McCain Responds To Report That He Attacked Congressman

On Tuesday, The Huffington Post published an explosive excerpt from Cliff Schecter's new book "The Real McCain," alleging that Sen. John McCain once physically attacked fellow congressman Rick Renzi.

Perhaps the most remarkable story of McCain's temper involved Arizona Congressman Rick Renzi. Two former reporters covering McCain, one who witnessed the following events and one who confirmed the facts provided by the first, relayed it to me as follows: In 2006, the Arizona Republican congressional delegation had a strategy meeting. McCain repeatedly addressed two new members, congressmen Trent Franks and Rick Renzi, as 'boy.' Finally, Renzi, a former college linebacker, rose from his chair and said to McCain, "You call me that one more time and I'll kick your old ass." McCain lunged at Renzi, punches were thrown, and the two had to be physically separated. After they went to their separate offices, McCain called Renzi and demanded an apology. Renzi refused. Apparently this posture made McCain admire him, as they became fast friends.

This morning on Fox News, McCain was asked about the report (as well as other alleged profanity-laced tirades on Capitol Hill). He ostensibly denied the reports, but left plenty of wiggle room, saying they were "either false or exaggerated." Watch it:

FOX: There was an incident referred to in the book reportedly from 2006 saying you exchanged blows with Congressman Renzi. They talk alleged profanity-laced exchanges with other lawmakers on Capitol Hill. Is there any truth to that?

MCCAIN: No. In fact, there were witnesses every time I've been around Congressman Renzi, who's a friend of mine, and we have a very good relationship. But the point is that I have a record of reaching across the aisle and working in a bipartisan fashion, of getting things done in Washington. Those reports are either false or exaggerated. But the point is that these kind of things happen in political campaigns. I've been in office for 24 years, and I've gotten angry when I seen spending out of control. I've gotten angry when I see people who do such things like in the Abramoff scandal, which I investigated and which ended up with people in federal prison. I get angry when I see these cost-overruns and wastes of taxpayers' dollars, and earmark and pork barrel spending. And if I lose the capacity to be angry, then I don't think I should be president.

To read more from The Real McCain, buy a copy for yourself here.

Comments

[mamacat]

Someone running for the job of President has to expect to have his personal life looked at closely. If Bush's longtime cocaine-use allegations had been looked at more closely, maybe we wouldn't have been stuck with him these last 7 years.

[MsLiz]

How could the press investigate Bush's cocaine use? Interview the people who sold coke to him? His fellow tooters? Nevermind the legal consequences, one does not betray the Bush Family in Texas and get away with it.

[PioneerKing]

Got to love it!! ROTFL
Would have paid money to see "...McCain repeatedly addressed two new members, congressmen Trent Franks and Rick Renzi, as 'boy.' Finally, Renzi, a former college linebacker, rose from his chair and said to McCain, "You call me that one more time and I'll kick your old ass." McCain lunged at Renzi, punches were thrown, and the two had to be physically separated.­"

[pearbrandy]

It's fascinating that Americans seem prepared to endorse and possibly elect a person who is clearly a psychopath. I'm surprised that McCain's age and repeated errors over recent incidents in Iraq hasn't alarmed any commentators, but I'm more surprised that both Obama and Clinton (and their partners) come in for nano-level scrutiny, while McCain - who would be sacked from any other workplace and possibly charged for his psychologically demeaning (referring to grown men and colleagues as 'boy') and violent (physically beating a colleague) behavior seems to get a free pass. Where is the media outcry and scrutiny over a man who beats up his colleagues? A violent and out of control temper is a symptom of profound personal and inter-personal short-comings, and one doesn't need to be a psychotherapist to deduct that. Add in the early-onset Alzheimer's and his delusory, insane determination to drive the Iraq death mill quagmire into eternity and you have a recipe for disaster. Perhaps the time has come to ask whether an ageing war-monger who resorts to physical violence at the drop of a hat will make a better leader than one willing to engage in dialogue and long-term diplomatic solutions to foreign policy.

[rosal]

McCan't only sounds alive when he is angry. Also, when he is in front of the TelePromter, he sounds "electrifying". I am going to love the debates with Obama.

[Ramirez]

From Jim Geraghty:
*****

A Vile Tale, From Unnamed Sources, Exciting the Blogs on the Left

It will come as a great shock to you that liberal blogs are spotlighting a tale from a book by "Netroots author Cliff Schecter" that cites "reporters from Arizona on condition of anonymity" who claim McCain said something quite nasty to his wife on the campaign trail back in 1992. You can find the exact language at the link, but basically it's mocking her appearance and using a vulgar term for a woman that will usually get a speaker slapped.

Because, you know, Arizona reporters would never report that at the time. A sitting senator up for reelection using that kind of language to his wife's face, in front of reporters, just wouldn't be newsworthy. Those reporters would hold onto that story, and keep it secret, as McCain became a prominent national figure in the 1990s, throughout the 2000 race, throughout McCain's campaign of the last year and a half, just so they could reveal it now to "Netroots author Cliff Schecter" — because his book is the right venue to reveal this shocking outburst. Obviously, it's extremely plausible that these three reporters would tell Schecter this instead of reporting on the outburst themselves, because journalists are well known for casually giving away shocking scoops to other reporters. It happens all the time. Yes, this field is one big happy scoop-sharing cooperative.

.....

http://campaignspot.nationalreview.com/post/?q=NWExOGM2OTBhYjg2MDUxYWNkZDMwYTQ4OGJmODkyNDg=

[noamjunior]

way to copy and repost pure conjecture - I dont know What the reporters were thinking- apparently conservatives can read minds - except that didn't work so great when they said Daddam had WMDs and they "knew" he was lying

[trickbunny]

next time you hear john mccain speak, listen to him closely. with the pitch of his voice, his cadence, delivery, etc., I swear to *god* he's trying to sound more like ronald reagan (at least more than he used to). it's almost as if he's trying to subliminally make dunderheads think he's reagan II.

