In a message dated 02/29/2000 7:32:43 PM Eastern Standard Time,
[log in to unmask] writes:

<<   John McCain has a problem with his tongue and temper. That's pretty much
 established. However, the brewhaw coming from his remarks are blown totally
 out of context by our fanticallyt "politically correct" media. The problem is
 this obsession with "PC ness" is another tool(weapon, if you will) for the
 media and others to sniff out and identify "racists abd bigots". I say
 poppycock!! Who among is us not racist or bigotted in one manner or another.
 I have told "gimp" jokes, made racial slurs and have told "low rider" jokes
 from my upbringing in Texas.

     John McCain is the only real man in the presidential race. He's straight,
 honest, forth right and shoots from the lip(no typo here). Sadly, these are
 all solid reasons for him not to win. But if he takes CA, NY and OH(TX will
 go Georgie Boy), he still may have a chance.

 Bobby >>

Agreed!  I think the comments the media is referring to were made right after
he was released and came home.  I can't even envision the torture he had to
endure at the hands of his North Vietnamese captors, but it seems acceptable
to overlook what he said immediately after the fact.  I hold myself and other
people to a pretty high standard, but a magnanimous gesture is a lot to ask
of someone in that situation.  If he were saying those things on the campaign
trail now, I would give more merit to this concern.

In fact, I think that McCain has been openly supporting relations with
Vietnam.  He has even taken flak from other Vets for being too soft about
this subject.

There might be other factors to consider, such as the Keating 5 issue, but
even then, I don't know.  This is my cynical side, but I think they are all
have skeletons of that nature in their closets.  It's just that not all of
them have been exposed.

Just thinking off the top of my flat little head this morning.

Betty

PS.  Trisha -- it may interest you to know that I cleaned my van out last
night.  Don't get excited now, it's not like it's going to stay this way.  It
does look purty good right now though.  I may have to take that little sucker
on a camping trip.  HEY!  I just had an ider!!!  For those of us who talked
about getting together for a crab thing -- what say we turn it into a weekend
camping trip this spring?  Anyone game???  I'm completely serious about this.