Stranger Things Have Happened
Another day in paradise. The rivers are flowing backwards, the rain falling upwards, and the North Koreans have, for the second time, been removed from the auspicious Axis Of Evil.
Meanwhile, John McCain, to his credit, found himself defending Barack Obama at a recent Republican Party rally. One woman in the audience actually claimed that she didn’t trust Obama because “he’s an Arab”, after which Senator McCain quickly took the microphone away from her.
Of course, what would it matter if anyone running for the Presidency were an Arab American? It wouldn’t. Unless, that is, you’re the sort of bigot that believes that race somehow automatically infers that someone is, for example, a terrorist or terrorist sympathizer.
If McCain is to be given credit for anything said at that rally it’s certainly the following…
“…but I have to tell you…I have to tell you…he is a decent person that you do not have to be scared as President of the United States.”
Boos and jeering followed as McCain continued talking.
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October 11th, 2008 at 11:34 am
BBC link isn’t working??
October 11th, 2008 at 11:40 am
The strange days have come.
:)
October 11th, 2008 at 11:59 am
Yeah, I actually regained some of my lost respect for McCain when I saw those clips. Granted, he should have stood up and did this long ago, but better late than never. I couldn’t believe the sort of things that people were shouting about Obama when Palin would speak, and she would just stand there and smile as people shouted “terrorist” and “treason”. She absolutely loved it.
October 11th, 2008 at 12:17 pm
That “Arab”-slip is a real shame. Gives a perfect insight into who is actually supporting the republicans, what an accumulation of dubious agendas they obviously are below the line.
October 11th, 2008 at 12:27 pm
i wonder if it’s the education system or just society in general, us vs. them mentality being thrust upon us constantly
some people just aren’t growing the hell up and maybe they never will
October 11th, 2008 at 12:52 pm
Nothingman: Exactly - Palin’s feelings are pretty apparent and it sure does illustrate the differences in the two (her and McCain). At least McCain had the decency to stop that old windbag - not that it mattered much as you can tell from the crowds’ reaction. I think as this campaign goes on McCain is realizing that he did not pick the belle of the ball - but instead his running mate is like that embarrasing uncle at your wedding that just get’s shit-faced and makes an arse of himself.
October 11th, 2008 at 12:59 pm
Anybody else catch McCain’s comment in the article about N. Korea? “I expect the administration to explain exactly how this new verification agreement advances American interests and those of our allies before I will be able to support any decision to remove North Korea from the list of state sponsors of terrorism,”
WOW! So, in order to not be a terrorist you have to “Advance American interests”?
October 11th, 2008 at 1:11 pm
@ Brian Smart
LMFAO! You have summed up the whole fiasco just brilliantly!!!
Racism in politics…the very place you wouldn’t expect ignorance to rear its ugly head.
October 11th, 2008 at 1:21 pm
As I opened this post, the video clips on the same topic started running on CNN. These angry conservative crowds are scaring the shit out of me, more so than usual. I truly fear for Obama’s safety after I just saw people shouting “kill him.” Absolutely terrifying.
October 11th, 2008 at 1:23 pm
Wow..I actually started feeling sorry for McCain there for a moment. Like Brian said above, it’s like he is suddenly realizing that he is in with a bunch of racist morons and that if he should win it will be because he is “not-Obama” rather than because he is better. He seemed almost sad…. Ya, heck of choice of VP, Sarah “Scorched-earth-policy” Palin!
October 11th, 2008 at 1:44 pm
I’ve said this from the beginning. Although I disagree with his most of his policies and his choice of running mate, I believe John McCain to be an individual deserving at least the same amount of respect one should give to Barack Obama. It’s not necessarily McCain that ordered the obscene and stupid things his party has done. I may be wrong, but I still respect him as an intelligent (albeit misguided) person.
If this is to amount to anything, he is trying to dispel this rumour of Obama being an Arab. That is honourable considering what the rest of his party platform has done.
It’s worth something.
October 11th, 2008 at 4:37 pm
If only we had this kind of civility in Canadian politics…
October 11th, 2008 at 5:48 pm
I would like to see McCain have the same reaction to Palin as he did for the woman in the audience. I would love to him jerk away her mic in the middle of a rally and tell her to shut the hell up. His response was definitely to his credit, but it still doesn’t make him the best man for the job.
October 11th, 2008 at 7:14 pm
It’s disgusting and yet, sadly, not surprising that someone said she didn’t trust Obama because he’s “an arab”. People like to joke about Barack’s name but there is truth to it and it’s evident. McCain is due respect for taking the microphone away from the woman and saying what he did.
October 11th, 2008 at 7:33 pm
That woman’s comment just illustrates the level of ignorance and bigotry that still sadly exists. In any case, kudos to McCain for taking the mike away from that woman. At least it demonstrates that he does not support that kind of attitude.
October 11th, 2008 at 9:02 pm
A few people shouting out names doesn’t make all McCain supporters “racist morons”, does it?
That woman certainly doesn’t represent 100% of Republicans, does she? You wouldn’t want all Canadians to be judged by the people found posting here, would you?
October 11th, 2008 at 9:08 pm
The cheering and jeering from the audience is like a damn tennis match… BOO!!! YAY!!! BOOOO!! YAYYYY!
October 11th, 2008 at 9:20 pm
You certainly get the impression McCain is getting a bit disgusted with his own campaign. Why is it so hard for people to grasp that you can completely disagree with someone without hating them?
