‘What’s wrong with sucking up to everybody?’

February 24, 2007

I have a hunch we’ll be seeing this quote pop up, repeatedly, for the next two years.

So some guy stands up after John McCain’s luncheon speech here yesterday to a group of business types and asks him a question.

“I’ve seen in the press where in your run for the presidency, you’ve been sucking up to the religious right,” the man said, adding: “I was just wondering how soon do you predict a Republican candidate for president will start sucking up to the old Rockefeller wing of the Republican Party?”

Mr. McCain listened with his eyes downcast, then looked the man in the eye, smiled and replied: “I’m probably going to get in trouble, but what’s wrong with sucking up to everybody?”

File it away. You’ll be hearing it again.

Paging Senator McCain!! Paging Senator McCain!! The Devil is waiting in conference room A with his zipper down.

  • I doubt it’ll be pursued with the same foam-flecked zeal as “I voted for it before I voted against it”. I don’t know why, but the Republican party just seems to attract that kind of crowd-mentality baying lunatic.

  • Can we now trade in “Straight Talk Express” for “Suck Up Express”? McCain has become a parody of pander.

  • Sure gives a whole new meaning to Ross Perot’s classic “Giant Sucking Sound”, doesn’t it?

    This was the sound of a presidential campaign coming apart. No one will be able to consider him as a serious candidate again. Whatever he does now will just be going through the motions, a sad shadow of whatever potential he might have once had.

  • “I’m probably going to get in trouble, but what’s wrong with sucking up to everybody?”

    Then he started to sing “I will slave 4 u.”

    Like so many ReThugs, he belongs in an asylum.

  • st. john is sucking so much he’s really gonna have a bad case of chapped lips. maybe he could get his campaign sponsored by chap-stick.

  • The audio is more telling than the mere quote itself – even the quote is telling enough. McCain gives this answer and then laughs a nervous, lying laugh. Somewhere deep inside this craven politician is a voice that knows exactly what is wrong with sucking up to everybody. It also recognizes that he has just handed a cudgel to the opposition.

  • From Josh Marshall,

    That really is pretty stunning. Quinnipiac’s new poll has Giuliani at 40% in the race for the GOP nomination. McCain clocks in at a relatively feeble 18%. And Romney, with 7%, is beat out by Gingrich at 10%.

    Perhaps McCain’s comment was little more than gallows humor.

  • #8 libra….you had it right…It is funny! Ths thing is if he sucks up to everybody….who will believe him? Not that anybody does now….but to admit it? I think it’s hilarious!

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