McCain to Me in 1999: Bush "As Dumb as a Stump"

As a lawyer might say (OK, I am one), I have no personal knowledge of whether John or Cindy McCain voted for George W. Bush in the 2000 election. However, now that that has been called into question by Arianna Huffington (who says no) and Huffington's truthfulness has in turn been questioned by the McCain campaign (although not yet by the McCains), I can offer the following anecdote as admissible hearsay shedding a little light on the subject:

Over the Fourth of July weekend of 1999, I had the good fortune to accompany my then fiancée (and now happily my wife) to the McCain vacation home in Sedona where she was interviewing them for a Home and Garden Television show. The interview itself was entirely apolitical, focusing on fabrics and furnishing in their lovely Oak Creek abode, topics about which I do recall the senator was less than comfortable discussing.

Always the goods hosts, the McCains also invited us to spend the day with them, including for barbeque, a favorite of John's. And as McCain flipped burgers, I could not help but ask his views about then candidate George W. Bush.

"He's as dumb as a stump," McCain offered. We then went on to discuss other matters (including Vietnam) but that quote remains seared in my memory.

So how the McCains actually voted that November is between them and their voting booth. But if John McCain did end up voting for Bush, then by his own admission he voted for a stump.

Comments

[kavan]

So, McCain insulted stumps?

I'd think anyone who actually voted for Dubya in either election fits the "dumb as a stump" description better.
McCain claiming to have voted for him, whether he did or not, doesn't seem like a very intelligent ploy. Guess he wants to capture the moron vote.

[wagonjak]

I agree kavan...calling Bush as dumb as a stump is insulting to stumps!

[nellieh]

McCain may or may not have said "Bush is dumb as a stump." And they may accuse Al of lying McCain said it, but they cannot deny, BUSH IS DUMB AS A STUMP! The subject of the article is as accurate as possible!

[Harrygton]

Well, Mr. G. W. Bush's intelligence is/was not what got him elected twice.. it was his personality... he connected with the "common" men at a guttural level and that is something we Democrats don't seem to get! I mean, look at who we picked to run against him: Gore and Kerry, Two people who were totally cerebral and yes. for better or worse, perceived as Elitists! Mr. Obama(my candidate) must be extremely careful that this label doesn't stick to him... this must be his number one priority from this point on!

The way to use this against McCain is to point out that he embraced a man whom he knew to be a total waste just for political reasons... he even gave him the authority to commit our troops to a War for which there was not exit strategy... that shows that Sen. McCain's judgment can be compromised in the most important task that a president would have, taking us to War!

[bonanzaman]

His intelligence definitely was not what got him "elected" twice. It was Diebold who made him the pResident of the White house.

[zoozey]

Gore won the popular vote. Bush's personality is snide, arrogant, and dim-witted. He elicits more "icks" from people than anyone I can ever remember. Anyone who has ever watched him long enough usually ends up saying he gives them the creeps. His personality factor was a farce created by Rove and Co.

[lacitepq]

It was the image of the man as crafted by Karl Rove that got him elected. But that image was an illusion. Anyone who took the time to really look at GW's life and term as Governor could have seen through the image. But a lot of American's are shallow and like their news spoon-fed to them.

[widollar]

Yes, Chimpy boy is pretty dumb! The old stick just does not seem to care much about thinking because it probably gives him a headache to think. He has allowed President Cheney to pretty much destroy the middle class of America, while he and Condi ride all over the globe in Air Force One, having private conferences behind locked closed doors! But just as soon as he leaves office he will head to Paraguay to live on his 986,000 acre ranch. Interesting place Paraguay, they can not have you thrown out of their country for war crimes!

[Benthead]

Let's drop this topic about who McCain voted for. If anything, it can only HELP McCain with the independent voters who are going to decide this election. Anything that makes him sound smarter and saner than Bush will encourage some people in the fantasy that McCain will be competent.

[arglebargle]

Good point. But he also has to court the 28% who still support Bush, and this kind of stuff will hurt him there.

[wadenelson1]

Stumps don't violate the Geneva conventions, they don't suspend habeus corpus, they don't illegally wiretap the American public in violation of the Constitution, and they don't initiate unprovoked wars of aggression.

