According to Cliff Schechter’s new unauthorized biography of John McCain, The Real McCain, the presidential candidate is quite temperamental.

So much so, apparently, that he once dropped the c-bomb on Cindy!

The book claims that during a 1992 campaign, the Arizona Senator called his wife the most revolting term for a certain female body part during a bitter tirade witnessed by three reporters and two staff aides.

“At one point, [Cindy McCain] playfully twirled McCain’s hair and said, ‘You’re getting a little thin up there,’” Schechter writes.

“McCain’s face reddened, and he responded, ‘At least I don’t plaster on the makeup like a trollop, you c*nt.’ Cindy McCain just gave an embarrassed smile and remained silent,” the account says. “The other people in the bus didn’t say anything, either. Everyone was utterly speechless.”

The Real John McCain: It’s not a pretty sight!

Asked to comment on the c-word claims, the McCain campaign denied everything, with aide Tucker Boundes saying: “This is tabloid trash… it has no basis in fact. It calls into question the journalists that report on this.”

Schechter, however, stands by his explosive claims (which are hardly new, and are among a long list of issues surrounding John McCain that we believe deserve closer media scrutiny), telling MomLogic.com:

“First of all, I wouldn’t have put this in my book if I wasn’t 100 percent confident that it was true. I heard this story from multiple sources, and little details matched up exactly when I talked to more than one person. And, although his staff has denied the claims, McCain himself has never denied the story directly, and I would bet you any amount of money that he never will.”

Moreover, Schechter says that the c-word incident is indicative of why American women, and mothers in particular, should be wary of John McCain.

“Look, he called his wife a c-word. If I called my wife that, I think I’d be living under a bridge somewhere - and rightfully so,” he said. “If you don’t want your daughter to grow up in a world where women are callously referred to as c-words, then do your homework on John McCain.”

What do you think? Do you believe John McCain called Cindy McCain this awful term - and would it change your opinion of him if he did?

We could post 1,000 video clips to demonstrate the greatness of the late Tim Russert and still not run out. You can’t sum up the man with one two-minute excerpt, but we came across this topical one over the weekend.

Here’s Tim Russert (may he rest in peace) taking GOP nominee John McCain to task over his Iraq policy and its inherent contradictory nature …

By now, most web-savvy voters have become quite familiar with the smart, sassy and sexy Obama Girl / Super Obama Girl, also known as Amber Lee Ettinger.

Whether she’s crushing on Barack (and Mike Gravel), or defending Obama from the attacks of Hillary Clinton, Amber Lee is a political force to be reckoned with!

But with the Democratic campaign in the books and the general election now in focus, she may have met her match … The Incredible McCain Girl!

Seriously, do not make Incredible McCain Girl angry. She may be extremely hot, but you won’t like her nearly as much when she’s angry. Trust us.

This just in: Sen. John McCain is not a fan of beer. So much for his credibility with those small town, town hall audiences he adores so!

Giving a speech the other day on fiscal restraint, John McCain was trying to say that as president, he’d veto every single bill with earmarks that arrived on his desk. But what came out of his mouth was a little different…

John McCain makes a Freudian slip of sorts… an ironic one, coming from the husband of Cindy McCain - the chairperson of a huge beer distribution company.

Keith Olbermann is kind of awesome.

Responding to John McCain’s remark that a timetable for withdrawing troops from Iraq is “not too important,” the MSNBC commentator called the GOP nominee’s perception of the war “a figment of his imagination.”

He proceeded to dissect the so-called context John McCain says his Iraq statements - both past and present - are always being taken out of!

He can be an extremist at times, but in this “Special Comment,” Olbermann simply let an assortment of John McCain quotes on Iraq to do the talking.

A mission where success would be fairly easy, he said. An overwhelming victory in a short period of time. Americans cheered as liberators!

The list of lies, false promises, misconceptions and absurd policy positions straight from Sen. McCain’s mouth goes on and on and on.

Here’s some “context” for you …

Follow the jump for Part II of Keith Olbermann’s scathing June 12 “Special Comment” on John McCain’s Iraq war policies and statements …

Continue reading this article …

With each passing day, Sen. John McCain furthers abandons his “maverick” persona and becomes more like the least popular president in U.S. history.

That’s fine with us, if it ends in his resounding defeat.

The Republican nominee was asked yesterday by Today host Matt Lauer if he had an estimated date for U.S. troops to begin returning home from Iraq.

