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

[christabor]

The Dems are desperate!

[ChiGuy]

Old story. Read an account of this about 2 weeks ago.

But his behavior doesn't surprise me.

[3in1]

One account says she went down a flight of stairs and another says she was pushed into an elevator shaft. Now she hits the wall.

[tony2008]

A person with this kind of temperament will over react to temporary challenges and make decisions detrimental to this country's well being. Look at how he reacted to Georgia/Russia war. If he was the POTUS, with his temper, I am sure he would have done something dumb out of anger that would put US and Russia at war. While Georgia is an ally that deserved support from US, stating that we are all Georgians was emotional, irresponsible and out of proportion. If we were all Georgians we should have defended ourselves by attacking Russia. This is how McCain thinks, and it is very dangerous.

[melonman]

I wonder if "Kay Bailey" ever gets tired of defending the indefensible.

[Peace15Progress]

Holy Crap! Why isn't this the lead story on every paper? Isn't this more relevant to a commander-in-chief than what his pastor may have said a few times or what one of his supporters did 40 years ago? Come on main stream media, at least pretend you aren't biased.

[StarkRavingNakedEmperor]

Bravissimo! Good for Bar.bara Bo.xer for being the first in the pack to find her huevos and step forward and sling their dirty rotten filth right back in their faces!

We'll see your lipstick laden Pit Bu.ll and raise you a Bo.xer!

(And just wait til you get a load of our Jo.e "The Eviscerator" Bi.den next week!)

[Mattie]

You really can't be serious with this story! I've been coming here for three years, I remember engaging in interesting discussions about the war, the Bush Cheney evil empire, things that matter. We had occasional Republicans, that would have their say, and we would think they were idiots, but that's all gone. This last year, all the people that used to come and discuss things are gone, and we are left with Obama supporters trashing anyone and everyone they can. This story says it all! There are no more discussions, just Obama obsession, and hate and destroy anyone else.

[mediahack]

Thanks Mattie. You tell it like it is.

[decolonizeme]

This must be some of that "compassionate conservatism" they keep talking about.

[BannedInBoston]

Barbara Boxer is, like a lot of Democrats, too polite to interrupt. Wolf Blitzer had to interrupt for her. Stop being so freakin' POLITE, Dems!

[TXfemmom]

Anyone who would shove a person in a wheelchair, with oxygen, would stab anyone in the back and lacks the understanding, compassion, and temperment to be in any elective office.

[Daly]

if you have been watching this exection period, you will have noticed how rude and mean McCain gets with women in general. In his town hall meetings, during reporter Q&A, and in one instance that I recall hearing him being terse with a women that had difficulties speaking, he cut her off and talked like she was nothing.

[anopenmind]

Barbara was great today! She also talked about all the important issues McCain voted against it was great!!

[Probus]

McCain is clearly unfit to serve as president. This level of anger might be a remnant of any possible PTSD he may have suffered as a POW. It is amazing that as a former POW he has zero sympathy for the relatives of POWs and MIA or even veterans.

[Non-Compassionate Liberal]

Did you ever see the movie "Kiss of Death" with Richard Widmark? He pushes the wheelchair-bound old lady down the stars. If McCain wins the presidency, and I were a Terrorist, I'd be really scared! Here's a 4 minute clip:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FHHJsXH3BiU