[aaronburr]

I notice your "buy a copy" link to Amazon is an Advantage account - ie. you get paid a commission when people buy the book. Of course, that wouldn't give you any reason to hype the content to make it sound even more juicy than it is, now would it? Of course not.

[julescator]

John MacCain has no chance of winning in November. Wait until the 527s get through with him For the record, John McCain spent exactly 20 hours, that's right 20 hours in combat before being shot down. He was only in Viet Nam for 23 days when he was shot down. He has NO combat experice. My son is a bigger WAR HERO than mcCain - 20 hours??????? Not to mention he sang like a bird to his captures to get medical help. The military called him songbird! He was in the Navy less than 10 years most of that time as a POW. Many say he was cocky and incompetent. He lost 5 planes and didn't get kicked out because of Daddy. Also, he was # 790 our of 795 students at the Navel Academy. We don't need another D student. McCain is full of it. He has people thinking he is a WAR hero - that is BUNK and he knows it. 20 hours????? lol lol My son fought in Panama, Kuwaite, Bosnia, Iraq - That is a WAR Hero - not some guy who have 20 hours of combat and didn't make the cut.

[sheraz]

Wow, that's great info.

[MsLiz]

If you write the 527 ads, you will turn off Democrats. We didn't like John Kerry being accused of being a traitor, and we won't like a man who spent five years as a POW being accused of having "no combat experience­." Let the world know that he was a poor student, but don't belittle five years as a POW. (My uncle was a German POW for about 15 months, and I would not have wanted to hear him disrespect­ed.)

Swiftboating is ugly, no matter which side practices it. Only the other side is willing to resort to those methods.

[nutty4tahoe]

I notice that nobody at Fox has the cojones to ask McCain just how he gets off on calling his wife the "C" word. Why doesn't anyone there ask McCain why he hasn't produced a tax return since 2000? Why doesn't anyone at Fox ask McCain about his wife stealing oxycontin and other drugs from her own foundation (medications that were meant for poverty stricken families in Africa) and McCain's using his high flying contacts to get her off the hook? Why didn't anyone at Fox follow up on McCain's comment about being good friends with (and having part of his campaign run by) Rick Renzi, the same Rick Renzi who is under federal investigation for land fraud deals and won't be running for re-election? Is there anybody, ANYBODY, at Fox with any cojones at all?

Better yet, why doesn't McCain appear on Olbermann to answer these questions?

[JimR]

Why should any candidate have to answer to wild allegations that appear in a book that is intended solely to smear him or her and that is based on anonymous, unsubstantiated sources?

[Javalation]

These "allegations" come from a variety of sources, but what we really need is a few of them to be caught on tape and played hundreds of times. Maybe some have been and will come out in the general election. He had a huffy moment with a reporter recently on his plain who was pressing him to get the answer to a question. He may even give us a good look at his dark side in a presidential debate. Wouldn't that be exciting. A hostile nature mixed with his high level of ignorance is a dangerous thing in a leader.

[The 13 Colonies]

I asked the same question regarding Cindy, and I heard it was Percocet. Oxycontin is mush stronger, and she must have figured that out. McCain keeps having all these SENIOR moments, maybe that should remind the voters of Reagan....­..........­..........­..........­..........­..........­..

[suekzoo]

It's not the "anger" or "capacity to get angry" that's the problem. It the verbal and physical attacks that are. Anger is a normal emotional. Having routine angry outbursts is a sign of a deep problem.

[bujeeboo]

I think a new strategy for BO should be piss him off til he cracks. Of course, then everyone will think the old codger was being picked on.

[scandals&skeletons]

johnny mccain attacks reporter who asks about his attack on a congressman.

lmao

[ReasonIsMyReligion]

Typical *sshole. It was a pre-emptive attack.

[elr50]

You give too much credit to the American public for intelligence. at least 50% ofAmericans are as dumb as doorknobs. They are the ones who proudly announce they voted for Bush-TWICE, and they are still riding around with Bush/Cheney bumper stickers on their cars.

There is no underestimating the general intelligence of the American public.

[biglover]

To say nothing about the idiots who still believe Obama is a muslim and that Iraq was responsible for 9/11

And we wonder why the country is in the toilet. Americans are some of the dumbest uninformed people on the planet (except for most of us who post here)

I have some transient neighbors staying next door to me and they are artists doing work at the Armand Hammer Museum in Los Angeles. They are delightful, intelligent people and know far more about our government and what is happening here than most Americans.

[cnick]

Norman Mailer said that the figure is actually 52% dumb Americans, that means they are in charge, can make sure there is always a Bush type in the White House. We may be doomed.

[scandals&skeletons]

elr50 posts the sad reality of truth.

[scandals&skeletons]

woops that should be "truth of reality"

[The 13 Colonies]

Yes, look who they voted for , little king george????­??????????­??????????­??????????­???

[jollyelle]

Watch when she asks him the question, his jaw clenches..­...he does this move so often-- it's as if he's
willing himself to contain rage and remain calm,you can almost see him make a concerted effort to speak as if nothing is bothering him. It's the same way he acted while he was questioning General P. yesterday. incapable of any kind of diplomacy, that's for sure......­..i truly think he will implode one of these days......
hmmmm.....­..what's his BP?

I read somewhere someone referred to him as "strangely adolescent" the best description yet!!!

[elr50]

Was McCain angry when he called his own wife a c-nt?

[interestedinpolitics]

Maybe she was lobbying for an earmark!