McCain’s response:

Whatever John McCain’s message is (click here for his full interview with Lauer) in all of this, he’s not doing a terrific job of proving he’s the one who’s in touch with our troops and our national security needs.

Not to mention our economy, environment, civil liberties, and so on.

This isn’t his “100 years” remark, either, which was taken somewhat out of context. This is quite straightforward - and our soldiers and their families would probably take issue with McCain’s assertion that it’s not too important.

We’ve already examined them in a pop culture showdown, but John McCain and Barack Obama are as different in political ideology as they are in style.

The respective Republican and Democratic presidential hopefuls have conflicting philosophies about U.S. tax policy - specifically, how to cut taxes, raise revenue needed for programs, spur growth and ensure fairness.

But all you probably care about is whether the candidates’ views impact your personal tax bill - be it for better or for worse.

Like most people, we’re not experts on economics, but we’ve made broad assumptions about the tax policies of Obama and McCain anyway:

John McCain: The average taxpayer in every income group would see a lower tax bill, but high-income taxpayers would benefit more than anyone.

Barack Obama: High-income taxpayers would pay more, while everyone else’s taxes would be reduced. Lower- and middle-income groups benefit most.

Are these assumptions on or off the mark?

A new report released on Wednesday by the nonpartisan Tax Policy Center in Washington, D.C., sheds some light on that question…

Basically, if you make between $66,000 and $227,000, or even $603,000, these tax cuts won’t impact you much. The differences are almost negligible.

Obviously, the people on the lower end of the spectrum could use that extra money, and it does make a difference. But for the most part, the middle- and upper-middle class remain largely unaffected, amazingly.

Whether these tax bracket shifts actually occur once either John McCain or Barack Obama occupies the Oval Office is a question for another day, as well.

Well-cast foes featuring stark distinctions in background, presentation, personality and policy, Sens. John McCain and Barack Obama are about to engage in a presidential campaign unlike any we’ve seen before.

George W. Bush and John Kerry had their differences, sure. But either way, we were guaranteed a Yale graduate and Skull & Bones member. This year’s Republican and Democratic contenders couldn’t be any less alike.

Over the next five months, McCain and Obama will spar frequently and campaign relentlessly as they seek votes of undecided Americans.

Debating economic policy, civil liberties, foreign policy views and whether or not the other is capable of keeping us safe and representing us around the world, each will offer many important reasons for you to support them.

Below, we will do no such thing.

But we’ve broken down the two candidates in the upcoming general election just the same, measuring strictly in terms of popular culture impact …

COOL SUPPORTERS

Barack Obama: will.i.am, Warren Buffett, George Clooney, Tom Hanks, Ellen Pompeo, Jessica Biel, Sidney Poitier, Samuel L. Jackson, etc., etc., etc.
John McCain: [withdraws name from ballot in this race]
Edge: Obama

NOT-COOL SUPPORTERS

Barack Obama: Jeremiah Wright, Bill Ayers
John McCain: Heidi Montag, Spencer Pratt
Edge: McCain

BIGGEST YOUTUBE FANS

Barack Obama: Obama Girl
John McCain: McCain Girls
Edge: Obama

DAUGHTERS’ HOBBIES

Barack Obama: Riding bikes, dance recitals
John McCain: Blogging from campaign trail
Edge: McCain

Continue reading this article …

Safe. That’s the title of Sen. John McCain’s new TV ad, the first of the general election season that informally began when Sen. Barack Obama clinched the Democratic nomination on Tuesday night.

With no small amount of patriotism, and referencing his family’s long history of military service, John McCain insists that he, more than anyone, understands the terrible costs of war - and is running for President to keep Americans safe.

Follow the jump for another recent John McCain TV ad campaign, this one a full 60 seconds long and even more detailed …

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As the primary season drew to a close, Sen. John McCain spoke in suburban New Orleans, attempting to portray himself as the real agent of change in this election - with the new tagline, “A Leader We Can Believe In” to prove it.

No matter who wins the general election, John McCain told supporters in Kenner, La., the direction of the United States will change dramatically - the choice voters have to make is between the right change and the wrong change.

The first thing we’d change personally? The hideous green background behind the Arizona Senator during his speech. Blegh!

In all seriousness, John McCain will have to do a lot better than this…

Follow the jump for the transcript of John McCain’s speech …

Continue reading this article …