the public pulpit, or she is DRUNK with power and has deluded herself into believing she is in the right -- just lik Bush-the-Idiot!
AND even it Obama is elected, McCain and ESPECIALLY PALIN have already sown the seeds of hatred. I suggest they work double time a retrack their rhetoric before their awful seeds bear BITTER FRUIT!!
Remember how in recent history..
Repiglickin swine called US the Racists...
They cried foul that we brought racism into the mix.. and other assorted bullshit!...
Oh how bittersweet reality is...
This is so obvious! Obama's supporters throughout the primaries were out of control during caucuses in Texas and Las Vegas. Violence was used and reported as 'harassment' by the media such as CNN. Their actions and actions used by ACORN are more akin to Segregationists than what Republicans are doing. Accuse the accuser, deflect deflect deflect. The media refuses to really examine Obama, all the signs of the way the Democratic primaries went down and now echo other fascist regime strategies. I know that is an extreme word, but study how Peron, Mussolini and, yes, even Hitler came to power and you will see a Populist agenda with a charismatic leader who has the media under their spell.
So I spent the summer wondering, as a Clinton supporter, why the media has been so entranced with Obama. Now I have a theory. McCain is hostile to lobbyists, earmark spending and corruption in general. That means if I was a large corporation with a lot to lose if all those sweetheart deals dried up, I would not like McCain, I'd like Obama who was in Rezko's pocket, I'd see Obama as someone I can work with. Who pays the media's paychecks? Advertisers. Big Corporations. If anything, Obama's rule of the media is proof of this connection. They have yet to seriously investigate Obama.(except Fox News, who figure they can capture the 50% or so market share by being pro-McCain as the others such as CNN, MSNBC, CBS, NBC etc fight over the other 50% market share).
What are you blathering about ...!!???!!
Are you still huffing gold paint?
....?
No need for all these political gymastics
Just say it!
You won't vote for Obama because he's Black.
(roll eyes)
George says: "So I spent the summer wondering, as a Clinton supporter, why the media has been so entranced with Obama. Now I have a theory. McCain is hostile to lobbyists..."
McCain is so hostile to lobbyists he's letting them run his campaign. That'll teach 'em.
I like how Rick Davis turns things around and says it's Obama who needs to apologize for what Lewis said, not McCain for what he and Palin did.
Well,
Rick Davis is a disgusting, sopping bag of flaming shit..
Of course he turns everything around that McCain does onto Obama..
Rick Davis is WHY you spank children with closed fists when they try to tell lies.
You are a perfect example why hatred exists in this country.
We get much info from the cantidates on the trail, but much of what is said is taken out of context. If we use only part of the “soundbite” which is misleading then we are not giving correct information. No one seem to want to tell the entire truth. That is the only way for voters to make an educated decision, to get correct information that is. But if we gave the voters an educated experience then Sara Palin & McCain would be in trouble. Tell your people how Obama was 1st in his class in college. Tell the how old he was when he worked with Ayres and that it was not a recent experience.
But Guess what?...you guys don't want the real facts Known!
Tell it like it is Mr. Lewis! Palin needs to stop with the negative attacks and get to the REAL issues. But when you are on the loosing end, I guess you will try to do anything to win. SHAME on McCain/Palin!! They are spewing racism and hate.
The Liberal press posts a negative remark against Obama and it's immediately taken as if it's from the McCain campaign and reams of hatred follow, including McCains Hanoi Hilton incarceration and human torture. Anyone younger than 50, please go on the internet and educate yourself EXACTLY what John went through for his fellow prisoners and what he believes would be best for his fellow Americans. I was in VietNam and am a survivor of his bombings that I'm able to be here today to defend him. God bless you Mr. McCain.
I'd be prepared for "vehement reaction" (possibly riots) on Nov. 5, that is, unless the election is still being decided in some Supreme Court somewhere.
Why?
If Obama doesn't win, and he's so far up in the polls, well... (I might hit the streets myself).
If McSlime doesn't win, the mob is cocked and ready to go. No *naggers, Arabs, Muslims, or terrorists as president.
Fasten your seatbelts...
I noticed the other day how McCain seems to be having the women around him doing all the dirty work, i.e. wife & running mate. I saw that town hall thing he had going on the other day on the news with that woman and the Arab comment, and that really scared me. There is something seriously wrong going on here. McCain can protest all he wants about the things that have been said about Obama but you can bet he is loving every minute of it. He is a very sad and pathetic man.
The Congressman needs to keep his mouth shut and focus on the job the people of Georgia elected him to do. I also suggest that he attempt issuing a real apology versus the clarification to help the American public understand what he was really trying to say. It would be more productive if the Congressman tried using his influence to focus on the future versus conjure up the past.
Sounds like you are. If there's anybody in this country who knows first hand about what happens when you whip up a "lynch" mob it's John Lewis who was nearly beaten to death for confronting injustice - as well as countless others who who died for the same reason. If you see somebody starting a fire, I guess you'd keep your mouth shut because it's not in your neighborhood. You've got a lot of nerve. If McCain says he values this man's counsel why the hell doesn't he follow his advice? Do you actually believe that in this country political leaders have no responsibility to address the misuse of power - to question McCain's capacity for leadership under these circumstances? If we had listened to "white folk" who were always telling us to "keep your mouth shut", "mind your own business" where would we be now? It's the same language people use when they abuse women and children. I guess in your mind, John Lewis doesn't "know his place". You are a prime example of why the struggle for human rights and fundamental respect for others must go on. You want to assign it to "yesterday" so you won't have to face today's reality.
Who are you, one of the right wing fascist racist sociopathic spammers for Liar McCain-Liar Palin?
The whole context of your anti-Lewis post reaks of the right wing racist montra of "Blacks should not speak unless we tell them to". You clearly defend the hateful, violent words of Liar McCain' supporters, and BOTH the violent and potentially race-based racist comments of BOTH McCain and Palin. I will mention the racist sentiments of both McCain and Palin in later posts if necessary.
Right wing racist white supremacist conservatives like yourself would love to see the civil rights laws repealed (McCain caled the 1964 Civil Rights Act the most dangerous piece of legislation in U.S. history, Palin's racist acts can be found at http://www.blackagendareport.com would love to bring back the "Whites Only" days of America, wouldn't you?
Black talk rdio is also condemning McCain and Palin. Guess you want the FCC to pull the licenses of all the black radio stations, too.
Damn. John Lewis really nailed that.
With advisers like John Lewis, who needs enimies? Nice.
The "logic" of the McCain campaign is that they have the right to use incindiary rhetoric that has the potential to incite violence, and that Rep. Lewis, as well as black talk radio, have no right to condemn them or call them out on it.
No surprise, Liar McCain's corporate consrvatve news media is condemning Lewis, while letting McCain off the hook. Black talk radio, however, is blasting Racist McCain.
As was posted earlier, Racist McCain called the 1964 Civil Rights Act "...the most dangerous piece of legislation in the history of the United States", and there is a long history of Racist Sarah Palin's racist sentiments http://www.blackagendareport.com
There's an old Texan saying that I love (if I have it right): All Hat, No Cattle.
For John McCain it should read: All Sheet, No Hood.
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