Politics &Science & Technology admin on 07 Feb 2007 08:56 am
McCain’s “Pussy” Strikes a Nerve
(FiniteTimes.com) – Maverick U.S. Senator and 2008 GOP presidential hopeful John McCain is facing criticism for comments he made Wednesday concerning the botched murder/kidnapping incident that broke up NASA’s most notorious astronaut et trois and left one astronautette fighting for her freedom.
“She [Lisa Nowak] attacked the other woman [Colleen Shipman] with a BB gun and some lengths of rubber tubing to get a guy [Bill Oefelein],” McCain said in a speech delivered on the floor of the Senate. “What if she had been attacking a terrorist? The terrorist would have won, that’s what. She’s a pussy, and I think we should purge NASA of all pussies, that’s what I think.”
Feminists and women’s rights groups were quick to condemn the comment.
“John McCain is going to have a hard time winning over half the electorate if he feels that said half shouldn’t be allowed to fly for NASA,” said National Organization for Women spokeswoman Claire Garneau.
McCain’s official campaign exploratory committee, OneLegUp’08, claims the senator’s words were taken out of context.
“John McCain feels strongly that terrorism on future shuttle missions is a real problem,” said a OneLegUp’08 spokesman. “In his emotional plea for better astronaut training, he perhaps used words he now regrets.”
While most senators were reluctant to enter into the “pussy” fracas, most, including Connecticut Independent Joe Lieberman, agreed with McCain’s point.
“Look, Lisa Nowak should have slaughtered Colleen Shipman. I’m talking game over, Major Tom,” Lieberman said. “Shipman should have come out of that encounter looking like a Challenger stowaway. Anything less just gives comfort to the enemy.”
Democrats in Congress meanwhile have announced plans to hold oversight hearings into NASA’s handling of the situation. Many feel that the space agency ignored many warning signs – including graffiti recently discovered on the International Space Station – that could have diffused the situation before it reached its bizarre climax early Monday morning in an Orlando airport parking lot.
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