John McCain: Comedian

chipmunk stew · 10th July 2008, 06:22 AM

John McCain tries being funny, only to enhance his image as an unhinged warmonger with a bloodlust for Iran. He suggests that maybe our selling of tobacco to Iran is a good way to kill them. What next: smallpox-infected blankets?

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I AGREE

H3LL · 10th July 2008, 06:35 AM

Yup!

I can see the connection between tobacco and smallpox.

They're almost identical.

One being a dried leaf and the other a virulent infectious disease caused by one of two viruses.

I bet you can't guess which is which?

(Clue: 80% of children that smoke tobacco don't die shortly after)

.

chipmunk stew · 10th July 2008, 06:59 AM

There's a rhetorical device known as hyperbole, in which the speaker/author intentionally exaggerates his point. He expect his listener/reader to be aware of this technique and not to take him literally. There's often a touch of sarcasm or satire employed.

Originally Posted by H3LL

(Clue: 80% of children that smoke tobacco don't die shortly after)

John McCain jokingly hopes that they do. What a crack-up.

H3LL · 10th July 2008, 07:23 AM

Oops!

Sorry - I strayed into the Politics forum by accident (again).

I'll leave you all to the special kind of madness that passes as comment/discussion here.

Have fun.

.

Upchurch · 10th July 2008, 07:37 AM

Oh, come on.

It wasn't side-splitting, roll on the floor funny, but it was funny. At least he has gotten better since "bomb-bomb-bomb-bomb-bomb-Iran".

I like McCain. He has a sense of humor and usually a self-deprecating one, which I appreciate. I'm not voting for him, but I'm not going to hold junk like this against him.

chipmunk stew · 10th July 2008, 08:09 AM

Originally Posted by Upchurch

Oh, come on.

It wasn't side-splitting, roll on the floor funny, but it was funny. At least he has gotten better since "bomb-bomb-bomb-bomb-bomb-Iran".

I like McCain. He has a sense of humor and usually a self-deprecating one, which I appreciate. I'm not voting for him, but I'm not going to hold junk like this against him.

To each his own, I guess.

I didn't find it funny at all. I found it shockingly callous.

Brainster · 10th July 2008, 09:11 AM

Love it! Sharp wit, quick comeback. And I love that he turns to his wife for confirmation as to how long since he quit smoking. There's something very endearing in that.

Apparently it's true that exports to Iran have increased ten-fold during the Bush Administration.

chipmunk stew · 10th July 2008, 10:27 AM

Originally Posted by Brainster

Love it! Sharp wit, quick comeback. And I love that he turns to his wife for confirmation as to how long since he quit smoking. There's something very endearing in that.

Apparently it's true that exports to Iran have increased ten-fold during the Bush Administration.

You thought that was witty? Really?
To me it looked like the thought process was:
Crap, I didn't know that cigarettes were our biggest export to Iran! Need to crack joke to endear myself to reporters so they don't focus on my lack of knowledge. Let's see: cigarettes and Iran--cigarettes kill; I want to kill Iranians.
"Maybe that's how we'll kill them! Hahahaahaahha!"

Somehow that doesn't rise to the level of (paraphrasing): "And if I were married to you, madam, I'd drink it."

Cicero · 10th July 2008, 11:10 AM

I guess when American military stationed overseas get care packages with smokes in them it means that their relatives want them dead?

JFK tried to kill Castro with tobacco and he wasn't joking.

chipmunk stew · 10th July 2008, 11:24 AM

Originally Posted by Cicero

I guess when American military stationed overseas get care packages with smokes in them it means that their relatives want them dead?

According to McCain humor? Yes.

Originally Posted by Cicero

JFK tried to kill Castro with tobacco and he wasn't joking.

How does this make McCain's statement funny and not dreadfully callous?

dudalb · 10th July 2008, 11:31 AM

Like chipmunk is real objectivewhen it comes to McCain.
The think is if someone were you bring the same kind of accusation against Obama, Chipmunk would be the first to scream about it.

chipmunk stew · 10th July 2008, 11:51 AM

Quick-witted McCain:

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I AGREE

chipmunk stew · 10th July 2008, 11:56 AM

Originally Posted by dudalb

Like chipmunk is real objectivewhen it comes to McCain.
The think is if someone were you bring the same kind of accusation against Obama, Chipmunk would be the first to scream about it.

You mean like when I was the first Obama supporter here to agree that Obama flipped on accepting federal campaign contributions?

When Obama jokes about killing people, let me know.

quixotecoyote · 10th July 2008, 12:46 PM

Non-issue. I thought it was funny and I support Obama. The bomb-bomb-Iran, I'd be willing to criticize, but we already know McCain's got to go hardline on Iran and this is a relatively harmless expression of that.

