McCain Regrets Use of Term 'Tar Baby'

[Herman Munster]

http://www.guardian.co.uk/worldlatest/story/0,,-6487109,00.html

CEDAR FALLS, Iowa (AP) - Republican presidential contender John McCain on Friday used the term ``tar baby,'' considered by some a racial epithet, and later said he regretted it.

Answering questions at a town hall meeting, the Arizona senator was discussing federal involvement in custody cases when he said, ``For me to stand here and ... say I'm going to declare divorces invalid because of someone who feels they weren't treated fairly in court, we are getting into a tar baby of enormous proportions and I don't know how you get out of that.''

After the event, McCain told reporters: ``I don't think I should have used that word and I was wrong to do so.''

The senator said he hoped it wouldn't be viewed as a racial remark. He argued that he was trying to say that it wouldn't make sense for him to have a role in something left to the courts.

Last summer, a top McCain rival, Mitt Romney of Massachusetts, apologized for referring to the troubled Big Dig construction project in Boston as a ``tar baby'' during a fundraiser in Ames, Iowa.

[Bluedogvoter]

1. I thought Tar Baby was a metaphor for a sticky situation?

Was he using it to imply racism? And how old is this article?

[durtee librul]

4. Just happened

[jedr]

5. agreed; this has no legs and will soon be forgotten;

fear not McCain will make many more mistakes before '08.

[Bluebear]

10. Well, he regrets using it, far be it from me to rehabilitate him. nt

[The Backlash Cometh]

16. Do a search for "tar baby" under my name.

It really is an intriguing situation, because, just talking about the literary root and meaning of the term, will create a living example of the definition.

[durtee librul]

2. Someone needs to post the actual video

of this - he was giggling when he said it....like it was really funny to use. Another repuke nitwit who thinks he's going somewhere. he is done and this just sealed his deal.

[helderheid]

19. here's the video

http://youtube.com/watch?v=FNGXB_qx0xk

[karlrschneider]

3. I can't stand McCain but I'm damn sick and tired of all this whining about something

that's perfectly innocuous. I guess I'm niggardly that way.
:eyes:

[pretzel4gore]

9. it's rare i disagree with you karl

i'm not black, but i remember 'tar baby' meaning black, long ago, and in a contemptuous way...also, while niggardly is a perfectly nice woid, it still 'contains' the hideous appellation that could get one killed in some places.
i guess it's that when we make judgements about something which then impacts people, if it hurt then we should be the ones impacted, and hurt, by the results of our own judgements, and not innocent others. We forget political correctness was a reaction to injustice; rightwingers suggest the injustice started with PC!
i think everybody is feeling a bit jaded after 6 years of bush(?)

[Bluebear]

11. AP: "Considered by some a racial epithet"

CEDAR FALLS, Iowa - Republican presidential contender John McCain (news, bio, voting record) on Friday used the term "tar baby," considered by some a racial epithet, and later said he regretted it.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070316/ap_on_el_pr/on_the2008_trail

Karl, if McCain regrets using it he must have had something unsavory in his subconscious. Screw him.

[liberalnurse]

6. Didn't McCain and his

wife adopt a Tar-Baby in the 90's? He should have researched the child's cultural history a bit more. If he was my adopted daddy, I'd puke on his shoes.:puke:

[Toots]

21. How about the word tar is that not PC or the word baby?

The story itself is about tar and how sticky tar is. I guess if you combine the word tar and the word baby it suddenly become a racial thing. :shrug:

[waiting for hope]

7. Go McCain Go!

That's it - get in front of the camera some more you moron, it's a pleasure to us who know the score to see you time and time again show this country what a complete and utter ass you are. Psst - guess what? The sheeple are starting to wake up but don't let that worry your pretty little head now.

[Hardrada]

12. We love having him here in Iowa but isn't he supposed to in DC

voting on stuff.

[waiting for hope]

24. Aren't they all?

With the exception of John Edwards and Bill Richardson (oh yeah, Romney....iicck)

[UTUSN]

8. K&R #1, four more to go to keep McCAIN on page 1 n/t

[texpatriot2004]

13. Was that before or after the "straight talk express" derailed? nm

[Quantess]

14. People need to understand that McCain is not the great guy he's made out to be. (no text)

[Vektor]

15. Didn't he learn anything from Mitt Romney's "tar baby" gaffe?

Geez...maybe using archaic slang with racist roots isn't such a good idea, fellas.

[aikoaiko]

17. tarbaby --> more fodder for the race baiters

[La_Fourmi_Rouge]

18. "Tar Baby" is NOT a racial epithet:

Uncle David A. Remus was a fictional character, the title character and fictional narrator of a collection of African American folktales adapted and compiled by Joel Chandler Harris, published in book form from 1881. A journalist in post-Reconstruction Atlanta, Georgia, Harris produced seven Uncle Remus books.

Brer Rabbit and the Tar Baby

There is nothing remotely racist about the term, and the story of Brer Rabbit and the Tar Baby has served as a usefull mataphor for going on two centuries. Much the same as the "controversy" surrounding the use of the term "niggardly", this episode only illustrates that McCain is an increasingly reactionary and rather shallow person, even for a politician.

[Bluebear]

20. He regrets using it, far be it from me to argue with him.

Maybe HE meant something racist by it.

[Karenina]

22. Unless you've been called one as a child.

;-)

[DeepBlueC]

27. thank you

Why don't journalists just ignore ignorant objections? When they report on specious outrages like this one they are just contributing to the dumbing of the population, or worse. They are so ready to lap up anything that is presented as "an issue" that they give credibility to swiftboaters, slanderers and other morons. Do some fact-checking for god's sake and report only on what proves to have substance.

[MLFerrell]

23. How about apologizing for using the term "gook"?

[BlooInBloo]

25. So do I.

[rug]

26. Arizona Regrets Use of Term 'Senator'.