bot: "Did you call your wife a cunt?"

April 30, 2008
Des Moines, Iowa
Polk County Convention Center - McCain healthcare forum

The man who asked such a vile question is Marty Parrish - a business owner and Baptist minister who has a master's in political science, has worked on Capital Hill and moved to IA from AR to work for Biden campaign. He said he was concerned about McCain's temperament. Fair assessment. So why not ask that straight out? But the question, the leaflet, the preamble and the excuse don't match up - as well as the fact that he signed in as a HuffPo reporter, was taking pictures and knows his way around Capitol Hill. In truth, he had read an article in the HuffPo that mentioned McCain's alleged statement about his wife and got pissed that McCain got away with that but Barry was getting hammered about Wright and those racist bitterites.

See story from OffTheBus, Keith Dinsmore.

PARRISH: "A guy who would call his wife a trollop and a cunt 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. 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 touched. 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."

PARRISH: "We have a man whose temper can get the best of him. What I am worried about is his temper. Our country is in a serious crisis. This election is the most significant one since 1860. It appears America is asleep -- so I stood up and asked the question."

PARRISH: "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."

Most significant election since 1860? Then why the subterfuge? Why not ask that point directly? He made up a flier and then got 500 copies made and moveon.org staff helped pass them out.
According to Chris Dorsey at Iowa Politics.com

He handed out a leaflet prior to the event alleging McCain called his wife the name in 1992 while on the campaign trail running for re-election in the Senate. The leaflet asked members of media why they were focusing on the controversial statements made in the past by Democratic candidate Sen. Barack Obama's pastor Rev. Jeremiah Wright and ignoring the alleged comment McCain made to his wife.

"Barack Obama spent three weeks defending that," Parrish said afterwards.

"Why does the news media continue to ignore this outrageous statement by John McCain, but fixates on Barack Obama's truthful observation that some people are bitter?" the leaflet reads.

I can't seem to find the leaflet anywhere. Basically a bot was pissed that barry was getting hammered about his bitter statement and rev wright and saw an opening and pounced. Nothing new. Definition of an obamabot.

PARRISH: "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?

MCCAIN: 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.