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Go Home This One Defends "that One"

THE PLANK OCTOBER 8, 2008

This One Defends "that One"

BY MICHAEL SCHAFFER

I'm someone who, for vaguely humorous effect, sometimes refers to people as "this one" or "that one." As such, I didn't see much contempt in John McCain's now-infamous use of the latter term in last night's debate. I saw a cranky guy trying to make himself look funny and likeable, and it landed about as well as his hair-plugs line--I suspect people who like him saw a goofy way of engaging in Senatorial finger-pointing, and people who don't like him saw something else. If McCain hadn't already demonstrated a pattern of visible, unsportsmanlike disdain for his opponent, it wouldn't be an issue.That said, given our recent political history around botched jokes, it's always impressive on a tactical level to see the Democrats manage to gin up a phony outrage over this sort of thing.One other thing I know: It's time to strike "that one" from my own bit. (I will, however, hold on to my regular "I won't name you as Treasury Secretary" line. It kills at Davos!)--Michael Schaffer 

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22 comments

well, i don't agree. My disgust (outrage is too strong a word) was genuine. I thought it was pathetic on McCain's part.

- scire

October 8, 2008 at 9:42am

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"If McCain hadn't already demonstrated a pattern of visible, unsportsmanlike disdain for his opponent, it wouldn't be an issue."

Michael, all communication is context-specific.  "If" McCain were a different man, or Obama for that matter, "that one" might well have had a different connotation.  But of course, McCain is who he is; "that one" came a day after someone called Obama a "terrorist" in front of POWPOW and he old coot did not say "stop it".  "That one" came a few days after he said the "gloves are coming off" - whatever the hell that means when you are running around the country accusing your opponent of treason and terrorism - and it came after a debate in which Johnny Mac refused to look once in Obama's direction.

IN THAT CONTEXT, "that one" was not an endearing joke; it was, as it was perceived to be by many, a low, unsenatorial and unpresidential belittling and objectification of a worthy opponent.  Not to mention that it was in a critical context; McCain meant to draw a sharp distinction and was trying to link Obama to Bush/Cheney, for God's sake: just as linking Obama and Bush was not meant to be complimentary, "that one" was not meant to be a joke; it was deadly serious, meaning to put down the uppity boy.  I'm willing to bet you that in the South, a goodly number of septuagenerian white males slapped their knees at that point and said, "dang it, show the nigger!"

Let me put it this way, in court, I can joke and insult, I have all but called opposing counsel liars, but "that one" instead of "my learned colleagues opposite" would draw an instant rebuke.  Context, my good fellow; please drop the "ifs".

- icarusr

October 8, 2008 at 9:46am

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Why is nobody commenting on handshake-gate? Here's a guy from whom honor is central and he can't shake his opponent's hand?

www.philly.com/.../Disdainia.html

- robinmb

October 8, 2008 at 10:23am

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Frankly, it struck me not so much as offensive as illustrative of McCain as the cranky old next-door neighbor referring to the kid who left a flaming dog turd on his front step.

- WayneJM

October 8, 2008 at 10:24am

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Thank you icarusr.  Context is everything.  Also don't forget that McCain objectified Obama earlier in the debate when McCain was talking about Obama's liberal voting record and McCain referred to Obama as "this" and pointed at Obama.  McCain said "this (pointing to Obama) has the most liberal voting recording in the Senate" or words to that effect if I'm not mistaken.

- woland

October 8, 2008 at 10:32am

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There is a yellow one that won't

Accept the black one

That won't accept the red one

That won't accept the white one

Different strokes for different folks

And so on and so on and

Scooby dooby dooby

Ooh sha sha

I am everyday people [1]

[1] Sly & the Family Stone

- michael

October 8, 2008 at 10:32am

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.."that one" was not meant to be a joke; it was deadly serious, meaning to put down the uppity boy.  I'm willing to bet you that in the South, a goodly number of septuagenerian white males slapped their knees at that point and said, "dang it, show the nigger!...

You have a Bob Herbert complex.

- basman

October 8, 2008 at 10:33am

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robin: he did; it was the wives who did not.  And not important, in the big picture.

- icarusr

October 8, 2008 at 10:37am

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Was I correct in seeing Obama working the room after the debate but McCain made a beeline for the exit?  MSNBC was showing the activity in the Hall afterwards and Obama seemed intent on talking to just about everyone in the room and/or have his picture taken with audience members.  I didn't see McCain at all in that room.

- tnmats

October 8, 2008 at 10:40am

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basman:

If I do, then so does David Gergen.  He has been saying again and again, after each debate and in every analysis, that Obama's being black will be a factor in the election - and, perhaps, by as much as 6%.  I don't know about the numbers, but if you are suggestion that in the upcoming election race will not be a factor, and that in the deep South at anyrate and among a certain demographic, Obama's race will not be THE determining factor, then you're smoking something.

As for POWPOW's performance: let's just say I've seen the same attitude, the same contempt tinged with deep racist envy, directed at myself.  I used to bite my tongue out of politeness; as I get older, I don't.  I'm not a militant or an ideologue on this point, but I don't bury my head in the sand either'; it's there, I see it every day, I just let it go a lot of the time because it's not worth the hassle.  And of course race/ethnicity questions in Canada are far less charged than Black/White issues in the US.  

