Whoopi Goldberg | 09/05/2008 1:45 pm

Whoopi Goldberg: 'John McCain Now Is a Republican Talking Head'

I’ve been looking at a lot of John McCain’s speech from last night. He looked good, I will say that. But I thought the speech was average. Now, John McCain I had a lot of respect for, I really did. He is a war hero and no one can take that honor away from him. He served his country with honor and valor and I respect that and always have. I like John McCain. I liked him better when he was a real maverick. And he made a lot of noise last night about being a maverick. I believed he was a maverick when he put together the bill on immigration because he felt there was a better way to take care of what was going on with illegal immigration in the country. He had a smart way of taking care of business and I respected him for that and liked him for that.

I respected him that though he didn’t feel that abortion was right, he understood that choice was necessary. I appreciated him for that and that’s what made him a maverick to me. The many times he clashed heads with the administration — the many things he said about the war and how he felt it should be done and the things I believed he could have brought to the table. I respected him for that. I believed in him for that. And when he ran before, against George W. Bush, I respected him and felt that he would have made a much better president — if we had to have a Republican — than Bush. So I have a lot of respect for John McCain.

I don’t agree with him on a lot of issues. I especially do not agree with him now that he has actually become not a maverick Republican, but a Republican Republican. He stood with people that he spoke about in previous terms as being people who do not speak for the country. He spent time with people that you have to spend time with. You have to make the bridges, you have to build the bridges, you have to be a connector force. But the one thing John McCain never did, he never pretended to be a Republican talking head. But now, after last night’s speech, John McCain is a Republican talking head. He is those people he spoke out against. He is those people that he worked to get to see a better way to do things. He is no longer a maverick — he is the same as everybody else. That distresses me. It distresses me a ton.

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Juliana, the lies are not nearly as appalling as the truth. One can be a feminist and still oppse a female running for office on the ground that she is: [pick one or all] 1] unschooled in foreign affairs 2] seems to see the war in Iraq as a religious war and supports it unequivocably, despite what we have all learned, namely that the ground given for the invasion was never true. 3] she is anti-choice and opposed to sex education and otherwise a danger to young women 4] she abuses power; she tried to get books banned at a library and then tried to fire the librarian; she almost got recalled for that; she fired the police chief when the town she was mayor of had a huge meth problem; she evidently tried to get her former brother in law fired and when that did not happen, she fired the guy who refused to fire him. 5] she denies the fact that global warming is caused by people’s behavior, and 6] she attended conventions with her husband of an organization planning to get Alaska to secede from the United States. See I don’t care if she had an affair. I didn’t care if John Edwards or Bill Clinton had an affair either. I still think some things are private and if she is happily married and never had an affair, bully for her, but it is none of my business. Her competence, or lack thereof, is my business. There are odd things about her too. Why did she attend five colleges over six years? That just seems bizarre. Hillary amended her comments today to be “No Way. Nohow, No McCain, No Palin.” To be clear. In case those of you who supported Hillary value her judgment.

By Elizabeth Bennett on 09/06/2008 7:14 pm

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Marcie - what I can believe is your hypocritical indignation After the disgusting calculated smear campaign being waged by Whoopi along with liberals /democrats, about Sarah Palin, its rather hypocritical for you to be ‘whining’ about Elizabeth. Pot meet kettle!

By Juliana LeBlanc on 09/06/2008 11:15 am

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OMG Juliana…I just read your 2 posts, and I just want to say that I am glad for you, that you CHOSE to live in America! Land of the free-to-tell-half-truths, and the home of free speech-without clear rational thinking! Welcome! (BTW, you seem to fit right in)

By Patty E on 09/06/2008 11:26 am

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Here I am again third day in a row, complaining about these cheesy radio talk show hosts, so called “pundits”, whatever that means. Highly paid men who obtain great amusement on the backs of women. http://mediamatters.org/items/200809050025?lid=577651&rid=13990092 http://mediamatters.org/items/200809050024?lid=577649&rid=13990092 http://mediamatters.org/items/200809040008?f=h_popular http://mediamatters.org/items/200809050016?lid=577634&rid=13990092 Why is this utter contempt for women, all women Republicans and Democrats alike, all of you out there, why are we permitting this? Have we learned nothing in the past 40 years of trying to have equality and respect? Why are these men allowed to make such astromical salaries at OUR expense? Why are we not calling loudly and publicly to boycott the products that sponsor these guys? I think it is a very important issue as to why this spate of contempt towards us is so received on the networks. And, every time they do this,they exploit you and me, ladies. Are you laughing? Do you think this is as amusing as these men do? Are you calling up their radio shows and protesting? If not, why not? Perhaps, you are not aware of this. I know I wasn’t, and now that I am, I am so angry about it. Even though I fundamentally disagree with Bonnie, Frannie, Marjorie or a number of you politically, I would never deny your right to disagree with me or have a different life view, but these guys are denigrating you just like they are me. This is not a political party issue. Truth is, I simply did not know where on wow to put these links. But, I’m mad, I’m damned mad that apparently this is considered acceptable in the wide world of talk radio. And, I’m imploring you to take a moment away from the politics and consider carefully what is happening here, and why, after all of our work to break glass ceilings, why, and how much are these jerks setting us back. Thank you for letting me blow off my steam in this posting.

By Diana T on 09/06/2008 12:38 pm

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Well done Diana—really well done.

By Frank Peterson on 09/06/2008 12:58 pm

It is pathetic.If you disagree with someone then you do it on the issues.You dont make fun of their physical attributes or gender.I am glad I dont listen to radio.

