Fade in.
A very important looking man sits in a chair. A little blond girl scampers into his lap. The man looks lovingly at the girl.
“Hi, princess.”
“Hi Daddy!”
“I love you. You know that, right?”
“Yes Daddy.”
“You are my special little lady. You know that, right?”
“Yes Daddy.”
“And no matter how big you get, you will always be my little girl. You know that, right?”
“Yes Daddy.”
“And if one day you say something stupid on TV that might cost me some votes, I will throw you under the bus as soon as look at you. You know that, right?”
“Yes Daddy.”
“That’s my special little girl.”
Meghan McCain got some buzz on Sunday by calling Christine O’Donnell a “nut job,” but on “GMA” today her dad didn’t take the bait.
“My daughter and I have very spirited conversations from time to time and it’s a lot of fun,” Sen. John McCain told me. “With all due respect to my daughter, the primary voters of Delaware chose Christine O’Donnell and she’s the candidate.”
Nice. I wonder if he backed up the Straight Talk Express over her just to make sure she wouldn’t get up.
Don’t worry John, I am sure she will forget all about it by Thanksgiving.
October 20, 2010 at 6:10 am
I wouldn't call that throwing someone under the bus– Miss McCain is only big news because of who her father is, and what her views are; Ms. O'Donnell is the candidate, and basically saying "Yeah, my daughter and I are totally different on politics, I have to support O'Donnell because that's the rules" is far from some sort of vicious turning on.
What, are all parents supposed to back up whatever "ooh, look at me, I'm different" stuff their college age daughter or son says?
Thank goodness my folks never did that– mom is still rather annoying with the whole "don't argue for it if you can't argue against it" stuff if I don't lay out both sides at the get-go.
If I ever did something to try to screw with my folks like that, I'd be glad if I got such a graceful response!
October 20, 2010 at 6:21 am
Sounds to me like he handled it politely and with respect to his daughter's loudly differing opinion. Am I missing something?
October 20, 2010 at 6:45 am
Sounds like a graceful response to me. I am not sure how that gets construed as throwing her under the bus. Honestly, I do not know what he could have said better. I am not looking for an argument, but, in your view, what response could he have made that did not involve a bus?
October 20, 2010 at 9:42 am
If he threw her under any bus, it was the Magic School Bus. That wasn't anything. 'We have several disagreements that make for interesting and intense debates over family dinners. My daughter is entitled to her opinions, but that's who the voters chose.' That sounds accurate and fair – I wouldn't ask any more of my dad.
October 20, 2010 at 10:24 am
Yes, but notice McCain didn't deny O'Donnell is a nut job. He just stated the facts. O'Donnell is the candidate. And we all know she's the candidate and not a witch.
It seems like the McCains are on the same page and they are going to have a lovely Thanksgiving.
October 20, 2010 at 12:35 pm
You people are no fun.
October 20, 2010 at 12:39 pm
FIFY:
"And if one day you say something stupid on TV that might cost me some votes, or might offend someone I might have to work with next year, I will throw you under the bus as soon as look at you I won't confirm you in your foolishness, but I won't call you an impolitic airhead either. You know that, right?"
October 20, 2010 at 1:46 pm
It's those conservatives, doncha know:-)? JOKE, JOKE!!
October 20, 2010 at 3:00 pm
He ought to tell her to sit down and shut up.
October 20, 2010 at 7:47 pm
Just for the record, if he were a good daddy, what would he have said?
October 20, 2010 at 8:25 pm
I have to agree that it seems like a nice response to me.
October 21, 2010 at 9:07 pm
I agree with Dymphna. And if he had more hootzpah, maybe we'd have him in office today. Although now I'm beginning to realize it wouldn't have made too much difference – ego aside.
October 23, 2010 at 1:37 am
Nonsense, she is only articulating what the old man believes but doesn't have the gonads to say.