McCain didn't know MLK at 47 yrs of age

[FourScore]

Run time: 02:46 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p8ozQz0qe3c   Posted on YouTube: April 04, 2008 By YouTube Member: Views on YouTube: 0   Posted on DU: April 04, 2008 By DU Member: FourScore Views on DU: 1573

 
John McCain voted against the Martin Luther King holiday in 1983. Asked about today, he made a startling revelation:

McCain: I voted in my first year in congress against it. Then I began to learn. And I studied. And people talked to me. And I not only supported it, but I fought very hard in my own state of Arizona for recognition against a governor who was of my own party. ...

Reporter: On Martin Luthor King, what do you mean you say you learned?

McCain: Well, I learned that this individual was a transcendent figure in American history. He deserved to be honored. And I thought it was appropriate to do so. In my home state of Arizona, I was not proud that we were one of the last states to recognize Dr. King's birthday as a holiday. And I was pleased to be part of the fight for that recognition.

Reporter: What didn't you know when you voted initially against it that you later knew when you changed your mind?

McCain: I had not really been involved in the issue. I just had not had a lot of experience with the issue. That's all.

Reporter: (couldn't hear question)

McCain: In Arizona, I came from the military where we are the greatest equal opportunity employer in the nation and still are. And I had just not been involved in the issue. There were issues that I had not been involved in when I was in the military, and then I went relatively quickly to being a member of Congress.

Reporter: You just didn't realize the large role in American history?

McCain: I think I just explained it about best I could.

Reporter: It's not really an issue to be involved in, to be aware of his impact on this country, it's more of a knowledge of history.

McCain: I think you're entitled to your opinion on it and I respect your opinion on that, but I had not been involved in the issue. I had come from being in the military to running for Congress in a state that did not have a large African American population.

McCain was 32 when King died. He was 47 when he voted against the holiday. He claims he didn't know about MLK that entire time? That it was merely "an issue"? The reporter is right, this wasn't an issue, it was basic knowledge of American history.

SNIP

So he's a liar. And worse than that, it speaks volumes that he considers MLK not a giant of American (and world) history, but "an issue". I'm sure McCain, Trent Lott, and George Allen would all agree on that.

http://www.dailykos.com/

[thereismore]

1. I think I just explained it about best I could. - this much is true.

Other than that, I didn't know that voting nay would matter to anybody once I run for the presidency...

[valerief]

2. Wow, he had senior moments when he was 47? nt

[Dervill Crow]

3. K&R

What an idiot.

No more idiots in the White House!!!!

:kick:

edit to remove NT in my subject line. I just couldn't leave "what an idiot" unsaid.

[LiberalFighter]

4. I came from the military where we are the greatest equal opportunity employer in the nation?

I came from the military where we are the greatest equal opportunity employer in the nation and still are.

How much you want to bet that during McCain's time in the military and especially during his father's time that there was a lot of discrimination?

The only thing that didn't discriminate were the bombs and bullets.

[FourScore]

6. Yeah, I'd like to see him try that line

on any WOMAN enlisted in the military.

[WCGreen]

7. Truman desegregated the Armed Forces in the late 40's..

The Military was the first American Institution to be fully integrated...

In fact, the Korean War had fully integrated fighting forces and one General was forced to step aside when he started to spout off racist bull shit...

Did every body like being desegregated...

Of course not, but they quickly assimilated because you didn't want that kind of acrimony when you were fighting the enemy...

Were people still prejudiced against one race or the other...

Of course they were, but it was a seminal point in desegregation when Truman order that color barriers be dropped...

[LiberalFighter]

17. I know that! The point is that discrimination even in the military

was still strong in the 60's and 70's.

[MNDemNY]

5. Why did he vote against it? He was representing his constituents.

Not to defend mclame, but hey, he was doing his job. He would be better off just saying that.

[summermusic67]

9. McCain "ignorant" of MLK

There should be times when a representative votes his conscience despite what he thinks the constituents want. He should have replaced his ignorance with knowledge.

[Xithras]

11. True. He also would have had little personal experience with Kings legacy.

McLame was overseas from the late 50's to the early 70's, and wouldn't have been around for most of Kings actions. When he came back, he ended up in AZ where King was barely a blip on the social radar.

[Thepricebreaker]

8. Did anyone mention he was still a POW when MLK was killed? Also...

He did admit very openly that he voted against it, which he didn't have to do.

[Contrary1]

13. He's your man...admit it.

You defend him every chance you get. Not all that hard to spot. :eyes:

[DesertRat]

16. What does his being a POW when MLK was killed

have to do with Anything?! It sounds like some right wing excuse.

