History of McCain "Grimace" photo

self | 2-4-08 | WL-Law

[WL-law]

Many FR threads have included the infamous picture of John McCain, teeth-gritted and looking at "somebody" with pure hatred and contempt.

In fact, the picture has been seen by many as strong evidence of McCain's personality 'flaw', and certainly it's representative of that.

But what's MISSING from the picture is at least as important as the picture itself. Here's a best-available full view -- but you still can't see the full context.

Who's the object of McCain's nasty grimace? -- well, you can't see it in the picture.

For those not aware, the "object" was none other than -- candidate GW Bush.

The picture was taken, not in a private or semi-private moment, but while McCain was on national TV in a presidential debate. And McCain's "hatred" was directed at not just some heckler, but at another republican candidate, one who McCain felt superior to.

So -- my point it that the picture is a "two-fer". It shows what's obvious -- McCain's temper -- but it also shows his hatred for the republican right and the Christian right, and the nuts and bolts of the party itself.

This McCain "two-fer" was fully manifested why McCain, in the middle of the 2004 election, turned again on GW Bush.

Recall that at the time when GW Bush was fighting hard against Kerry-teamed-with-MSMedia, and the time when the Swift-Boat veterans were trying so hard to get their message out on the national media about John Kerry.

McCain picked this time, when it could hurt the party deeply, to try to stick a knife into the Bush campaign by going on national TV to declare that he, McCain, respected John Kerry, condemned the Swift-Boat veterans, and offered that he, McCain, would consider joining the Kerry ticket as VP if he were asked!!

Has there ever been such an act of perfidy by a leading republican against the party's candidate?

[krb]

A lot of people around here feel the same way about Bush these days.

[rightwingintelligentsia]

Gosh—I always thought that picture was photoshopped.

[libbylu]

thanks, didn’t realize that. he is a nasty old codger.

[cripplecreek]

We photoshoppers love Johnny Mac.

[maclay]

Good post. Thanks.

[elizabetty]

What will this nasty little man do when the dictator in some backwater country tells McCain his mother sleeps with goats or something equally inflammatory?

[jdm]

I know, how do we know it’s not photoshopped?

[trisham]

Wow.

[evets]

Crazy.

[VU4G10]

[apocalypto]

Wow! And Republicans are rushing to vote for this creep who giggles and talks to himself or an imaginary “friend”?

[jdm]

I don’t recall Bush ever wearing a brown suit during a debate with McCain in 2000. Brown suits like the one shown in the photo have not been in style since the early to mid 80s. What gives?

[cripplecreek]

The Tyson look.

[Revolting cat!]

but it also shows his hatred for the republican right and the Christian right, and the nuts and bolts of the party itself.

Wow! A mind reader you are!

[cvq3842]

Amazing. I always thought it was photoshopped, or some kind of posed “gag” picture.

[Cobra64]

What will this nasty little man do when the dictator in some backwater country tells McCain his mother sleeps with goats or something equally inflammatory?

Easy...

[Thoro]

Gosh—I always thought that picture was photoshopped.

I always thought it was a joke pose done by McCain himself just to be funny and lighten the mood. So I never really thought much of the picture.

The truth is far worse.

[jdm]

I'm still not convinced it isn't photoshopped (and I'm no McCain fan).

For example, when was the last time you saw Bush wear a suit this color?

[cvq3842]

Yeesh!

I actually met Mike Tyson, right after he had that tattoo done. It’s a long story. It was in a club, on a Saturday night, during a rather “unusual” period in my life.

This was right after Tyson had been in some kind of fight also.

I just remember how little I’d want to take any kind of a punch from that man.