In defense of the sanctimonious women's studies set || First feminist blog on the internet

Friends of McCain

Jill

John McCain just canceled a fundraiser at the home of his Republican pal Clayton Williams, a Texas oilman, after word came out in his 1990 campaign against Ann Richards for governor of Texas, Williams said he would campaign against Ms. Richards as he would a cow on his ranch: “head her and hoof her and drag her through the dirt.”

During the same campaign, he compared rape to the weather, saying, “As long as it’s inevitable, you might as well lie back and enjoy it.”

Nice friends John’s got there. And while publication of the remarks prompted the McCain campaign to do damage control and cancel the fund-raiser, it hasn’t inspired John to give back the $300,000 Williams has donated to his campaign.

17 thoughts on Friends of McCain

  1. He canceled it “after word came out” that Williams said those things during his run against Ann Richards? I don’t see how McCain could have not known about that. I’ve never even lived in Texas and I heard about it. Regarding Williams’ “lie back and enjoy it” comment, I believe Ann Richards’ response was along the lines of “Stick a fork in him. He’s done.”

  2. Bit of trivia: Williams had a lead over Richards for much of that campaign (I remember, I worked for her election as a young college student), but according to Molly Ivins, he didn’t relinquish the lead.. even after the rape comment.. until he made the unpardonable faux pas of not shaking her hand after one of the debates.

  3. Predictably enough, the story you linked to now has jackass comments defending Williams’ joke as funny.

    There’s no way that neither McCain nor anyone else in his campaign knew about Williams’ comments: they’re infamous, memorable, and well documented. In fact, I remembered the comments even when I’d forgotten Williams’ name.

  4. Nice friends John’s got there. And while publication of the remarks prompted the McCain campaign to do damage control and cancel the fund-raiser, it hasn’t inspired John to give back the $300,000 Williams has donated to his campaign.

    Gah. First Hagee, now this… I knew McCain was corrupt, but this just further illustrates the total moral bankruptcy of his bid for the Presidency.

  5. I was about 12 when that happened and I still remember it. When the man dies, someone will find a way to include those words in his obituary. It’s a shame Molly Ivins is gone, she would have skewered him like a stuck pig.

  6. Yeah McCain really knew. Are you people for real. McCain has thousands of people raising money for him. He wouldn’t know this guy if he saw him walking down the street. McCain has never met him in his life. No campaign would do this if they knew. No campaign wants any kind of bad press this close to an election. This happened 18 years ago. His young staffers that set up these fundraisers probably never even heard of the guy. You would have to have lived in Texas. These young staffers that do this are in their early to mid twenties. They would be about 5 when this happened. They immediately cancelled the fundraiser when they heard about it. The fundraiser was going to raise 2 million dollars. That is a lot of money for a campaign that needs money. This is ridiculous.

    By the way Al Franken made rape jokes and the dems have him running for the u.s senate.

    Obama is helping Al Franken’s campaign and has recieved money from Franken and his associates. No one is asking him to return those funds.

  7. You want to talk about bankrupt. How about Rezko, Wright, Father Pfleger.

    Obama had 20 year relationships with these people. You want to talk about being morally bankrupt.

    How about Obama’s church. Is that morally bankrupt. Did you see them going wild when that so called priest and Obama’s moral compass Father Pfleger was mocking Hillary. This is who Obama calls his moral compass and counseled with during the wright national press club appearence.

    Lets not talk about moral bankruptcy when Obama has no integrity.

  8. I don’t think I was old enough to be following this sort of thing when this happened, but I have a vague memory floating around of that comment. There’s no way McCain didn’t know about it, he’s just sorry all us humorless types are bringing it up again. Funny how that works.

  9. One might expect people who have supported McCain all along to make excuses and try to minimize Clayton’s hideous comments. I wonder what former Hillary supporters who are now backing McCain have to say about it, though.

    Then again, anyone who can bounce straight from Hillary’s camp to McCain’s has to be full of… excuses already.

    But maybe McCain did forget what Clayton had said. Maybe it’s only memorable to those of us who were shocked an appalled by it. It’s easy to forget things that don’t leave any kind impression on you. Either way, it’s a terrible reflection of McCain’s character.

  10. “As long as it’s inevitable, you might as well lie back and enjoy it.” I just stopped when I saw this statement. That McCain could associate with someone who could say something this anti-woman is testimony to who much he really values women. All you former HRC voters who are thinking about voting McCain to “punish” the DMC I hope you are paying attention. This is what you will be getting.

  12. During the same campaign, he compared rape to the weather, saying, “As long as it’s inevitable, you might as well lie back and enjoy it.”

    Not to detract from how horrible that comment was , but if a tornado is coming towards my house, I grab my pets & hurry to the basement. I don’t “lie back & enjoy it.”

    Clayton Williams is a massive douche.

  13. I wonder what former Hillary supporters who are now backing McCain have to say about it, though.

    All you former HRC voters who are thinking about voting McCain to “punish” the DMC I hope you are paying attention.

    As usual, there don’t appear to be any of those around here. But also as usual, the scolds are right on top of the matter, in case any should appear. I’m lead to believe that there’s a lot more hype about HRC supporters turning to McCain than there are actual HRC supporters turning to McCain. The ones who do exist – wherever they are, whoever they are – were probably Republicans in the first place. Ever consider the possibility that conservative women were excited about the prospect of finally having a female president too? And that many of them perceived HRC to be moderate enough for them to vote for?

  14. I am more than a little tired of politicians pretending they had NO idea and are *shocked* that someone who supports them has a tendency to say appalling things. And if they personally cannot keep track of the bigoted crap that comes out of people’s mouths. surely they should have a staffer somewhere who can use google.

  15. As usual, there don’t appear to be any of those around here. But also as usual, the scolds are right on top of the matter, in case any should appear.

    For the record, my comment was slightly tongue in cheek. That’s why it was followed by the comment about them being “full of… excuses“.

    Quite a serious bunch… Did I come a bad day or something? 😛

  17. Pingback: JABbering Stooge :: Kelso rides again :: June :: 2008

Comments are currently closed.