Update: As reported by Iowa Politics, Marty Parrish signed in to Sen. McCain's health care conference as a HuffPost reporter. Marty Parrish is not a HuffPost reporter or blogger, nor a contributor to HuffPost's OffTheBus. He was not asked to attend the McCain conference on our behalf, nor did he have any contact with HuffPost staff prior to the event.
OffTheBus member Keith Dinsmore was on the scene at the McCain healthcare town hall in Iowa Wednesday where Marty Parrish posed a question to the candidate the mainstream media weren't asking. Parrish was dragged out by secret service agents. He talked with OTB's Dinsmore after the event.
Marty Parrish was aware of John McCain's alleged history as an adulterer and that he had left the wife who had raised his children while McCain was held captive in Vietnam for a rich, young trophy wife.
But last week, when Parrish -- a business owner in Des Moines -- read a HuffingtonPost article by Adam McKay, "Vetting the Candidates," that related how McCain had verbally abused Cindy McCain in front of reporters and staff, Parrish became both angry and concerned.
"A guy who would call his wife a trollop and a c--t just because she had ruffled his hair in front of five guys is not only a jerk, but a dangerous hothead if he ever gets his finger on the button," Parrish said Thursday evening.
"And since the mainstream media has decided to give McCain a free pass, I decided to stand up and, if they gave me an open mike, ask the question that the press refuses to touch," he explained. "Our country is in a serious crisis after nearly eight years of Bush, and America appears to be oblivious to the danger this guy (McCain) poses to our country," said Parrish.
So when the soft-spoken Arkansas native prepared to go to the Polk County Convention Center in Des Moines for McCain's health care forum Thursday, he decided to print up a few leaflets to hand out to Iowans and the media, highlighting the offensive quote from Cliff Schecter's new book, "The Real McCain."
When he arrived downtown, Parrish took the one-page flier (view it here) to an instant copy place to have 500 printed. Nestled among about 30 protesters in front of the Convention Center were about a dozen volunteers with Moveon.org, inviting passersby to take the "Bush-McCain Challenge." (Try to tell the difference between Bush's policies from McCain's views and win a free prize!) The Moveon.org staff eagerly volunteered to distribute the leaflets to all comers.
"If I didn't get to ask McCain the question I wanted to ask, at least the fliers would help spread the word about McCain's hair-trigger temper and the lack of respect for his young wife," thought Parrish, who has a master's degree in political science and is a licensed Baptist minister.
Because it was a forum on health care, Parrish said that he wanted to frame his question in a pertinent way. Midway through the Q-and-A session, McCain pointed to Parrish and a staffer brought him a microphone. According to a transcript of the event and a YouTube video, Parrish posed "the question" like this:
"This question goes to mental health and mental health care. Previously, I've been married to a woman that was verbally abusive to me. Is it true that you called your wife a cunt?"
The room fell silent for several seconds while McCain adjusted his mike and started to answer: "Now, now. You don't want to ...Um, you know, that's the great thing about town hall meetings, sir, but we really don't .... There's people here who don't respect that kind of language. So I'll move on to the next questioner in the back."
As Parrish expected, a young male staffer began striding toward him, followed by a Des Moines police officer. They escorted Parrish out of the room and into the hallway, where a Secret Service agent questioned him for about 30 minutes, wanting assurance that Parrish had no intention of physically harming the Republican presidential nominee in the next room.
Parrish assured the agent that he had once worked on Capitol Hill and had received several security clearances. "I wanted them to know that I was acting out of a genuine concern for my country and my belief that a man whose temper often gets the best of him should be disqualified for the presidency," Parrish said Thursday evening.
Schecter, the author who reported the McCain slur against his wife, saluted Parrish for "asking [McCain] to answer for his behavior." He credited Parrish for ending McCain's "media holiday on this subject" and praised the "audacious" Parrish for taking democracy into his own hands. The incident, Schecter says, has inspired him to start a series tracking McCain at the political blog firedoglake, where he reported on Parrish and the events in Des Moines.
Parrish told OffTheBus that he moved from Arkansas to Iowa last summer to work on Sen. Joe Biden's presidential campaign. "I believed strongly that Senator Biden offered the best credentials to keep us safe in a dangerous world and to bring the foolish Iraq war to a successful conclusion," he said. "It's scary to think of a hothead like McCain having his finger on the trigger."
"Although the caucus results weren't what I'd hoped for, I came to love Iowa and fell in love with a wonderful woman who is from here," Parrish said with a big grin. This spring, he established a technical consulting business which is off to a great start, he says. Since his first choice for president didn't work out, Parrish has transferred his allegiance to Sen. Barack Obama and plans to volunteer for him in the general election should the Illinois Senator win the nomination.
"The Secret Service agent made me promise not to show up at any McCain campaign events in the future," said Parrish. "I told him that wouldn't be a problem - I'd forgotten how boring Republican events are," he added. "McCain had about 300 really old people today. When Obama campaigns here in the fall, there'll probably be 15,000 people of all ages and backgrounds, cheering him on."
Parrish pointed out that Iowans have never taken too kindly to the senior Senator from Arizona, given McCain's opposition to ethanol subsidies and his decision to skip the Iowa caucuses in 2000. "After today," Parrish said with a laugh, "Mr. McCain may not be too anxious to come back to the Hawkeye state any time soon."
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Let's just say, for the sake of argument, that McCain -did not- say this.
Do you know any man, who is married, that would not VEHEMENTLY reject and denounce such an accusatory question with fervor and insult?
I mean really... McCain didn't even react with -shock-, which is the way most men would react if questioned... he looked stunned, like he had been caught, and then tried to cover it up with an 'the audience is insulted by such language' excuse.
