McCain Advisor OK's Gendered Attacks on Clinton

Posted by Lindsay Beyerstein, Majikthise at 3:46 PM on May 21, 2008.

Not two weeks after pledging a clean campaign, one McCain advisor labels gendered attacks on Clinton as fair game.

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Less than two weeks ago, Cindy McCain pledged that McCain 2008 would not stoop to negative campaigning:

Mrs. McCain said that the upcoming campaign
against either Sen. Barack Obama or Sen. Hillary Clinton would not
engage in negative tactics.
“We'd rather not win than to have to do that,” Mrs. McCain said. “That's not worth winning for. This is about being a leader and a person that can be a good example for our children, and a good role model. There's many, many, many more things to this job than just being the president. You are an example. You have to — you have to be better than that. You have to be.” [MSNBC]

Here's what McCain adviser Alex Castellanos said when CNN legal analyst Jeffrey Toobin broached the issue of anti-Clinton misogyny, using a joke reprinted in the New York Times to illustrate the point. (The punchline of the joke labeled Hillary Clinton a "white bitch."):

"And some women, by the way, are named that and it's accurate," adding of Clinton, "[S]he is a tough -- that tough lady, tough in politics, that's been her great strength. But let's face it, she can be a very abrasive, aggressive, irritating person, and a lot of voters, I think, see her that way." [MediaMatters]

Castellanos advises the McCain team on advertising. That's right, the father of the modern campaign attack ad is shaping John McCain's advertising--when he isn't going on CNN as a contributor. Castellanos is known for the infamous "White Hands" spot and for Bob Taft ads so misleading they were illegal. Another Castellanos claim to fame: Getting fired by Jeb Bush for negative advertising.

Tagged as: gender, john mccain, hillary clinton, poltics

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McCain takes a turn to the Seaward [Report this comment] Posted by: wagadog on May 21, 2008 5:41 PM Current rating: Not yet rated [1 = poor; 5 = excellent] er...we mean... C-word. We should be surprised? [« Reply to this comment] [Post a new comment »] [Rate this comment: 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5] Mac & Hillary are RIGHT- So Sexist she is Un Electable [Report this comment] Posted by: Kimmy on May 21, 2008 6:38 PM Current rating: 3 [1 = poor; 5 = excellent] Love hillary's current 'logic' she is 'losing ' because of 'Sexism.' So seh is really winning so she is staying in , but she is losing because WE are too sexist. So hillary Which is it? If you have the 'important' voters- thne sexism is not the issue. If you are losing because we are SOO Sexist- then you are not the Most Electable candidate. Classic Neo Con circular logic- and what too many woman use when they can not win an arguement on teh Facts. Hell of a Example she is setting.She is a traitor to Democrats, as detrimet and insult to women and a national Security threat for her proclaimed foriegn Policy Plans - "Obliterate Iran 'with Nukes? To defend- Isreasl (has their own Nukes& greatest military in the World for the size in #'s)And the Saudi's (9/11 highjackers?) ??? and th eUAE?????.Funny she failed to mention usong such weapon to protect or defend US or our long standing Allies?? Besides Dems DO NOT SUPPORT NUKES!!!!! Sexism has NOTHING TO DO WITH HILLARY LOSING _ SHE REEKS OF NEO CON incognito! [« Reply to this comment] [Post a new comment »] [Rate this comment: 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5] Totally not a Hillary Supporter [Report this comment] Posted by: metryjen on May 22, 2008 7:13 AM Current rating: 4 [1 = poor; 5 = excellent] But this guy is a douche. [« Reply to this comment] [Post a new comment »] [Rate this comment: 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5] Castellanos - McCain [Report this comment] Posted by: QCao009 on May 22, 2008 7:26 AM Current rating: 5 [1 = poor; 5 = excellent] This is what the link says: Jeb Bush canned Castellanos because of Vicious Ad. “In a 1994 spot for Jeb Bush, who was challenging Chiles for Florida governor, Castellanos tried to paint Chiles as soft on crime for refusing to sign a death warrant for the murderer of a 10-year-old girl. But it turned out that Florida courts were still hearing the killer's appeal, and some observers believe the backlash from the ad helped Chiles eke out a victory. Four years later, Bush ran a successful campaign with a different ad man.” [Boston Globe, 11/16/06] The statement about Jeb's canning him for the ad is only half accurate. Jeb didn't can Alex because of the viciousness. He canned him because the viciousness was not enough !!! To think that somehow Republicans like McCain will not stoop again is to ignore history. The current uniter is a divider, and he does not come in peace; he comes cowardly after he has bombed the hell out of the place; he comes after they have removed the Katrina bodies and hooked up electricity to give him a photo op while the city languishes in ruins. Once again,let me repeat it: this straightalker is a liar. This once POW is now a proud supporter of torture, and he, too, will send young men and women to die for the bank account of a few. In Florida, our very proud and very tanned Governor is priming and preening for the VP spot on the McCain ticket, and yes, he is signing another death warrant for June. Republicans like others to die for their sins, as long as they can repent just one day a week, and then only in words, and not in deeds. Talk about hypocrisy !!! These patriots and these believers would be the very same ones who would now nail Jesus to the cross when he comes back. [« Reply to this comment] [Post a new comment »] [Rate this comment: 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5] Deb [Report this comment] Posted by: debmcd on May 22, 2008 1:17 PM Current rating: Not yet rated [1 = poor; 5 = excellent] Let's face facts. McCain is an old, misogynistic, pig. He wants to win so he can start a war. He didn't get to finish the Viet Nam war so now he wants to fight Iran so he can show his macho stuff. The man is a very, very old joke. [« Reply to this comment] [Post a new comment »] [Rate this comment: 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5] The problem is this: [Report this comment] Posted by: shannasmusic on May 22, 2008 2:00 PM Current rating: Not yet rated [1 = poor; 5 = excellent] "she can be a very abrasive, aggressive, irritating person..." If a woman has these qualities, she is a bitch. If a man has them, he is macho. Everyone loves Simon, you know? [« Reply to this comment] [Post a new comment »] [Rate this comment: 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5] There is no doubt about it [Report this comment] Posted by: riotoustanpdx on May 22, 2008 3:44 PM Current rating: Not yet rated [1 = poor; 5 = excellent] The qualities that define "toughness" are essential to succeed in this political era. Those same qualities described above, compromising, irritating, aggressive, adamant, and many more also describe the highly successful L. B. Johnson. That president pissed powerful people off even as they agreed to vote the way he coerced them to vote. People accepted those qualities in LBJ and Hillary is far milder than LBJ or Nixon. Conclusion: Many people won't vote for Hillary based on gender alone, and this is why the deep pockets of Big Business BOUGHT Obama to run against her. [« Reply to this comment] [Post a new comment »] [Rate this comment: 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5]

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