McCain Fundraiser On Rape - "you might as well lie back and enjoy it."

[Median Democrat]

It is surprising that despite McCain's efforts to court Hillary Clinton voters that McCain is not returning the money raised by Republican Clayton "Claytie" Williams. My thought is that if the press pays more attention to this, McCain will pull another flip flop, and return the money, because McCain can't be that hard-up for cash.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080614/ap_on_el_pr/mccain_fundraiser;_ylt=Alc24t3VX72O97Cqulz8m2Fh24cA

"The Texan, Republican Clayton "Claytie" Williams, made the joke during his failed 1990 campaign for governor against Democrat Ann Richards. Williams compared rape to the weather, saying, "As long as it's inevitable, you might as well lie back and enjoy it." He also compared Richards to the cattle on his ranch, saying he would "head her and hoof her and drag her through the dirt."

Williams' comments made national news at the time and remain easy to find on the Internet. Even so, McCain's campaign said it hadn't known about the remarks.

"These were obviously incredibly offensive remarks that the campaign was unaware of at the time it was scheduled," McCain spokesman Brian Rogers said. "It's positive that he did apologize at the time, but the comments are nonetheless offensive."

Here's another story in a Houston paper:

http://www.chron.com/commons/persona.html?newspaperUserId=desperado&plckController=PersonaBlog&plckScript=personaScript&plckElementId=personaDest&plckPersonaPage=BlogViewPost&plckPostId=Blog%3AdesperadoPost%3A5d90b121-5a6b-41b3-a46c-6078178a68e8


John McCain and Clayton Williams
Posted 6/14/2008 8:00 AM CDT
Since judging people by their associations seems to be a recurring theme in this presidential campaign, I think it’s only fair to look at both candidates equally. An association that has come to light recently is that between John McCain and Clayton Williams.

ABC News is reporting this:

"Sen. John McCain on Friday abruptly cancelled a Monday fundraiser that had been scheduled at the home of a Texas oilman, after ABC News contacted the campaign inquiring about a verbal blunder the Texan made during an unsuccessful 1990 campaign for governor."

For those who weren’t in Texas in 1990 or are too young to remember, Clayton Williams ran an unsuccessful campaign against Ann Richards here in that year. One of the major reasons he lost was a stupid attempt at humor he made during the campaign. When asked about his thoughts on rape, Mr .Williams said, "It’s like the weather, as long as it’s inevitable you might as well lie back and enjoy it."

As it turns out, Mr. Williams is also a major fundraiser for Sen. McCain, having already raised more than $300,000. In an interview with the Midland Reporter-Telegram Williams said this:

"Much of the media, particularly the TV media, are to the left. To combat that we must have money to put our case to the people. We are way behind on . If Obama wins, it could move our country to the left, from which we will not recover.

Williams said that he needed to help McCain raise money to stop an Obama campaign that would enact "socialist" policies if elected to office."

This was the response from a McCain campaign spokesman when asked about Mr. Williams’ statements:

"These were obviously incredibly offensive remarks that the campaign was unaware of at the time this event was scheduled,"

So the fundraiser has been cancelled, but what about the $300,000? Shouldn’t Sen. McCain return that money? Or at least donate it to groups who counsel rape victims? Shouldn’t the Obama campaign demand that Sen. McCain denounce and reject Mr.Williams as well?

As the old saying goes, what’s good for the goose is good for the gander. It seems to me what’s good for the donkey should be good for the elephant as well.

[Youphemism]

1. He didn't hear the rape joke heard 'round the world?

What's worse? Showing up at that guy's fundraiser knowing was a misogynist he is, or somehow having been in a cave during all the press it got? And who are these people handling McCain that they wouldn't realize it until the press called them?

Wow. Impressively stupid.

[Median Democrat]

6. Also-What About Clayton Bragging About Bagging Mexican Prostitutes

According to this article in the NY Times:

http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9C0CE2DB1630F930A15757C0A966958260

TEXAS CANDIDATE ADMITS BUYING SEX

LEAD: Clayton Williams, the Republican candidate for Governor, acknowledged in an interview published today that he had patronized prostitutes as a young man.

Clayton Williams, the Republican candidate for Governor, acknowledged in an interview published today that he had patronized prostitutes as a young man.

An aide to his Democratic opponent, Ann Richards, said Mr. Williams's ''private behavior is best left to him and his family'' and was not a legitimate subject for a campaign, but the aide added that the admission raised new questions about Mr. Williams's attitudes toward women.

Mr. Williams, in discussing his use of prostitutes, was quoted in The Houston Post as saying: ''I've never claimed to be a perfect man. It's part of growing up in West Texas.''

Mr. Williams is in Arizona today, but his press secretary, Bill Kenyon, released a statement in which he said the admission had come in response to a direct question from a reporter. Mr. Williams responded, the statement said, by ''conceding once again that he's not perfect and by telling the truth about incidents earlier in his life, even when it wasn't politically expedient.''

Last month, the Republican candidate drew fire from women's groups by making a joke about rape. He apologized.

The Post interviewed Mr. Williams in Scottsdale, Ariz., at a meeting of independent oil producers. It quoted the 58-year-old candidate as saying he patronized prostitutes while a student at Texas A&M University and adding, ''It was kind of what the boys did at A&M,'' He said he had not visited a prostitute in at least 35 years. He and his wife have been married 25 years.

* * *

And here is Claytong Williams saying that frequenting Mexican prostitutes in his youth was "part of growing up in West Texas."


http://www.dallasobserver.com/2001-05-31/news/trick-town/

In Texas, the proximity to legal brothels is considered as much a natural resource as oil. Clayton Williams summed up this blasé attitude during his gubernatorial campaign with a casual and costly admission of frequenting Mexican prostitutes in his youth. "It's part of growing up in West Texas," he told wide-eyed reporters. "It was a lot different then. The houses were the only place you got serviced. It was kind of what the boys did at A&M."

[Skittles]

2. mixed feelings on this

the incident was roundly publicized and any google search would have shown it. But Mr. Williams was roundly slammed by the press, the country and even by his own daughters, and he apologized. It was a tasteless, sickening incident but am I to understand people are NEVER to be forgiven for their past?

[blogslut]

4. Clayton Williams hasn't changed one whit

He's always been a good old boy and he will always be a good old boy.

[Median Democrat]

5. Okay, what about this Williams quote:

Williams compared Ann Richards to the cattle on his ranch, saying he would "head her and hoof her and drag her through the dirt." I guess we could forgive him for this quote as well. Plus, if it such ancient history, why did John McCain cancel the event at the last minute? Perhaps he was afraid of the potential litany of off-color remarks from Mr. Williams who could use some sensitivity training for a former GOP candidate for governor.

Also, despite in one of his widely-publicized missteps, Williams refused to shake hands with Ann Richards in a public debate. So, I think that you could give Williams the benefit of the doubt, or you could conclude that the he never got it even after the rape comment.

[Thrill]

3. McCain doesn't respect women. No surprise he has friends like this

Hillary's supporters will learn