Actually John McCain has no recollection of the joke he told back in 1986, but of course he can hardly remember what he said yesterday so that isn't saying much. Back then, Senatorial candidate made a joke that he thought everyone would burst out laughing over and the Tucson Citizen still remembers it to this very day.
From Rum, Romanism and Rebellion:
In Arizona, we’ve seen a pattern of this sort of humor. Long time Arizonenses remember the “seizure world” comment that poked fun at the elderly, ironic now that he’s the oldest candidate for president (I guess it was inevitable that it would become ironic). I managed to dig up this gem from his 1986 race for US Senate, as quoted in the Tucson Citizen:
Did you hear the one about the woman who is attacked on the street by a gorilla, beaten senseless, raped repeatedly and left to die? When she finally regains consciousness and tries to speak, her doctor leans over to hear her sigh contently and to feebly ask, ‘Where is that marvelous ape?’
I find rape jokes are always a sign of class, don’t you?
At the time, McCain’s spokesperson (Torrie Clark, yes, that one) alleged that this was story was some manipulation by the Richard Kimball campaign. Yep, it’s always the other guy’s fault. I wonder if the reporter on that story, Norma Coile, was treated to the screaming phone call that McCain has treated so many local reporters to when they dare write a negative story about him.
UPDATE - Because you demanded it, here is a PDF of the original article from 1986.
Of course, McCain was only in his early 50s when he said this, so maybe it was just a sign of youthful indiscretion. Then again, I am in my late 20s and find this absolutely disgusting, tasteless and a sign of a man with not an ounce of his class in his entire body. How anyone can consider him a "presidential" candidate is beyond me.
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