Earlier today John McCain was told by a questioner at a townhall meeting that there have been increased exports from America to Iran. Apparently this was believed to be evidence of an opening of relations with the lone member of the axis of evil. As a detail, McCain was told by the questioner that many of these exports were "cigarettes." What did he think?

How many ways could McCain have dealt with this? He could have said -- and your point is? Or, maybe, perhaps "trade is a good thing"? Or it's too bad our main export is a product with harmful side effects? or even, "we shouldn't be exporting to Iran, I don't like those guys."

But he said, no kindding:

"Maybe that's a way of killing them."

What?

"Maybe that's a way of killing them."

Does this mean he was serious when he sang: "Bomb bomb Iran" to the tune of the Beach Boys' "Barbara Ann" during the primaries? No he was just joshing.

At the time of the "bomb bomb" remark he told reporters to "lighten up". This time, his wife had to poke him in the back before he said he was "joking".

It was a sick joke.

Despite our dislike and fear of Iran's government, the Iranian people themselves are among the most pro-western people in the region. That's not saying much in that region, but would he have joked about killing any other population anywhere else in the world? Why does he seem to want to appear as though bombing or killing Iranians is fodder for humor.

I really think this fellow has lost his marbles and would be a dangerous President, all politics aside. Imagine if Obama made a joke like that -- he would be skewered for weeks.

Yep, you sure nailed McCain. Bad jokes are a sure sign of a bad President. Policy is a distant second.

This highlights one of the dirty secrets of our cigarette industry. As responsible agencies like the American Cancer Society work to educate Americans about the toxicity of cigarettes, our cigarette companies shift marketing and sales overseas.

Another carcinogen, asbestos, never came close to claiming as many lives as tobacco, but the asbestos industry wasn't represented by a strong and entrenched lobby. When the hazards of asbestos became known, the industry was extinguished in a feeding frenzy of litigation. It's a pity the tobacco industry hasn't yet met with the same fate.

msummo:

Yep, you sure nailed McCain. Bad jokes are a sure sign of a bad President. Policy is a distant second.

I think that it is the mental instability that leads to the utterance of these bad jokes in public that concerns voters. That and the subject matter of the "bad jokes". If you want unconditional war in Iran -- McCain's your man.

pwoxby:

This highlights one of the dirty secrets of our cigarette industry. As responsible agencies like the American Cancer Society work to educate Americans about the toxicity of cigarettes, our cigarette companies shift marketing and sales overseas.

Another carcinogen, asbestos, never came close to claiming as many lives as tobacco, but the asbestos industry wasn't represented by a strong and entrenched lobby. When the hazards of asbestos became known, the industry was extinguished in a feeding frenzy of litigation. It's a pity the tobacco industry hasn't yet met with the same fate.

There aren't millions of Americans that choose to smoke asbestos, regardless of the known risks. If we really want our government to bend over backward to protect us from ourselves, then we must outlaw football and mountain climbing also. Oh... and motorcycles. What else should be on the list of activities too dangerous to trust Americans to assess their own risk exposure?

That "sick joke" was actually the first thing that came to my mind. Of course, I would definitely make a lousy president. lol

Since when does not being that funny make a person mentally unstable? I know a lot of people with questionable senses of humor, but I didn't realize they had linked a questionable sense of humor to mental instability. I've now become concerned with the stable to unstable ratio in the general public. I fear that possible one third of the population is mentally unstable.

So you're saying that 1/3 of our population is running for President?

NightSwimmer:

So you're saying that 1/3 of our population is running for President?

That would explain Bush, Cheney and the other zany characters in the current administration.

NightSwimmer:

So you're saying that 1/3 of our population is running for President?

I'm saying 3/3 of the population is eligible to vote, and a good chunk of those are qualified to run, "and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth." Not to pull a cliche out of Hillary Clinton's bag, but there is not supposed to be a ruling class, and politician's are supposed to be representative of the population at large. Not, and I shutter to use the word, be from the "elite". That means that if 1/3 of the population has a bad sense of humor then 1/3 of the populations deserves to be represented by their peer.

Whether or not there is a ruling class in the US is another debate in itself.

msummo;

Sick humor is not the issue. I am a big fan of it coming from comedians, my friends, and anyone in even an argualy appropriate setting. But the most stupid place to tell a joke about killing people is on television when you are running for President. And that that part is just a supreme lack of judgment.

Compare it to Obama's gaffe about people becoming "bitter" and turning to social issues that contradict their economic issues. That ran for weeks and helped cost him the Pennsylvania primary.

The real issue with McCain is that he doesn't understand that joking about the bombing or killing of people is not funny when coming from a potential next president when many of his supporters are seriosly suggesting doing just that.

How about a sick sexist joke against Clinton by Obama during the primary? Jon Stewart made about one per day -- ok, he's supposed to be irreverent-- but Obama would never make the same joke. How about a racial joke by John Edwards during the primary. Chris Rock makes them all the time. John Edwards, not so much. How about a 9/11 joke on 9/12?

People who rail against "political correctness" in politics need to wake up and understand that in a civil society there are some limits. Some are based on simple courtesy given the context, but the more important limits are those that create real harm.

Finally, humor, while essential, including edgy dark humor, at its best reveals truth. What was McCain's truth -- elect me and I'll bomb bomb Iran? I don't think he is responsible enough to have even understood the impact this joke has almost assuredly had on the Iranian people, both in instilling fear and in fueling more anti-American sentiment.

I'm glad you found it funny msummo.

John

msummo:

That means that if 1/3 of the population has a bad sense of humor then 1/3 of the populations deserves to be represented by their peer.

That isn't democracy, that would be a "demogracy".

You know, "elite" doesn't necessarily mean a special group. It also means "the best" from within a group - in which case obviously we desire elite members from different parts society (rather than members of an elite society, i.e. a ruling class) to be our political leaders. We don't really want the "average" person to be at the helm just because together we are all average, do we? Then again, such a system means we could all sit around and feel kinda nice about how mediocre our country is.

JA, the Iranians aren't going to be voting so I wouldn't worry about it. If somebody wants to vote McCain then they probably want to attack Iran anyway - a bad joke or two about killing them obviously isn't going to hurt that goal at all.

Absolutely right wahey. I would never vote for someone "just like" me because I think the president should be smarter and harder work than I am.

Agreed. I also like to vote for people with qualities I can look up to because they help inspire me to be smarter and work harder.