Report: McCain Exploded With Rage During Gambling Outing

[Ichingcarpenter]

Writing for the Daily Beast, Michael Kinsley relays a disturbing story about John McCain from Jeff Dearth, former publisher of the New Republic, when Dearth and McCain attended a magazine industry conference at a casino hotel in Puerto Rico in 2005:

McCain's game is craps. So is Jeff Dearth's. Jeff was at the table when McCain showed up and happily made room for him. Apparently there is some kind of rule or tradition in craps that everyone's hands are supposed to be above the table when the dice are about to be thrown. McCain--"very likely distracted by one of the many people who approached him that evening," Jeff says charitably--apparently was violating this rule. A small middle-aged woman at the table, apparently a "regular," reached out and pulled McCain's arm away. I'll let Jeff take over the story:

"McCain immediately turned to the woman and said between clenched teeth: 'DON'T TOUCH ME.' The woman started to explain...McCain interrupted her:

'DON'T TOUCH ME,' he repeated viciously. The woman again tried to explain. 'DO YOU KNOW WHO I AM? DO YOU KNOW WHO YOU'RE TALKING TO?' McCain continued, his voice rising and his hands now raised in the 'bring it on' position. He was red-faced. By this time all the action at the table had stopped. I was completely shocked. McCain had totally lost it, and in the space of about ten seconds. 'Sir, you must be courteous to the other players at the table,' the pit boss said to McCain. "DO YOU KNOW WHO I AM? ASK ANYBODY AROUND HERE WHO I AM."

This being Puerto Rico, the pit boss might not have known McCain. But the senator continued in full fury--"DO YOU KNOW WHO YOU'RE TALKING TO? DO YOU KNOW WHO I AM?"--and crisis was avoided only when Jeff offered to change places and stand between McCain and the woman who had touched his arm.




Read Kinsley's full piece here.

http://www.thedailybeast.com/blogs-and-stories/2008-10-09/john-mccain-shooting-craps-pissed-off/

[Vinca]

1. One of many McCain temper stories. Anyone who wants

this guy near the nuclear button has a death wish.

[BeyondGeography]

2. He's a menace who needs to be defeated and retired

Later, McAngryLoon. You almost got there, didn't you?

[SurfingAtWork]

3. If there is no video, this is simply another anecdote

of him having a bad temper, and while it is illuminating, it won't grow any legs.

[L. Coyote]

4. McCain's next gaffe: "I'm a Gambler" errh "Maverick"

[City Lights]

5. We know who you are, John. As Tim Dickinson writes, you are the "fuck-up

grandson of one of the Navy's greatest admirals."

[grasswire]

6. what's this sentence about?

"McCain is the best Republican presidential candidate of my lifetime"

Why would he say that?

[Schema Thing]

7. In his defense...

... this was probably the culmination of several incidents wherein complete strangers had not treated Senator McCain deferentially that day.

[skooooo]

8. He's just completely fucking crazy.

I could see it maybe if he was surprised by a man touching him, but it's not like he could feel threatened by a middle aged woman.

[Bucky]

9. After reading this, I have come to truly admire his restraint during the debates

"This one" was nothing. Obama was lucky to leave that studio with both his earlobes still attached.

[leftofthedial]

10. for all I know, he may have been like this before,

but PTSD from his POW experience could leave him dangerously volatile.

[katandmoon]

11. Lends credence to the account of his fellow Fiji vacationer. That's exactly how he spoke to her when

She stopped deferring to him.

[thereismore]

12. I am sure the casino has all this on tap, but what the hell. He is going down anyway. nt