Darth Rotor · 10th July 2008, 02:03 PM

Originally Posted by chipmunk stew

To each his own, I guess.

I didn't find it funny at all. I found it shockingly callous.

*Bill Maher voice*

Get over yourself.

Plenty of substantive stuff to get mad about. This isn't one of them.

DR

SezMe · 10th July 2008, 03:14 PM

Originally Posted by dudalb

Like chipmunk is real objectivewhen it comes to McCain.

Which, of course, set chipmunk apart from everyone else here under the politics tent. We're all so neutral, doncha know.

boloboffin · 10th July 2008, 06:51 PM

McCain's next funny witticism is changing his story about giving up the names of the Green Bay Packers as squadmates when he was being tortured by the Vietnamese. Since he was in Pennsylvania, he said it was the Pittsburgh Steelers.

To be honest, a jaw-dropping pander might not have happened here. He's 72. Maybe he just forgot.

joobz · 10th July 2008, 07:07 PM

It was an obvious joke and nothing to see here. I think this media clip shows him a very positive light. Personable, witty and enjoyable.

10th July 2008, 06:35 AM	#2
H3LL Illuminator Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: (ləʊˈkeɪʃən) - n. 1. a site or position; situation. Posts: 4,976	Yup! I can see the connection between tobacco and smallpox. They're almost identical. One being a dried leaf and the other a virulent infectious disease caused by one of two viruses. I bet you can't guess which is which? (Clue: 80% of children that smoke tobacco don't die shortly after) .
	__________________ "I'll be more enthusiastic about encouraging thinking outside the box when there's evidence of any thinking going on inside it". - PTerry Top 10 Reasons Why I Procrastinate: 1. Last edited by H3LL; 10th July 2008 at 06:37 AM.

10th July 2008, 06:59 AM	#3
chipmunk stew The Spikey Mace of Love and Mercy Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: SE PA Posts: 7,465	There's a rhetorical device known as hyperbole, in which the speaker/author intentionally exaggerates his point. He expect his listener/reader to be aware of this technique and not to take him literally. There's often a touch of sarcasm or satire employed. Originally Posted by H3LL (Clue: 80% of children that smoke tobacco don't die shortly after) John McCain jokingly hopes that they do. What a crack-up.
	__________________

10th July 2008, 07:23 AM	#4
H3LL Illuminator Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: (ləʊˈkeɪʃən) - n. 1. a site or position; situation. Posts: 4,976	Oops! Sorry - I strayed into the Politics forum by accident (again). I'll leave you all to the special kind of madness that passes as comment/discussion here. Have fun. .
	__________________ "I'll be more enthusiastic about encouraging thinking outside the box when there's evidence of any thinking going on inside it". - PTerry Top 10 Reasons Why I Procrastinate: 1.

10th July 2008, 08:09 AM	#6
chipmunk stew The Spikey Mace of Love and Mercy Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: SE PA Posts: 7,465	Originally Posted by Upchurch Oh, come on. It wasn't side-splitting, roll on the floor funny, but it was funny. At least he has gotten better since "bomb-bomb-bomb-bomb-bomb-Iran". I like McCain. He has a sense of humor and usually a self-deprecating one, which I appreciate. I'm not voting for him, but I'm not going to hold junk like this against him. To each his own, I guess. I didn't find it funny at all. I found it shockingly callous.
	__________________

10th July 2008, 09:11 AM	#7
Brainster Penultimate Amazing Join Date: May 2006 Posts: 10,408	Love it! Sharp wit, quick comeback. And I love that he turns to his wife for confirmation as to how long since he quit smoking. There's something very endearing in that. Apparently it's true that exports to Iran have increased ten-fold during the Bush Administration.
	__________________ My new blog: Recent Reads. 1960s Comic Book Nostalgia Visit the Screw Loose Change blog.

10th July 2008, 07:37 AM	#5
Upchurch Papa Funkosophy Join Date: May 2002 Location: Funky Town (STL, MO) Posts: 23,422	Oh, come on. It wasn't side-splitting, roll on the floor funny, but it was funny. At least he has gotten better since "bomb-bomb-bomb-bomb-bomb-Iran". I like McCain. He has a sense of humor and usually a self-deprecating one, which I appreciate. I'm not voting for him, but I'm not going to hold junk like this against him.

