Report: McCain Pushed Woman In A Wheelchair

On Sunday, McClatchy Newspapers published a story on Sen. John McCain's oft-discussed temper, detailing one incident in which McCain allegedly pushed a woman in a wheelchair.

According to McClatchy's report, in 1996, McCain was met in the Senate office halls by a group of family members of POW-MIAs who had been pressing him to pursue more information on their relatives.

Six people present have written statements describing what they saw. According to the accounts, McCain waved his hand to shoo away Jeannette Jenkins, whose cousin was last seen in South Vietnam in 1970, causing her to hit a wall.

As McCain continued walking, Jane Duke Gaylor, the mother of another missing serviceman, approached the senator. Gaylor, in a wheelchair equipped with portable oxygen, stretched her arms toward McCain.

"McCain stopped, glared at her, raised his left arm ready to strike her, composed himself and pushed the wheelchair away from him," according to Eleanor Apodaca, the sister of an Air Force captain missing since 1967.

McCain's staff wouldn't respond to requests for comment about specific incidents.

It's impossible now to determine whose recollection of these events is accurate. But Democrats clearly continue to see McCain's temperament as a potential electoral liability. Appearing on CNN's Late Edition on Sunday, Sen. Barbara Boxer argued that McCain's hot-streak is a legitimate campaign issue that should dissuade voters from electing him commander in chief.

"Just listen to what some of his Republican friends have said about him," said Boxer. "Thad Cochran, a Republican conservative senator from Mississippi says the thought of John McCain in the White House sends cold chills down his spine. I don't agree with Kay Bailey that everybody loses their temper like that. And I think we've all seen it happen. It's not rational when it happens. And because John McCain raised the issue, he actually raised it and says he has the temperament -- you know, I think it should be on the table. And anyone watching, you know, Barack Obama stay as cool as a cucumber under the most unbelievable scathing attacks can see that."

Boxer's comment, the crux of which had been raised earlier in the segment, came in the midst of what was a heated exchange between her and Senate colleague Kay Bailey Hutchinson. The Texas Republican laughed off the idea that McCain was any more volatile than other senators. "It is just ridiculous to say he doesn't have the temperament," she remarked. "I mean everybody gets upset at some point."

Comments

[VeroucaSalt]

I may be wrong, but I thought "Vietnam vets against McCain" had a series of videos of the Senator in various meetings.

Don't have time to hunt for them now, but will keep my eye out for them during my personal time.

Be well, fellow Americans, and VOTE SMART!

[elsielil]

I wonder if I am the only person who remembers a particular event that took place, and was shown on television. It happened when McCain was running against Bush in the 2000 election. Maria Shriver, acting as the reporter that she was at the time, was standing by a stage curtain waiting for a chance to talk to John McCain. A moment later, she moved a step or two to intercept the approaching candidate. She said “Senator...” and his response was to mumble what sounded like “Not now!” at the same time that his right arm shot out pushing against Maria’s semi-extended arm that held a mike. McCain had just lost one of the early primary contests and acted angry, he was actually plain crude.
I used to like him but after that "visual", I really started paying attention to him, and found other traits of character, and senatorial actions, I could not like.

[VeroucaSalt]

I may be wrong, but I thought "VietnamVets against McCain" had a series of videos of the Senator in various meetings.

Don't have time to hvnt for them now, but will keep my eye out for them during my personal time.

[Vote For America]

GOP Stealing Democrat's Blue Brand
http://voteforamerica.net/editorials/Comments.aspx?ArticleId=47&ArticleName=GOP+Stealing+Democrat%27s+Blue+Brand

[Mybunchofgrapes]

If the only sign of kindness the news media can find of McCain is a photo op of him pushing a supporter and looking painful as he pushes the woman. Give me a break McCain is in his 70's and I do need someone to telling me that he McCainis willing to strain his heart for the sole purpose of placing Palin in the seat of the President, really give me a brake.

[Maxine]

The problem with John McCain's temper is that when he is pushed he will not back down even if he is wrong! That is dangerous and it is a symptom of Post Traumatic Stress...believe me I know, my Vietnam War Veteran husband has PTS and under pressure there is no way to reason with him....

[GracefulConsonance]

Sounds like a lot of the commentor's on this board

[ErnestineBass]

Sounds EXACTLY like the Current Occupant of the White House.

[bohite]

There is more than one You Tube Clip showing McCain abuisng A POW-MIA lady who was testifying in front ohf his committee. Senator Cochran described how mcCain assaulted a Colombian government officer during a meetin taking place in Colombia. He actually grabbed this man by the neck. I am sure that if the press really wants to look at this they do not have to go to far.

[AnneOlivia]

You know, Joe Biden might occassionally put his foot in his mouth, but at least he doesn't loose his temper and curse at people (John McCain, Dick Cheney.) AND he then has the class to apologize.

[chyko]

The question is: why is it that the Obama people are not using all the wealth of information about Mccain in their political ad? They are begining to sound timid to me and now I am begining to reconsider, it looks that for this fight, Hilary clinton should have been the party nominee.

[xac00fm]

Palin's Lie Caught on Camera, Says Obama Campaign
sTORY: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/ari-melber/palins-lie-caught-on-came_b_124831.html
SEE IMAGE PROOF: http://www.washingtonindependent.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/09/picture-8.png

Gov. Sarah Palin has lied and dissembled about her past support for the Bridge to Nowhere earmark, as many journalists have reported. Now the Obama campaign is circulating a photograph of Palin literally bragging about her support for the bridge, with a note titled "I supported the Bridge to Nowhere and All I Got Was This Lousy T-Shirt."

Here's the picture worth a thousand fact-checks:
http://www.washingtonindependent.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/09/picture-8.png


It's from Palin's 2006 campaign, explains an Obama aide, where "she's proudly posing with a t-shirt that reads 'NOWHERE ALASKA 99901.'" Now from a distance, the entire fight over the bridge earmarm could look silly, compared to bigger problems facing the country. Obama is arguing, however, that the McCain campaign's blatant lies, about issues small and large, reveal his approach to governance. It is indeed striking that McCain picked this fight, touting his running mate's "reform" record not through spin, or selective biography, but by flatly lying about her very recent actions.

[arthur2008]

John McCain's senate colleagues have always feared both his bad temper and his bad judgment -- hopefully, America will realize we can't expect yet another psychologically stunted president to undo the disasters created by the current one.

[RGoetz]

Grown ups? More like grown very, very, very old

[sangster]

I hear he once shot a man for snoring...

[Nancyok]

JNO wrote "The more astonishing thing about this story is not so much the temper thing, as it is that Republicans think this sort of behavior is acceptable."

I have to say that I was out canvassing yesterday and while all undecided & obama people were incredibly nice and welcoming, I did meet 2 McCain supporters. One just yelled "Uh, No" as I smiled and said Hi and slammed the door in my face. The other glared at me and said "I'm voting for McCain and Palin and I don't care to hear anything you have to say."

It would never occur to me to talk to someone that way. I'm not event that rude to salepeople that come to my door. If I had a McCain person come to my door, I'd smile back, answer their question and tell them to have a great day, or maybe I'd ask them a few questions to see what they'd have to say. But it seems to be acceptable behavior among Republicans to slam the door in front of any idea or person that doesn't agree with their narrow view, so this shouldn't surprise me.

[photoboy08]

You mean, the grown-up liars? The election will be determined by states, not by a national poll. The desperation comes from a man who, for years, has had to rely on younger women. You see, the older women he likes to push out of the way, literally sometimes. What a "Maverick!"

[rikki52b]

I bet he pulls wings off of flys too.