The other thing that may have occurred to McCain is that the way things are now, Obama is likely to win. And even if they disagree on policy, having the next president assassinated by some deluded redneck would be worse for the US than a democrat in the White House (and even then you’d just have Biden as president, then Pelosi, then Byrd… it’s a long way down to a Republican if McCain loses). Sadly enough, I figure Obama already has about a 50-50 shot of surviving his first term, even without Palin et al’s rabble rousing. Could be McCain actually -is- putting country first.
October 11th, 2008 at 9:35 pm
Back to North Korea — please see http://www.seoultrain.com/ — the most riveting documentary I’ve ever seen.
October 11th, 2008 at 10:43 pm
That my friends was the precise reason “The Arab” thing was said in my opinion. This seems to be nothing more than pure political engineering from start to finish. It was a calculated event, along with The Angry “Not-the-economy-it’s-the-SOCIALISTS!” Guy incident of the day before.
Take this all with a grain of salt. It’s October of an election year.
October 12th, 2008 at 1:36 am
“That my friends was the precise reason “The Arab” thing was said in my opinion. This seems to be nothing more than pure political engineering from start to finish. It was a calculated event, along with The Angry “Not-the-economy-it’s-the-SOCIALISTS!” Guy incident of the day before”
Exactly! It was a mole planted by the Obama campaign! Probably to cover up the Acorn attempt at ballet box stuffing! Control the News Cycle; Control the Election!!! : )
October 12th, 2008 at 2:08 am
Don’t know about soical engineering. Maybe he showed part of his true self despite all the engineering.
Ideologically, he’s wrong but (in my opinion).
October 12th, 2008 at 9:28 am
American Republicans are the only people capable of bigotry and ignorance. Might as well just go out and say what most oblivious left wing snobs don’t.
October 12th, 2008 at 10:21 am
As entertaining as the American show is shouldn’t we be talking about our election in 2 days? blinding isn’t it?
October 12th, 2008 at 10:35 am
We’re having an election?
October 12th, 2008 at 11:09 am
Even hockey fans think she’s bad.
BTW, check out the comments on youtube, yikes!
October 12th, 2008 at 11:20 am
Quoting Matthew Good: “Boos and jeering followed as McCain continued talking.”
Add that to the “boos” that greeted Palin at the Philly hockey game last night and you have a veritable zoo. I can’t believe we have to hear about this ridiculous presidential race for another month!
There is even a website up that “was created for and dedicated to all those individuals (including hockey moms) who are insulted, disappointed and just fed up with Sarah Palin.” You may want to check it out: http://puckyoupalin.com/
All of this nonsense has got to add up to Obama winning the election, although after reading this entry and being a bit paranoid by nature, any attempt at his life would be devastating…
October 12th, 2008 at 12:20 pm
Stranger things indeed. Am I seeing things?? This is a bit radical I must say. BTW, great programme on here tomorrow night (Panorama); Obama and the PitBull:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/programmes/panorama/default.stm
October 12th, 2008 at 12:26 pm
Jeez, this is a bit radical, I must say :0)
I thought I had already posted…but here it is again. A great programme on the BBC tomorrow evening – Panorama: Obama and the Pitbull..
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/programmes/panorama/default.stm
[sorry guyss, if this now appears twice...]
October 12th, 2008 at 12:28 pm
OK…attempt no.3 at posting on the new look site. I tried to post a link to the BBC’s panorama programme [Obama and the Pit Bull] which will be broadcast [and which I will watch] tomorrow evening. Maybe the post failed because i tried to post a link? Sorry if this now appears THREE times :0)
October 12th, 2008 at 12:56 pm
.org looks soo different. but for the best i sappose. but you should have just kept the title matthewgood instead of matthewgoodonline. but thats just my opinion. ( and i didnt really know where to post this since i didnt feel like emailing just this little comment haha so here it is.)
October 12th, 2008 at 1:17 pm
Just finished exploring and I like it. You’ve cleared out your wardrobe; well done you :0p
October 12th, 2008 at 1:18 pm
I don’t really know what I think about that axis of evil thing it just seems like there’s much more to it than the agreement that has been outlined, I guess I’ll just have to read more about it and wait and see how things play out..
I notice though (at least from what’s being shown in the press) that the McCain/Palin campaign has been crumbling lately and it’s hard for me not to be glad about that - looking at it from my outsiders’ view as a Canadian it just seems so clear what the right choice is!
I’m really looking forward to seeing the election over and the US starting to regain the image it used to have with us in Canada as well as internationally - the one that made it so great in the first place and that we all came to love, rather than the smeared image it has received from the actions of the bush administration and its supporters.
October 16th, 2008 at 9:43 pm
I wouldn’t give McCain too much credit on this one. I mean seriously, what else could he have done? He was addressed directly by someone in the crowd; he didn’t correct people randomly yelling out “terrorist” or “kill him” or “abomination”, did he?
And how else could he have answered, really? “Why yes, he is an Arab, and a terrorist too!” I think the woman was really trying to say “Muslim” rather than “Arab” but got confused. What if she had said Muslim? How would have McCain responded to that? “Why no, he’s a good Christian”. Not likely. The Republicans want people to think he is Muslim, which to them is a synonym for terrorist.
Also, he said that Obama is a decent family man, juxtaposing that with Arab, implying that someone who is Arab could be a decent family man. The Daily Show did a great bit about it on the Oct 14th episode called “10,000 McCainiacs” with Aasif Mandvi, “Chief Brown Correspondant”. They basically said the Republicans created a Frankenstein monster and can’t control it (heh, oops). You can see the clip on the Comedy Network site.