That Good Ol' "Billy" Cunningham...

[pocahontas]

Just when you thought the Hillary vs. Obama "war or words" got bad...then you have this. :rolleyes: http://www.crooksandliars.com/2008/02/26/bill-cunningham-viciously-attacks-obama-while-introducing-mccain-mccain-repudiates-him/?ncid=NWS00010000000001 Although I guess this isn't the first mudslinging from McCain's camp toward Obama's...it started a week or so ago with the wives (Cindy's thinly veiled swipe at Michelle's comment). Surprised this wasn't posted or talked about on CC. Not significant in the grand scheme of thing, eh? ;)

[mkredhead]

I have to stand up for our local boy Willie Cunningham. A little background - Cunningham is a conservative talk show host in Cincinnati. He is an attorney and well respected in the city for just being outlandish. I find him pretty darn funny. His shows address interesting topics in the city and beyond, and they have recenly been syndicated.

The McCain camp asked Cunningham to fire up the crowd. A crowd of conservatives. I have no doubt they knew exactly what he would say, as he is not one to hold his tongue and talks about both Clinton and Obama on a regular basis. He referred to Obama by his full name. He did call him a hack, which was probably a little low, but everyone is going NUTS about his use of the full name. Give it a rest, people.

He did what was asked - he fired up the crowd. Had McCain not apologized, I sincerely doubt this would have ever made national news.

[msnicolea]

Yeah, that guy is HILARIOUS! :rolleyes:

[kedzieb]

Ha! Hussein! Funny!

[nylons73]

I have to stand up for our local boy Willie Cunningham. A little background - Cunningham is a conservative talk show host in Cincinnati. He is an attorney and well respected in the city for just being outlandish. I find him pretty darn funny. His shows address interesting topics in the city and beyond, and they have recenly been syndicated.

The McCain camp asked Cunningham to fire up the crowd. A crowd of conservatives. I have no doubt they knew exactly what he would say, as he is not one to hold his tongue and talks about both Clinton and Obama on a regular basis. He referred to Obama by his full name. He did call him a hack, which was probably a little low, but everyone is going NUTS about his use of the full name. Give it a rest, people.

He did what was asked - he fired up the crowd. Had McCain not apologized, I sincerely doubt this would have ever made national news.

I agree that the McCain people were probably not "shocked" that Cunningham continued to spread more of his hate.

As for the rest of it, I refuse to believe that educated, intelligent people have no idea why the use of Barack Obama's middle name, pointedly and repeatedly is offensive and is, in effect, race-baiting.

As an Arab-American I would be happy to list out all of the historical, psychological and geo-political reasons why Cunningham, Limbaugh and others (like the Tennessse GOP party) are continuing to put Hussein out there, however, I strongly suspect that noone really needs an explanation of such.

I find it interesting that Karl Rove has met with most of the big time 'players' in the GOP and has told them that race-baiting by using Obama's middle name is unacceptable. One must be a brave Republican to defy Karl Rove (and I suspect that this is why we heard an immediate response from John McCain on this issue. Rove's influence still has a long reach.)

[kendriln]

I just wonder would it be funny if Barack has Louis Farrakhan "fire up" the crowd with his "outlandish" and zany antics?

[kedzieb]

Ha! He's turned on McCain too. Now that's funny!

McCain apology angers conservative host (http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/02/27/cunningham.mccain/index.html)

CINCINNATI, Ohio (CNN) -- A conservative radio talk-show host said that "he's had it up to here" with Sen. John McCain after the GOP presidential candidate repudiated the commentator's remarks about Sens. Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama at a campaign event.

"John McCain threw me under a bus -- under the 'Straight Talk Express,' " Bill Cunningham told CNN on Tuesday, referring to McCain's campaign bus.

Earlier Tuesday, Cunningham spoke at a McCain campaign event in Cincinnati and called Obama a "hack, Chicago-style Daley politician."

"All is going to be right with the world when the great prophet from Chicago takes the stand, and the world leaders who want to kill us will simply be singing 'Kumbaya' around the table of Barack Obama," the commentator told the crowd.

Cunningham, known for his flame-throwing style, repeatedly used Obama's middle name -- Hussein -- during his remarks, made as a warm-up for the audience waiting to hear McCain speak.

[mkredhead]

THIS is the Willie Cunningham that the city knows and loves. The term Straight Talk Express is hilarious to me.

Cunningham was a huge McCain supporter, talking highly of him at every turn. He broadcasts across the country and is a regular national television commentator. Since this drama unfolded, he has gone out of his way to denounce McCain. Ouch!

McCain's people knew exactly what they were getting when they invited Willie Cunningham to the platform. If they didn't want the controversy, they should have brought in someone else to warm up the crowd. He said nothing that isn't said daily on his program when addressing the topic.

[Delta]

I bet a few advance men got fired over this. Maybe I'm being naive, but I don't honestly believe that McCain sanctions this type of politics (and I don't think it has anything to do with Rove.)

[msnicolea]

You know who I find zany? Bill O'Reilly! What a jokester!

[Adaya]

It's fine that one might think that Bill Cunningham is a hoot. It's fine that people thought he'd fire up the crowd. It seems that he is a "fire up the crowd kinda guy". But it's pretty clear why repeatedly saying Barack Hussein Obama and saying "Hussein" with such emphasis and vigor is not really the thing to do right now. We all know the point he was making and it wasn't that Cunningham liked how Obama's full name rolled off his tongue.

[phoenics]

I just wonder would it be funny if Barack has Louis Farrakhan "fire up" the crowd with his "outlandish" and zany antics?

Thank you.

And that's a wrap.

[phoenics]

I bet a few advance men got fired over this. Maybe I'm being naive, but I don't honestly believe that McCain sanctions this type of politics (and I don't think it has anything to do with Rove.)

Oh I think he does. This is why his campaign manager said that if Obama is the dem nominee, he will RESIGN because he won't take part in the Obama attacks. This interview was given right after McCain and his people started using Obama's whole middle name.

[phoenics]

It's fine that one might think that Bill Cunningham is a hoot. It's fine that people thought he'd fire up the crowd. It seems that he is a "fire up the crowd kinda guy". But it's pretty clear why repeatedly saying Barack Hussein Obama and saying "Hussein" with such emphasis and vigor is not really the thing to do right now. We all know the point he was making and it wasn't that Cunningham liked how Obama's full name rolled off his tongue.

Exactly. I hate obstinate ignorance. :rolleyes:

[Delta]

Oh I think he does. This is why his campaign manager said that if Obama is the dem nominee, he will RESIGN because he won't take part in the Obama attacks. This interview was given right after McCain and his people started using Obama's whole middle name.
No, as the admaker (not the campaign manager) what he said was he didn't want to have to work against Obama, make ads against him, etc. And McKinnon has been saying this since last year.

[msnicolea]

ITA, Adaya.