McCain Accidentally Agrees: Western Pennsylvania Is Racist

Sen. John McCain offered, on Tuesday, what may go down as one of the more awkward moments of this campaign cycle, in which -- speaking in Western Pennsylvania -- he declared he 'couldn't agree more' with the sentiment that some of the people from that region were openly racist.

"You know, I think you may have noticed that Senator Obama's supporters have been saying some pretty nasty things about Western Pennsylvania lately," McCain told the audience in the town of Moon Township. "And you know, I couldn't agree with them more."

Oops. It was, in many ways, a reflection of how tired these candidates have become as this nearly two-year-long campaign hits its final strides. And, to be fair, the crowd eventually got the point; booing at the reference to John Murtha, who said last week that some of his Western Pennsylvania constituents were racist. But there was a stunned silence after the gaffe.

For political humorists it is gold, made even more potent by McCain's botched attempt at a recovery. "I couldn't disagree with you," he declared (referencing what, no one knows). "I couldn't agree with you more than the fact that Western Pennsylvania is the most patriotic, most god-loving, most, most patriotic part of America, and this is a great part of the country."

The line was reminiscent of Sarah Palin touting the pro-America parts of the country. And actually could be just as politically dicey than the inadvertent labeling of Western Pennsylvanians as racists.

Either way, the video is worth a watch... or three.

ABC News catches McCain flubbing another attack line, this time on Joe Biden:

Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., this week has been flubbing not just parts of his speeches, but the pivotal attack lines his campaign prepares reporters to film and record.

Story continues below

advertisement

In Belton, Missouri, Monday, McCain was supposed to say, "Just last night, Senator Biden guaranteed that if Senator Obama is elected, we will have an international crisis to test America's new President. We don't want a President who invites testing from the world at a time when our economy is in crisis and Americans are already fighting in two wars."

What he actually said, per ABC News' Bret Hovell: "Just last night, Senator Obama (sic) guaranteed that if Senator Obama is elected, Senator Biden said, we will have an international crisis to test America's new President," etc. etc.

He flubbed it again in the extended version of the attack.

"What's more troubling is that Senator Obama (sic) told their campaign donors that when that crisis hits, they would have to stand with them because it wouldn't be apparent Senator Obama would have the right response."

And this is from a Teleprompter!

Comments

[Pulemerci]

It's OK for Obama to say "I've been to 57 states." And in perhaps the most seriously troubling set of gaffes of them all, Obama told a Portland crowd that Iran doesn"t "pose a serious threat to us" " cluelessly arguing that "tiny countries" with small defense budgets can"t do us harm " and then promptly flip-flopped the next day, claiming, "I"ve made it clear for years that the threat from Iran is grave." Last May, he claimed that tornadoes in Kansas killed a whopping 10,000 people: "In case you missed it, this week, there was a tragedy in Kansas. Ten thousand people died " an entire town destroyed." The actual death toll: 12.

But it's Barack so it's OK. Imagine if McCain uttered those gaffes?

As for Murtha, I still find it hard to believe that an unindicted co-conspirator in the ABSCAM scandal keeps getting elected. Perhaps his insult to his constituents (calling them racist) will be his end. One can hope.

[Jessrond]

I feel sorry for Cindy. I don't think she agrees with her husband at all now.

[Jessrond]

This is not a gaffe.

He thinks they cling to religion and guns too and thinks that makes them Real America!

[ValentinoRossi]

I just love it when zingers go awry!

The best part is watching Cindy's face from :15 to :20

Wahp pwahp pwahp pwaaaahhhhhhh.....

[Sundialsvc4]

Yes, this is from a teleprompter.

Need I say more.

No.

[andban]

Like I said when this thing started., I have seen people in my mother-in-laws nursing home that are more alert than John McCain. I think John McCain has shown everyone that he can't handle more than one thing at a time.

[Nomccain]

About as bad as his claim that Obama is a socialist when Republicans have just federalized credit, nationalized the banks, grew government to it biggest size ever, now imagine what the Socialist Obama will do!!!!!??? The Republicans are the biggest hypocrites and smear masters in the universe. Moreover, the Republicans have done the best job of speading the wealth around or redistributing it of any party in history.....problem with them is.....it's all been redistributed to the upper 10% of the nation's wealthiest people at the cost of the middle class. Wake up America! Obama/Biden 2008

[WritertotheWorld]

The PR gaffes keep piling up. The door is about to close on the McCain campaign.

[likeicare]

Freudian slip?

[CaptD]

Big John get it really Goofed Up... missed his nap I guess!

+ Also watch the faces for the folks behind him as he twists his thought/words...

Enjoy

[blkcat x lady]

I had to read what he said five times before I gave up trying to make sense of it! lol You guys have totally cracked me up about this. In the election of our lifetime, I find it refreshing that we can laugh at some of this stuff.

Stay informed!

[luvobama]

Classic.

[jeanrenoir]

McCain's a pathetic old man who's just as much in over his depth now, in his own incoherent way, as Palin is in hers. They are both so illiterate that they make W sound like FDR.

[Oonagh]

I think that Obama need to send robo calls of this tape of McCain to this part of P.A.

[Kelra]

"I couldn't agree with him more, you racist red-neck f@ckwits!"

Too funny.