Sorry guys. Marty Parrish is a -RIDER-. Respect this man.
Mr. Parrish, I applaud you. Thank you for standing up against John McCaine and for giving a voice to those who find this issue to be appauling but reluctant to bring it to light. That was real courageous of you.
I think the whole episode is pretty funny. Imagine being dragged out of a public place by Secret Service because you asked John McCain if he referred to his wife as a c--t. It's not like the poor guy was screaming violent threats. Mr. Parrish, I salute you.
We can see a whole lot of the republicult's play book tactics in use here in attempt to defend their cult leader McCain. Bash and smear the messenger. Name-calling and defamation of the questioner. And of course "If there is no videotape it did not happen!" (since no one taped it on their cell phone or whatever the story is false - never mind that in 1992 "cell phones" were mainly found within prison walls). Now, keep in mind there IS video of McCain promising to never lie to, nor deceive the American people. In order to confirm or deny the story, McCain must answer the question, and all those members of the press present at the time of the incident can come forward and confirm or disavow the incident.
Uh, has anyone checked out Marty's My Space page? It just screams, "How can I get famous?" This guy made the perfect Kamikaze pilot, but he missed the ship entirely.
I mean really, Keith. This is embarrassing for you.
You did nothing but look like a foul-mouthed fool who ended up eliciting sympathy for him and incriminating HuffPo. I'd imagine you are a lot of things, sharpest tack in the box ain't one of them.
That's an unfortunate choice of words coming from someone who was just questioned by the Secret Service, don't you think? I think your judgement is impaired.
I assume that asking a Republican, any Republican, about his being a foul-mouthed jerk is a sign of idiocy in your mind. I agree it is, since it is obviously true of all right wing Republican politicians and should not be repeatedly brought up so as to embarrass any candidate casually prevaricating among his adoring public. No one should ever mention any such epispodes unless the miscreant involved is a Democrat and then he/she should be taken to task in public as often as possible.
1 - We don't know what McCain said too his wife. A lefty author emotionally invested in the idea that McCain is evil does not constitute evidence.
2 - We do know that a political operative decided to be a vulgar jerk (i.e., decided to be himself) at a campaign event devoted to the topic of health care.
3 - Can those of you residing in the land of HuffPo look at yourselves as others see you?
If your goal is simply to rouse the troops with speculation about what a bad guy McCain really is, well, OK, have fun. But do you for a minute imagine that asking that kind of question in a public forum - and then high-fiving each other about it on this site - will convert one Independent or more conservative Democrat to your candidate? Would it not help to sway those undecided in the other direction, toward McCain?
Are you capable of delaying gratification and acting mid to long range for your political goals?
As a Republican, I'm happy that the answer to this last question appears to be: no.
Until recently I had McCain pegged as a formerly moderate Republican who, after losing to George Bush in the Republican Primaries (because of Rovian dirty tricks) had gone over to the dark side of war-mongering, intolerance and pandering to religious extremists. It was a VERY conservative Republican that I know who told me he would probably sit this election out rather than vote for McCain. Why, I asked, is he too liberal? No, he said, he's such a hothead that there's no way he should have his finger on the trigger of our nuclear arsenal. This is the Republican base...
After Bush and Rove stopped McCain in 2000 with their sleaze, I was always curious about why McCain became Bush's number one man hugging buddy. Someone has pictures. That's the only answer.
A new book by Cliff Schechter has the inside scoop on John McCain. And if you want to know why John McCain was called "McNasty" in high school, read this.
At one point, Cindy playfully twirled McCain's hair and said, "You're getting a little thin up there." McCain's face reddened, and he responded, "At least I don't plaster on the makeup like a trollop, you cunt." McCain's excuse was that it had been a long day. If elected president of the United States, McCain would have many long days.
This event was witnessed by 3 reporters and two aides of John McCain, Doug Cole and Wes Gullett.
What fairy land do you and the other 17 people who think George Bush is doing a great job live in?
I saw the same statement. There is apparently another similarity between Senator McCain and the current POTUS. You can tell he's lying if his lips are moving.
Seriously, since he claims to forget any statement that may be questioned, he makes a great running mate for Senator Clinton, who shares the talent.
It looks as if the Dream Team ticket should be McCain/Clinton.
McCain is the most dangerous man in the USA after Bush and Cheney. He has a long, well-documented history of anger management issues. It is encouraging to see that Mr. Parrish had the stones to stand up to the Bully, while the press cowers and holds its breath.
The Bully. We all know someone from grade school like McCain. Masters of intimidation, beady-eyed glare. violent chopping hand gestures. My friends-my friends-my friends. He doesn't differentiate between Shia and Sunni. A vote for McCain is a vote too for the John McCain Whisperer, Joe Lieberman. McCain with all the power would be like electing Russell Crowe president. Or Naomi Campbell.
Occassionally someone in the media, host or guest, brings up the possibility that McCain is still suffering from untreated PTSD from Vietnam. I would think that someone on such raw terms with the horrors of war would stand firmly opposite his hawkish self. Maybe it is true that he's re-fighting Vietnam, an unfinished war on so many levels for him. And maybe it's true that George Bush suffers from fetal alcohol syndrome, which is why he cannot speak in complete sentences or form coherent thoughts.
Then again, maybe Bush is just stupid; and maybe McCain is just a jerk, PTSD or no PTSD.
Just what we need, a hothead who can possibly blow a cork, literally and we would be stuck with a VP we don't even know who it is yet.
Please people, don't vote for McCain. Please vote for anyone but him.
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Posted May 2, 2008 | 12:43 AM (EST)