He's not as dumb as a stump, he's dumber.

[ejay579]

You know America is in trouble when the political process has devolved into a battle for the moron vote.

[LoRiseAntlers]

Isn't there an addendum to Godwin's Law about quoting Paul Reiser?

[peterg76]

Little George *is* as dumb as a stump, so McCain saying it doesn't offer us any new insight.

[jedley]

Thanks, counselor. Good to know.

[notthistime]

This is not relevant. So what if McCain felt Bush wasn't the smartest apple on the tree. The American voters put him in office TWICE. So who is dumber? This is all irrelevant. I am an Obama supporter and I could care less about what McCain said years ago. What does he have to offer the country now regarding the issues we face, war, economy, healthcare etc.

Let's focus on that and vote for the next President.

Go Obama O8

[qdog112]

Everything is relevant. McCain will have to close this issue. How not to violate the 11th Commandment and still stay at arms length of Dubya. Most of us believe he said George is dumb and most believe he didn't vote for him. Now let him deal with this "family matter" while we deal with real issues.

His integrity and loyalty is at stake. If MSM does their jobs (doubtful) then, this issue will occupy McCain until he explains it.

[jbatch]

The fact that McCain lied and is still lying; that he is channeling Bush's policies when he doesn't believe in them; that he is abandoning principles -- these things are irrelevant?

I agree that issues should be paramount, but when the candidate is lying, dissembling and posing, that's a big deal.

Perhaps you're thinking there's some parallel between this and what the press is doing with Wright and you're trying to make the case that only issues matter. Well, if so, you're sadly mistaken. Character matters. The difference here is that we get very little insight into Obama from what his pastor says; we get a great deal of insight into McCain from what McCain himself says.

If that's not why you're taking this position, then I give up, You're simply clueless

[Javalation]

Once one recognizes that McCain will say anything to appeal to the Republican base, even if it is a "mis-spoken" lie, then it calls into question everything he says or does. Something that bothers me is how he has changed religious affiliation at age 71. I've never even heard of anyone else doing this. It sure gives the appearance of a man pandering to a specific group.

[JustAProgressive]

McCain's primary attributes are character and honesty. (He's barely smarter than Bush; what was he, third from the bottom in his Naval Academy class?) If he's shown to lie and prevaricate just like your average slime-ball politician (and the press doesn't give him a free pass on it), his positives evaporate. All this is very relevant - as are his wife's finances, his endorsement by sleazy clergy, his entanglements with lobbyists, shady land deals, etc., etc. ...

[amst]

And how many of us knew this way before he was "selected"? The guy is without a doubt the most ignorant President in my lifetime and/or, dare I say EVER.

I can't believe that so many American people bought into his bullsh*t and some still do. I am so proud to say I never voted for the idiot in chief. God help us, he ruined our country.

[ctmommy]

Obama thinks there are 57 states. Who's dumber than a stump?

[Javalation]

Could you provide a link to your claim? I'd be curious to see how you came up with this obvious misrepresentation.

[ctmommy]

geez, just google it: OBAMA 57 STATES

Of course he misspoke. Everyone knows he can't speak "eloquently" unless he is reading off a teleprompter!

[zoozey]

It's 12:43...still waiting for you to provide us with that link..

[ctmommy]

I have a life y'know?
http://hotair.com/archives/2008/05/09/obama-i-want-to-be-president-of-all-57-states/

[akaJohnQ]

Anyone who watched the Y2K debates between Bush and Gore could tell that Bush wasn't very smart. The fact that he became POTUS is a grave indictment of the American electorate, the US Supreme Court, and the electoral college. McCain doesn't impress me as being very intelligent either. I'm very anxious to see him dabate in the fall.

[alvdh1]

Actually, dumb as a stump gives hin entirely to much credit.

[WindFeather]

alv...you are right..a total insult to stumps..

I liked McCain in 2000...then..the Bush machine stole S. Carolina from him..(like they did Florida from Gore)... but it is sad to see this man has lost his marbles..reminds me of Reagan in his final 2 years in office...very dangerous...