AP Gives McCain 'Cigarettes' Story A Ridiculous Headline

Yesterday, while enjoying a meal at a Pittsburgh sandwich shop, John McCain made a joke about how maybe he could kill Iranians with cigarettes, because that's how people with tremendous plane-crashing leadership roll. But rather than capture what happened with a headline that explained how a grown man running for President thinks the indiscriminate killing of a nation of people whose "affection for the United States" is described as "thriving these days" is funny, the Associated Press instead chose to use this headline:

"Political Play: Wife pokes McCain in the back"

That's right! The AP, in their infinite wisdom, wants your attention drawn to Cindy McCain "jabbing" McCain in the back. And it wasn't even a terrorist fist jab!

Cindy McCain's jab to her husband's back came a second too late Tuesday to keep him from making a wisecrack about the health impact of Iran's main import from the United States: cigarettes.

That's the lede, and even it is stupendously out of whack with what actually happened. McCain did not "make a wisecrack about the health impact" of cigarettes. He suggested that cigarettes might be used to murder Iranians, because that is hilarious.

Don't forget to LOL when cigarettes become a major component of John McCain's plan to overhaul Social Security.

UPDATE: Via ThinkProgress, How are reporters are treating McCain's remarks? Idiotically, if you must know!

NBC's Chuck Todd: That's what makes him real and that's what makes people who disagree with him say "ah, you know what? The guy seems like any guy you'd want to have around the dinner table or the bar stool."

CNN's Jessica Yellin: "People who love him think his a maverick and think he's a real guy who makes a joke off the cuff just like real people do [but] we're all waiting to see if something explodes, this kind of comment doesn't."

Now, I'm a Chuck Todd fan, but you really have to question his judgement. Jokes about genocide are not the sort of things I want around my dinner table or barstool, and I think it's safe to say that it's "jokes" like those that make people who disagree with McCain realize that their disagreements are well founded.

As for Jessica Yellin's comment, I think it's safe to say that if McCain is elected President, topping the list of people "waiting to see if something explodes" will be the Iranians.

Comments

[Indubio]

Mmm people does anyone seriously question whether this wisecrack won't resonate with many of those who ardently support McCain? I can't even begin to list the racist labels people in rural California give to Asians but it's a long list and some of the names are so nasty Huffington Posts "bad word filter' would censor them. McCain simply stated what many Americans are thinking. I'm not saying this is right or proper but we'd be foolish t o believe many folks didn't find the joke humorous.

[patriotic008]

just another example of the media kissing his a$$.

[DesertLight]

There is the old Maverick we all know and love.

[LinusBern]

I don't know how someone with such an awesome sense of humour doesn't recognize a fellow joker in Achmedinejad.

[holeybuybull]

Why was it wife Cindy poking McCain in the back? Were his other wives (Lieberman & Graham) not available, or was it just her turn?

[PoliSci2008]

The complacent attitude of news reporters, concerning McCain’s absence of Statesmanship is OUTRAGEOUS, IRRESPONSIBLE & BIAIS!!! A real guy in his position doesn’t joke about the genocide of any nation. McCain jokes could be a catalyst for another attack on US interest or 2) McCain’s own demise (remember RFK’s assassin, Surhain Surhain, said he shot & killed the senator b/c RFK favored bombing Palestine if they attack Israel). And finally, journalist and news-networks are showing they’re bias. Obama was criticized for days for his “bitter” remark. I wonder if McCain would have “joked” about Israel or if Obama had on his websites Iran jokes, would those same journalists be so complacent.

This is not Acceptable Public Behavior of a Statesmen nor Responsible Journalism! But we now know what we’re getting from McCain more World War.

OBAMA for Diplomacy & Peace.

[Meggie]

so lieberman had a day off. I was beginning to wonder if he ever took a break.
thank goodness for handlers, eh John? you'd be even more useless without them.

[ArnicaMontana]

you get em, Jason.

What is wrong with today's reporters and news people?

[carolinacal]

What's wrong with reporters and news people?

I'll tell you what's wrong- they work for the a**holes that fix the elections every four years.

They are part of the fix, don't you understand yet?

These "reporters" are rich jerks who are only interested in protecting themselves and their money.

That's why they laugh off or minimize every idiotic blunder made by the old fool McCain.

[ljlu]

Todays media is a joke. They fail us just as they have destroyed the tremendous responsibility given to them...because they are simply afraid they'll be frozen out of favor with those in power, or "not get to ride on the plane with McCain ( doesn't Bush do this same thing?)..Their mistaken sense of "Patriotism" is nothing more then assisting this administration in spreading it's propaganda and let's not forget since media deregulations began in the late 1990-2008 more conservatives bought up everything they could to own and control all forms of media..can you say "FOX ( faux news)? Murdock and Bush having lunch...Controlling media assisted in the dumbing down of America. After all look who is in the white house.

[gladys46]

This stuff is really "presidential" !!! Aren't we overloaded with these types ... ah, no class, no sophistication posing as leaders!!? I am!! The bar has really been ground level at the entry of G.W.Bu$H ... may we please have one with the behavior of a proper head of state this time!! These people are embarrassing .. it's personal!

Thank you!!

[Charles1Goodwin]

Robert Schuller's daughter travels with him as he speaks now. He had a stroke and sometimes repeats himself, or forgets what he is saying. When he does, she taps or rubs him on the shoulder to let him know to stop talking.

John McCain always has his wife on an aide at his side. I wonder if it is for the same reason?

[SmootyBooty]

What's that old saying about the man who always boasts about his power in public?

[edwarvir]

Why does he think everything is a Joke?????

[DesertLight]

I thought it was hilarious, but then again I wouldn't vote for him if I were stone cold drunk on election day.

[calijon]

she should have poked him in the eye

[InfinteShibumi]

You kidding? She's lucky he didn't go ballistic and call her the "c" word again.

[SmootyBooty]

She certainly isn't letting him poke her anymore...

[mydoglucky]

From what I heard she was getting poked by a couple of boyfriends in Az......

[Relax08]

She's lucky he didn't give her the C word response!

[Liberoservative]

Yes... a TERRORIST FIST POKE!!!!

[V4Vigilance]

MSM=access wh0res

Obviously there's a lot of competition for those primo seats on McSame's plane...

[rustyaustin]

I think the last thing almost anyone wants right now is a president "you would want to have a beer with." I hope they keep using that right up until McCain loses 45 states, including Arizona...

[Meggie]

I'm so disgusted that it's still considered a valid reason! look at the disaster we have now because people wanted the drooling idiot on the next bar stool to be President.
can't we choose the intelligent one with integrity and education and common sense and what appears to be REAL family values?
if the people who chose the last two terms are "hard working, just working class" people, can't the hard working people with some education make the choice this time?
come on, it certainly has to be worth a try!

[wmbear]

I DON'T KNOW...

I could see having a beer or ten, and then making McCain the designated driver (hoping he'd be stopped and arrested for DWI if not for impersonating a Presidential candidate....)