Book Reveals: McCain Flipped Out, Called Wife a "C*nt"

Posted by AlterNet Staff, AlterNet at 9:23 AM on April 7, 2008.

Raw Story is running an exclusive by Nick Juliano; some highlights:

"John McCain's temper is well documented. He's called opponents and colleagues 'shitheads,' 'assholes' and in at least one case 'a fucking jerk.'

"But a new book on the presumptive Republican nominee will air perhaps the most shocking angry exchange to date.

"The Real McCain by Cliff Schecter, which will arrive in bookstores next month, reports an angry exchange between McCain and his wife that happened in full view of aides and reporters during a 1992 campaign stop. An advance copy of the book was obtained by RAW STORY."

Three reporters from Arizona, on the condition of anonymity, also let me in on another incident involving McCain's intemperateness. In his 1992 Senate bid, McCain was joined on the campaign trail by his wife, Cindy, as well as campaign aide Doug Cole and consultant Wes Gullett. 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.

"The man who was known as 'McNasty' in high school has erupted in foul-languaged tirades at political foes and congressional colleagues more-or-less throughout his career, and his quickness to anger has been an issue on the presidential campaign trail as evidence of his fury has surfaced.

"In the book [Schecter] outlines several other examples of McCain loosing his cool and raises the question of how that would affect a McCain presidency."

What should voters make of this pattern? In February 2008 Tim Russert succinctly described McCain on MSNBC's Morning Joe. A devilish grin spread from ear to ear as Russert, no McCain hater, leaned forward and spoke in a whisper, 'He likes to fight.' Russert got it right. But the big question isn't whether McCain likes to fight: it's who, when, and how.

Read the whole thing.

Tagged as: mccain, schecter, the real mccain