By Tom L on 09/06/2008 4:21 pm

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Tom, I guess my big question is to the women who are aware of this type of talk. I don’t listen to talk radio either, but I did not know it was so graphic as this. So, why are women putting up with these degrading conversations? And, what can we do about it? Do these guys think it’s funny or something? My god, I am so angry about it, and I will speak up; that is just the way I am.

By Diana T on 09/06/2008 4:34 pm

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There is no need for that type of attack.They are suppose to be professionals.I dont think you can stop them but by emailing them and their sponsors maybe they will think twice before takeing cheap shots.You probably have their email and websites but here they are again Mark Levin http://marklevinshow.com/ marklevin.show@citcomm.com Chris Baker chrisbaker@ktlkfm.com http://www.ktlkfm.com/pages/chrisbaker.html Jim Quinn http://www.warroom.com/ quinn@warroom.com Mark Belling 12100 W. Howard Avenue Greenfield, WI 53228 414-799-1130 markbelling@clearchannel.com http://www.belling.com/

By Tom L on 09/06/2008 5:33 pm

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Tom, what a darling you are to post these addresses! Thank you so very much. I guess my question is twofold: Why? And,secondly, why should women stand by and let this happen?? Does this come from mainly from FOX or clear channel? Do you realize what the possibilities would be if thousands of women got so angry they said something or started jamming the phone lines and emails of these jerks? I just don’t get it.

By Diana T on 09/06/2008 7:39 pm

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There is no sense in it.As to why women dont respond I not sure.Why do reporters always ask if Sarah Palin can take care of her family and do the job?I have never heard a man ask that question. The only radio stations that I think are part of FOX are BOR,Hannity, and Colmes.Those 3 have radio stations.If women started emailing them that would definately get their attention lol.It is a good way to let them know that your not going to take it.That is how you make them listen.

By Tom L on 09/06/2008 9:05 pm

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Whoopi, I am enjoying your blog and wondering why you are not presenting your viewpoint in this fashion on The View. As a regular viewer, I find myself frustrated that the real issues are often not on the table. It appears that there is a level of censorship over there. Elisabeth appears to only parrot GOP talking points from Faux News. If Elisabeth is going to continue to dredge up Rev. Wright, then someone should counter with religious affiliations of McCain/Palin. A discussion about a President who thinks that God ordained the war in Iraq (both Bush and Palin believe this), would be interesting. A discussion on Palin’s affiliation with the Alaska Independence movement and the hypocrisy of how she then could be President of the USA would be helpful. I look forward to your blogs on these and other topics, and would be overjoyed if you would take your blog opinions over to The View.

By Linda Rice on 09/06/2008 12:46 pm

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WHHOOOPPPPPPPPPPIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! DO me a big favor WHOOPI PLEASE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! ASK ELISABETH WHAT IS THE DEFINTION OF A “REAL AMERICAN” THAT’S WHAT SHE SAID SARAH PALIN WAS. DOES SHE NOT THINK BARACK AND MICHELLE OR BIDEN ARE NOT REAL AMERICANS. I HATE THAT TERM. aNYWAY i’M JUST CURIOUS TO HERE HER DEFINITION. I’LL BE LISTENING MONDAY ! I agree with a lot of the things you post on your blog. But I can’t help but notice on the View it seems like you tend to hold back. I totally agree with your assesment on John and Ms. Palin. HOW COME YOU DON’T EXPRESS THOSE FEELINGS AT THE TABLE??? Elisa. CONSTANTLY DREDGED UP REv. WRIGHT AND OTHER IRRELEVANT ISSUES REGARDING THE PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION. eVERYONE IGNORES THAT SARAH AND HER HUBBY WERE APART OF AN INDEPENDENT ALASKA GROUP. hOW UNAMERICAN IS THAT???

By Jimeka Marshall on 09/06/2008 1:02 pm

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Jimeka..very good question..what is a real American?? I think I am a “real American”…and, like obama, first generation on my father’s side..my dad became a citiizen in Hawaii while fighting for the US in WW2, like Obama’s grandpa..you could not find a more patriotic man…I always loved the diversity of the US…like the restaurant in the town I once lived in “The Shamrock-Italian and Chinese cuisine”!! My dad fostered in me a love of languages, which I ended up turning into a career as a foreign language teacher. It enabled me to meet not only people from other countries, but work with students from all levels of the economic scale..but mostly low or middle class., and all sorts of races and ethnic groups. Once , while explaining the movement of people around the world throughout history, I told them:’now that we have DNA, we can trace everyone back to one woman in Africa’ Some wise guy asked “Does that mean we are all black” Equally wise I said :”yes, some of us are just lighter than others” I would agree with you on not liking the term “Real American” if it is meant to be exclusionary but perhaps the Palins are, but no more (or less than Michelle and Barack) I would like more than anything if we could all just get along! But there are a lot of differing opinions out there, a lot of different agendas. I would like to know more about Palin…but so far…well, I wouldn’t want her for our next president And, yes, if they belonged to a secessionist group….not very American..but all the facts aren’t in yet on that I think but..would love to hear Elisabeth answer your question!!

By Dutch 163 on 09/06/2008 2:38 pm

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The big problem in these United States of America is that Obama’s skin is brown… and to admit it would be racial…and we all know how Americans feel about race…a county that had laws in place to keep certain people from drinking from a public water fountain…laws to keep children in separate schools because of skin color…laws that forbid you to purchase property because of your skin color….laws that said that you could not sit at a counter and order food because of your skin color…laws that said you could not vote because unless your grandfather voted because of your skin color….laws that made you pay a tax before you could vote because of skin color..These laws are now no longer on the books…however the custom still exists in a lot of the people…and I still say the real reason people have a problem with Obama is that his skin is brown…not beige…

By Annette Murphy on 09/06/2008 1:13 pm