If any vis-min who does not live in an ethnic ghetto ever tells you that they have not experienced that same contempt or envy, they're lying to you or they are blissfully blind.  Thank your lucky stars that you have never had to put up with that shit to develop a "Bob Herbert syndrome".

McCain was contemptuous and, for that reason contemptible.

- icarusr

October 8, 2008 at 10:53am

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basman, tell me where, in the campaign that John McCain has run, he has earned the benefit of the doubt.

- boneill

October 8, 2008 at 10:57am

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I thought I saw obama go to shake mccain's hand, mccain didn't go for it, so obama shook hands with cindy. it was hard to see though if obama was really going for mccain or cindy in the first place.

- perkowitz

October 8, 2008 at 11:14am

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McCain calling Obama “that one” is being dissected by political observers, who, in a testament to the moment’s weirdness, haven’t come close to a consensus on its meaning.

- Anonymous

October 8, 2008 at 11:31am

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Ok, as much as it pains me to admit it, I didn't think anything of the "that one" while watching the debate; and although I understand the reasoning behind the perception, I still don't think anything of it.

I think it is a non-issue because it has been painfully obvious, at least to me, that McCain dislikes Obama personally and professionally (if such a distinction exists for McCain). This incident neither adds nor enhances that overall assessment. And compared to the whoppers they're telling on the campaign trail these days, this could be considered a pleasantry.

If he'd said "that boy", or some such, you might have a story here. But as it stands, all I saw was an attempt at an informal acknowledgement of a colleague that was supposed to appear to convey faux disdain which was ultimately corrupted by McCain's actual, less than glowing, personal opinion of Obama.

- GSpinks

October 8, 2008 at 11:40am

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That handshake thing definitely looks bad, but I think it might have something to do with McCain's injuries; if you watch him continually, he isn't shaking *anyone's* hand. My first guess is that his shoulder was too tired and sore from holding the mic for 90 minutes and there is otherwise no "there" there.

- GSpinks

October 8, 2008 at 11:45am

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These things are telling. McCain and Brokaw are old pals, so I get that McCain might have needled Brokaw a bit, as in the secretary of the treasury thing. But there are two ways you can approach the joke. The in-your-face asshole way is to say, "I certainly wouldn't pick you, Tom." The gracious, decent-guy way is to say, "Why Tom, are you applying for the job?"

I think every man can speak to the twin phenomena of trading insults among friends that, if an outsider heard it, she would think you all hated each other and were about to come to blows, as well as that of men having "friends" whom they don't actually like very much. And a frequent member of the latter fraternity is the guy who goes too far in the former behavior, who crosses the line from breaking your balls with jokes to sticking the knife in with real meanness. It's clear that McCain is that kind of guy. He's the guy who's such a jerk that other men might consider him a friend, but they probably don't actually like him very much. He's the guy you'd be honored to have as your own pallbearer, but you sure as hell don't want him delivering your eulogy (or comforting your widow).  

- rhubarbs

October 8, 2008 at 11:55am

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Michael,

McCain's open contempt for Obama was clearly conveyed in his use of the phrase you defend.  Last time they debated he didn't show Obama the respect of facing him as a man and looking him in the eye; his contempt is palpable.  In this context, his use of the expression can in no way be conflated with your innocent past use of the same two words.

You may be confused, but the rest of America got it, and it is reflected in the post-debate polling.

Neil

- purcellneil

October 8, 2008 at 12:10pm

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robinmb  and perkowitz,

McCain *did* shake Obama's hand, even Matt Yglesias now acknowledges:

andrewsullivan.theatlantic.com/.../mccain-wouldnt.html

- jobeek2

October 8, 2008 at 12:37pm

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purcellneil, I wasn't confused or defending. The lyrics mock-imitate the foolish people who insult each other for being tall, short, fat, skinny, white or black. Jeeze, "I am everyday people," means we're one...not part of a faction.

I could also explain Larry Graham's slap bass but it's just a song and most people got it the first time around (1969).

- michael

October 8, 2008 at 12:44pm

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Lyrics?  I was responding to your post, which seemed to miss the profoundly contemptuous attitude underlying McCain's dismissive "That One".  I don't get the "Everyday People" reference - McCain's attitude isn't necessarily rooted in bigotry.  I gather it flows more from a sense of entitlement not unlike Hillary's.

Sorry I didn't get it the first time around.  I must be thick.

Neil

- purcellneil

October 8, 2008 at 1:35pm

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michael and Neil, are you sure you are not cross-posting?  I think Neil is replying to Michael Shaffer; michael (small m) had the lyrics with the "everyday people" reference.

- icarusr

October 8, 2008 at 3:02pm

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Yes, thank you icarusr.  That is quite clearly what happened.  I am even thicker than I had supposed.  I cannot tell this one from that one myself!

Neil

- purcellneil

October 8, 2008 at 3:44pm

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