[Divine Discontent]

18. he said he was aware of King's murder

he said that while he was at the torture camp, or Hilton, whatever one thinks of his tortured captive time while a POW, that he was told of Dr King's murder, and said he was afraid of what would happen to our country. I would think that once no longer a captive, and he entered into the senate - he would have researched the very hastily debated subject of MLK Jr and found him more than deserving of a national holiday - but he failed and was a complete COWARD.

[Commie Pinko Dirtbag]

27. Jesus H. Q. Rhyste on a yellow-polkadotted nuclear-powered pogo stick.

:eyes:

[gimberly]

10. He has the voice and facial expressions down perfectly.

That is the best McCain impersonator I have seen.  Hillary us!

[DesertRat]

19. What?

[happygoluckytoyou]

12. here is your $300.... now back to the fields

YOU MEAN PEOPLE ARE FINALLY REALIZING THAT HIS REAL NAME IS---->

JOHN "THE REPUBLICAN" MCCAIN....

and that he would govern and torture and lie in the spirit created by....bush cheney rummy condi snow fliesher

JOHN "THE REPUBLICAN" MCCAIN....

does anyone else think he looks like a PEANUTS character?
a really old PEANUTS character?
a really old REPUBLICAN peanuts character?

[40ozDonkey]

14. Ka-who-na?

Whatevs, happy birfdaaaaay!

[Hulk]

15. What a complete jackass!! "equal opportunity employer"....

This old fart is toast. All he has been running on since he was released from the camp in Vietnam is his "captivity in Vietnam". Such a sad ass joke. This idiot has gotten more than his fair share of respect for what he endured. Do we have to bow down to his party, his lies and deception, and his flip-flopping until he dies? Do we have to give him the keys to the White House because he was a POW? Good God!!

This asshole couldn't see in 1987 that AZ was THE ONLY state fighting to overturn the MLK holiday? Was he that damned dumb and blind then? He NEVER apologized until NOW??? Until he wants the black vote??

What a dirty piece of toilet paper this fool is. We owe him NOTHING. Sorry you were a POW, but that's been milked long enough, you old fart. All the old fart neocons are going to vote for you no matter what, but anyone with an ounce of intelligence ought to be able to see through this "milking" that he trying to do once again.

F*ck you, mcbush. Go home and enjoy life. Don't threaten our national heritage with your ambitions to f*ck this country up even worse than your predecessor.

[Sam Ervin jret]

21. As a former POW who is now a backer of torture and apologist for torturers

John McShame has lost the right to the respect due others who have endured the hell of being a POW. His current position on torture endangers the very military people he claims to be party to and care for.

Shame.

Shame for your stance on torture.

Shame for either your attempt to cover your past bigotry reflected in your vote on MLK or shame on you for your ignorance of an evil so apparent in our nation and of the importance of MLK to the civil rights movement. How can you say you were competent to be representing people in this democracy when you were so ignorant of such a central issue?

Either way, McShame.

[lyonspotter]

24. Ha

along with Jeb as his VP

[pedo]

20. republicans secretly hate MLK

they roll their eyes every time MLK's name in mentioned. so they will like mccain more now

and african americans were given TWICE as much opportunity to die in vietnam. thats how equal opportunity they are

[Hulk]

25. Good point!! It was the draftees that were used as fodder....

Ninety-nine percent of us were infantry, and the majority came home in body bags. The majority WERE black, because we were the ones who didn't qualify for the deferments.

[KG]

22. greatest equal opportunity employer? yeah right. he was an officer and fighter pilot.

wanna take a wild guess how many black pilots he flew with?

the only equal opportunity for blacks in nam was to die in a rice paddy.

[pretzel4gore]

23. mccain's satisfied with things, generally?

somehow, one knows instinctively that a person like john mccain doesn't give a darn about Rev King, or JFK, or Bobby, or Malcolm, or Patrice Lamumba, or Omar Torrijos, or Salvador Allende, or John Lennon- all whom were murdered for mr pig's benefit (intended or otherwise). Clearly they were of no concern to mccain; and mccain only cares now regards MLK because he gets something for saying he does. Fricking Creep. mcCain would chuckle if anyone suggested that multi-generations of rightwing (conman) domination of the world's richest economy, in effect setting up the global wealth and power pecking order to basically allow the rightwing to loot the 'big one' thus forcing the big one to increasingly loot the weaker in their turn in order to enjoy the same level of privilege as before. At the same time the criminal policies were instilling such fear that even a military budget equal to the rest of humanity combined never reassured the cowardly rightwingers, who demanded more even when it is obvious that gearing the goddam economic system to military spending and unfettered greed is destroying any chance for future recovery. mccain might be really dense, or he might just be simplistic by choice, but he sure hasn't done anyone any favours....the media story we are getting sure is different from what we suspect is the reality, and john mccain wants it that way- why he's a war hero (28 medals for bravery and courage etc) and loyal as all get out...

[usregimechange]

26. He didn't know who he was and he was 47yo??? Are you Kidding me?