McCain Speaker: Have Your Tiger Woods, We've Got McCain

At a campaign stop today, Sen. John McCain's introductory speaker took a sharp and potentially sensitive swipe at Sen. Barack Obama, saying that McCain was "the real audacity of hope" and not just a political "Tiger Woods."

Former Army Staff Sergeant David Bellavia, who introduced the Arizona senator at a Vets For Freedom rally, sought to contrast McCain's "lifetime of service to our nation" against the lack of resolve of his political opponents. And while he never addressed Obama by name, he did offer this nugget.

"Rest assured," he told the crowd, "that men like Senator McCain will be the goal and the men that my two young boys will emulate and admire. You can have your Tiger Woods, we've got Senator McCain."

The line, first reported by NBC and Hotline, received a loud roar from the crowd and, standing behind and to the left of Bellavia, McCain let out an approving laugh. But considering the rate at which Tiger Woods is winning golf tournaments these days, McCain's camp may be hoping the analogy doesn't prove true.

And considering the pins-and-needles environment that is the current political landscape, the comment has the potential of being interpreted as racially divisive.

That said, the Tiger Woods line has been deployed earlier in the campaign, by GOP ad-guru Alex Castellanos

"All the sudden you've got two dots, and two dots make a line," he was quoted as saying in Politico last month. "You start getting some sense of who he is, and it's not the Obama you thought. He's not the Tiger Woods of politics."

And on an Obama conference call today, Teamsters President James Hoffa mentioned Woods as well -- in a flattering manner: "With regard to his race, he's African American. I know he's of mixed race, but, you know, he's like a Tiger Woods. He's just a great person that's really excited a lot of people. We're not detecting a lot of discussion about his religion or his race here."

Perhaps of equal political significance was Bellavia's broad hit at the U.S. congress, which he accused of not having the conviction or courage to win the Iraq War.

"Our patriotism demands the just defense of our nation and the promotion of freedom and liberty in places where there is none," he said. "As a soldier it often appears that our civilian leadership in Congress gravely misunderstand the consequence of victory or defeat in Iraq and Afghanistan today. Their will to win has been replaced by political maneuvering and partisan politics."

Comments

[kellygrrrl]

dang! in my wildest dreams, if someone would compare me to Tiger Woods and Jackie Robinson!!!!

[Jaxxon]

Obama's nomination will give many white Americans a glimpse into the world African Americans live in. It's just going to get worse for Obama, but he'll certainly rise about it. And people wonder what the heck Rev. Wright was talking about.

[hjo4]

It won't get worse for Senator Obama this will bring out the true racism with many White Americans,that's what it will show to the world.Senator Obama will rise above the disgustiung tactics of the Republican party.Their racist behavior will further make us the laughing stock of the world as well being hated even more.This election will tell us a lot about our country.

[b2008]

I guess America can finally see what the Blacks have to deal with on a daily basis. The racists are doing Blacks a favor by exposing themselves like that so we'll know exactly who they are. But that statement was as stupid as stupid can be. Now I know I will tune in the Masters tomorrow and enjoy every single bit of it. Thanks to the idiot who espoused that compliment for reminding me this was the Masters week.

[Cos1]

It will only get worse as Obama continues to fight for the presidency. Continued attempts to try to be clever with the hidden racism will only show one's stupidity. Ask George Allen how cute his clever comments turned out to be.

[kellygrrrl]

a comparison to Tiger Woods is not racism .... that is an endorsement!!!!

[Sabreen60]

Why is this surprising or shocking??? Did people think that Obama's speech on race was just some superficial words that had no meaning? Wake up America. Unfortunately there are a lot of guys and gals out there who either say or think the way this slime ball does. He does not see the humanity of black people. He feels he is superior to anyone black and make no mistake Tiger and Obama are black, because in this country if you have "one drop" of "black blood" you're black. Did you check out the people standing behind this guy. They laughed and showed agreement with what this knucklehead said. I don't expect McCain to comment. Why should he? He knows he's not getting the black vote and that would be his only reason for denouncing this guy's comments.

[b2008]

I understand what you are saying but by whose standards are you referring to when you say "one drop of Black blood makes you black"? That is something that has been ingrained in our minds since the day we were born and people need to reconsider where it came from -- White America, that's where. It just goes to show you that when you're Black, there will never be a way out as far as White America is concerned. For you to espouse that phrase let's me know that you believe it. Intelligence tells you that if you are of mixed blood, you are many races.

In God's house, we are all equal and are all brothers. Obama is as much White as he is Black. 50% as much. Yet you are content on calling him Black and no one has ever referred to him as being even half-White. To me, it doesn't matter.You don't have to believe what you've been told if you believe in God.

We must change our ways of thinking that one race is smarter, better looking, more intelligent, more superior or more anything that separates them from the rest. As you can see, that is a lie in itself, especially when Blacks have shown themselves to have be as smart, as beautiful, as intelligent, and everything else that their brother man can be because we are just HUMAN, made in God's image, that's all.

[TIMEATELL]

Why are you misquoting Sabreen? Sabreen said "IN THIS COUNTRY if you have "one drop" of "black blood" you're black." That is a true statement. In order for this country to overcome the racist stigma, it must first acknowledge the existence of the racist stigma.

[kellygrrrl]

We are quite happy with our "Jackie Robinson / Tiger Woods" --

you guys can have your Homer Simpson

[G24]

Lol

[jayinma]

More like Abe Simpson...

