McCain's Brother: VA Suburbs "Communist Country"

WASHINGTON — Republican presidential candidate John McCain's brother made an apparent joke at a campaign rally this weekend that might not play well in parts of newly competitive Virginia.

Joe McCain, speaking at an event in support of his brother, called two Democratic-leaning areas in Northern Virginia "communist country," according to a report on The Washington Post's Web site.

"I've lived here for at least 10 years and before that about every third duty I was in either Arlington or Alexandria, up in communist country," Joe McCain, a Navy veteran, said at an event in Loudoun County, Va.

Joe McCain then apologized, but the remark drew laughter at the event, according to the report.

Virginia has long been a Republican stronghold in presidential elections, but Democrat Barack Obama is running even or ahead of McCain in recent state polls. Obama is being helped by fast-growing communities in the Washington, D.C., suburbs of Northern Virginia, which tend to vote more Democratic than other parts of the state.

One of those areas is Arlington, Va., where John McCain owns a condominium.

"This was Joe McCain's unsuccessful attempt at humor," said McCain campaign spokeswoman Gail Gitcho. "John McCain and Sarah Palin are committed to winning the support of voters in Northern Virginia and understand the region's importance to victory statewide."

Comments

[Shieldmaiden]

Not funny in the least. Everyone in Virginia should send them a message and vote them out.

[SeanHannity4Obama]

what a dumb family

[ChristineMarie]

I am a veteran (a medic in the Air Force for 6 years) and would never, never, never, never, never, never ever think about voting for Senator McCain.....

If you care about veterans....

Obama/Biden 08

[eden4barack08]

Thanks for your service.

OBAMA/BIDEN 08!!!

[LeawoodKansas]

Their mother must be really proud.

[rivahcat]

My father, who has lived in the Virginia suburbs for at least 50 years, is a WWII veteran and Pearl Harbor survivor. I am insulted to think that Joe McCain considers him a Communist.

The saddest part is, my dad intends to vote for McCain because he is also a veteran. But I believe that the horrors my father saw on December 7, 1941 far exceed anything McCain endured in what was essentially a white-collar prison camp (seeing how they treated him because his dad and granddads were admirals).

Obama/Biden 2008

[NoVA forObama]

Communist? I normally would be voting Republican...I can no deal with the Crypt-Keeper and the I-failed-are-you-smarter-than-a-5th-grade Palin..and now this,I've lived in NoVA all my life.......I'm voting for Obama/Biden!!...

[Americatortures]

THANK YOU!!!!

[ECB]

I guess IT runs in the family

[sector1463]

Isn't Loudon County, Va. Lyndon LaRouche territory? Especially Leesburg?

[demjustice]

Is this the real ;) Joe Sixpack ;) ;)? Asks, Sarah ;) ;).

[Puller58]

McCain has a brother? Wow! Let's see what else he can say to enlighten the masses. ;)

[helmboy]

apparently douchebaggery runs in the family

[stayyoungmyfriends]

Now if we could only have a Jacob McCain campaigning in Florida, we would win this hands down ;)

[SCG]

Speaks volumes, and is all you need to know about Mr. Cain.

[thatslife]

WOW!
John McCain sure knows how to pick 'em. Sarah Palin and now his brother Joe.
McCain can't win for loosing.
He has no control over any mouth in his camp.

[stayyoungmyfriends]

Thanks for the new ad Joe!

[Sumocat]

Interesting how Republicans like to both invoke the memory of 9/11 and attack Northern Virginia and New York City. It's like yelling "Remember the Alamo!" followed by "Texans suck!"

[Decipherer]

Um, at the time, they were known as "Texians." You raise an interesting question, though. How many commies do you think died at the Pentagon on Sept. 11, 2001?