10th July 2008, 10:27 AM	#8
chipmunk stew The Spikey Mace of Love and Mercy Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: SE PA Posts: 7,465	Originally Posted by Brainster Love it! Sharp wit, quick comeback. And I love that he turns to his wife for confirmation as to how long since he quit smoking. There's something very endearing in that. Apparently it's true that exports to Iran have increased ten-fold during the Bush Administration. You thought that was witty? Really? To me it looked like the thought process was: Crap, I didn't know that cigarettes were our biggest export to Iran! Need to crack joke to endear myself to reporters so they don't focus on my lack of knowledge. Let's see: cigarettes and Iran--cigarettes kill; I want to kill Iranians. "Maybe that's how we'll kill them! Hahahaahaahha!" Somehow that doesn't rise to the level of (paraphrasing): "And if I were married to you, madam, I'd drink it."
	__________________

10th July 2008, 11:10 AM	#9
Cicero Banned Join Date: Nov 2007 Posts: 7,861	I guess when American military stationed overseas get care packages with smokes in them it means that their relatives want them dead? JFK tried to kill Castro with tobacco and he wasn't joking.
Cicero Banned Join Date: Nov 2007 Posts: 7,861

10th July 2008, 11:24 AM	#10
chipmunk stew The Spikey Mace of Love and Mercy Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: SE PA Posts: 7,465	Originally Posted by Cicero I guess when American military stationed overseas get care packages with smokes in them it means that their relatives want them dead? According to McCain humor? Yes. Originally Posted by Cicero JFK tried to kill Castro with tobacco and he wasn't joking. How does this make McCain's statement funny and not dreadfully callous?
	__________________

10th July 2008, 11:31 AM	#11
dudalb Penultimate Amazing Join Date: Aug 2007 Posts: 22,782	Like chipmunk is real objectivewhen it comes to McCain. The think is if someone were you bring the same kind of accusation against Obama, Chipmunk would be the first to scream about it.

10th July 2008, 11:56 AM	#13
chipmunk stew The Spikey Mace of Love and Mercy Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: SE PA Posts: 7,465	Originally Posted by dudalb Like chipmunk is real objectivewhen it comes to McCain. The think is if someone were you bring the same kind of accusation against Obama, Chipmunk would be the first to scream about it. You mean like when I was the first Obama supporter here to agree that Obama flipped on accepting federal campaign contributions? When Obama jokes about killing people, let me know.
	__________________

10th July 2008, 12:46 PM	#14
quixotecoyote Howling to glory I go Join Date: Jun 2006 Posts: 9,621	Non-issue. I thought it was funny and I support Obama. The bomb-bomb-Iran, I'd be willing to criticize, but we already know McCain's got to go hardline on Iran and this is a relatively harmless expression of that.
	__________________ If people needed video games to live, a national single payer plan to fund those purchases would be a great idea.

10th July 2008, 02:03 PM	#15
Darth Rotor Salted Sith Cynic Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Rat cheer Posts: 34,225	Originally Posted by chipmunk stew To each his own, I guess. I didn't find it funny at all. I found it shockingly callous. Bill Maher voice Get over yourself. Plenty of substantive stuff to get mad about. This isn't one of them. DR
	__________________ Helicopters don't so much fly as beat the air into submission. "Jesus wept, but did He laugh?"--F.H. Buckley____"There is one thing that was too great for God to show us when He walked upon our earth ... His mirth." --Chesterton__"If the barbarian in us is excised, so is our humanity."--D'rok__ "I only use my gun whenever kindness fails."-- Robert Earl Keen__"Sturgeon spares none.". -- The Marquis

10th July 2008, 03:14 PM	#16
SezMe post-pre-born Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Santa Barbara, CA Posts: 16,366	Originally Posted by dudalb Like chipmunk is real objectivewhen it comes to McCain. Which, of course, set chipmunk apart from everyone else here under the politics tent. We're all so neutral, doncha know.

10th July 2008, 06:51 PM	#17
boloboffin Guest Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Dallas, TX Posts: 5,001	McCain's next funny witticism is changing his story about giving up the names of the Green Bay Packers as squadmates when he was being tortured by the Vietnamese. Since he was in Pennsylvania, he said it was the Pittsburgh Steelers. To be honest, a jaw-dropping pander might not have happened here. He's 72. Maybe he just forgot.

10th July 2008, 07:07 PM	#18
joobz Tergiversator Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: That's how you get ants Posts: 17,493	It was an obvious joke and nothing to see here. I think this media clip shows him a very positive light. Personable, witty and enjoyable.
	__________________ What's the best argument for UHC? This argument against UHC. "Perhaps one reason per capita GDP is lower in UHC countries is because they've tried to prevent this important function [bankrupting the sick] and thus carry forward considerable economic dead wood?"-BeAChooser