[lynnn]

More like Grandpa Simpson, especially in the way he forgets thinks (like Sunni and Shiite).

[kellygrrrl]

I wonder if McCain had any grasp of the fact of that statement meant as he hugged the guy who said it.

[kellygrrrl]

Tiger Woods ... golf claps

[harriscrl3]

McCain is the audacity of hope. Sorry buddy you got that wrong McCain is the AUDACITY of war. The War Mongerer candidate. He wants to fight three war and he doesnt even know the difference between Shia/Sunni Al Queada. You know whats even laughable how can you be a war mongerer and NOT even understand or know the enemy. How can you have be war mongerer but is willing to be boggled down in one war for 10,000 years while fighting two other wars apparently for McCain America's ONE and ONLY threat comes from Iraq. Yeah this is the person to lead an entire nation. Off a CLIFF that is.

Nice to see McCain continues to surround himself with Idiot. The straight talk express needs to drive himself to a retirement home and rest.

Carol

[Skool80]

Is it bad that I'd rather have Tiger Woods than John McCain, even if it was for the Presidency of this country?

[Skool80]

Hm...Tiger Woods or John McCain.

That's a tough one.

[deejsmom]

I'm with you - I would take Tiger any day! 8-D

[JimSAC]

I have no idea what Tiger's politics are, but I still choose Tiger.

[Hotshortie]

The guy may have met it as a bi racial slur but saying Tiger Woods to me, is a GREAT thing.

Tiger is at the top of his game!!!! Tiger is the best of the best!!!!

So, OBAMA IS THE BEST OF THE BEST!!!!!!

[scamperdo]

I really HOPE Obama comes out and graciously accepts the comparison to Tiger who came out of NOWHERE to be the BEST in his field :-)

Really Obama campaign SHOULD NOT play this as racist smear, they should go for irony and say hey I'll take Tiger ANY DAY on MY TEAM. Too little is made of how much Tiger has contributed to kids in need.

Heck, would love if this prompts Tiger to come and endorse Obama with a wink and smile ;-)

[tene]

yeah and tiger got a lot of people interested in golf who had never been into it before, similar to how barack has gotten a lot of people interested in politics (like myself) who had never been interested before. so yeah, i guess he IS like tiger. cool.

[tene]

sure. why not?

tiger got people interested in golf the way barack got people interested in politics. so sure i guess it is a fair comparison.

and plus, i think maybe we're starting to take this race victimization thing too far. its like i always say, "you're only as victimized as you feel."

[atila]

does mccain play golf???....he can try some holes some day with tiger because in november he's going to lose bad....

[stupidme]

If Obama wins the nomination, there will be a tipping point, where one of these remarks will just be one to many. It's unavoidable. (And what is it that Reverend Wright doesn't understand?)

[hopelessobama]

barack is more paris hilton because like her he is famous for doing nothing. mccain is eisenhower/john wayne

[cmaff05]

It is absurd to compare a no-talent, do nothing panderer like John McCain to Dwight Eisenhower.

[babybabybaby]

And its absurd to compare an accomplished lawyer and professor to a rich entitled whore with a sex tape.

[indie17]

hmmm, reminds me more of Elmer Fudd. McFudd.

[southafrica4obama]

you are very irresponsible for comparing obama, a havard graduate to paris hilton, a porn star.
obama has done a lot for his community in chicago. remember that he's a senator!! doing nothing?? wake up honey. let me empasize what you know already, but don't wanna be reminded; obama will be the next US president. I can bet my last breath on that.

[deejsmom]

and can we compare you to a slug?

[ZimboChick]

I see you had your McDuff early today

[hopelessobama]

umm are the libs saying tiger woods is a bad person? i think he is a rock star black guy in a game full of old white guys. god the left is absurd.

[lynnn]

This too is snark! Oh you are the snarkest of them all, thanks for the laugh!

[alkamm]

Being liberal, and less likely to be stupid, according to the famous quip by John Stuart Mill (Not all conservatives are stupid, but all stupid people are conservatives), those you call libs enjoy using code words to mask their clever by half appeals to racism. Conservatives are not all racists, "as far as I know," but if their's a buck or a vote in it, they'll pander to racists.

They'll call Atwater's Willie Horton campaign honest political speech and willfully ignore the calculated effect. They'll speak about McCain's black love child in a Rovian whispering campaign and some people'll apologize for any inadvertent besmirching of love children or black people. Didn't mean nothin, ya'll.

Yeah, McCain's too old, or maybe conservative, to keep up with the machinations of his own supporters or he'd stand up and denounce rather than hug them.

Clearly, Tiger Woods references are meant to elevate Barack as a rock star above McCain or why would they mention him? After all, they aren't stupid.

[ladyv]

It's not the left that made this comment. It was a McCain guy at a McCain fundraiser.

Obviously the people in the McCain camp who *made* the comment think it's an insult, but no one else possibly could.

One of the problems is that the only way a person would have an issue with Tiger Woods and his complete ownage of golf is if that person believes that the better player should not necessarily win. It's very difficult to sell anyone with any background in sports on the idea that the best player shouldn't win, so I think this is a particularly bad line for McCain to use since presumably he wants to appeal to male voters. And male voters, across age and race lines, play and watch sports, and admire and respect skill and talent and ability. This line actually might work with a small number of women (the possibly apocryphal "let's not have winners and losers and hand out "participation" ribbons instead!") but with guys? No, not going to fly.

[b2008]

I think you just did what McCain did, confused your left hand with your right!