The reactions to this incident are clear evidence of the Media's Liberal Bias.

The fact that none of you seem to be able to understand that is clear evidence of your complicity.

I cannot understand the muted reaction to McCain tacit approval of Sen. Clinton being called a "b***h" by one of HIS supporters! (I am a Dem, but Mrs. Clinton is third or fourth on my list, so I'm NOT an angry supporter.) Male media types seem to be saying "big deal" with a shrug. (Howie Kurz should be asamed of himself. I'm ashamed of him.) Maybe because I'm a woman, I see it differently. I am pissed, both at McCain and at them! What if Sen. Obama had been referred to as a "n****r"? Would THAT have been worthy of a shrug and a wink? Bet not. Of course, Obama is a man. Turns out Hillary is not the one using the "gender card"!

I would love to see her say, in the debate tonight, with appropriate tough attitude:

I saw one of Sen. McCains' supporters called me a b****. Very insulting - for future reference, that's SENATOR b****!!!

There are so many republicans that bad mouth Senator Clinton, but when you ask them what she has actually done to warrant such a negative response, its all visceral responses, no concrete facts. Unfortunately, this incident just confirms what I have suspected for a long time, too many Republicans have concrete for brains. Allowing a fool to become president, and bad mouthing veterns (J. Kerry, Max Celland) when their president used his fathers influence to leave the Air Guard, when anyone else would have been Court Martialed for the same action. And a Vice President who had other things to do rathers than serve in the Military. Now they send other peoples children to get killed in a war that had no justification. Concrete for brains!

Ray 2007 has it exactly right: "Would he have laughed it off and reacted the same way if someone had been asking about Obama and said, 'How do we beat the n****r?'."

Progresssive and independent women who don't vote for Sen. Clinton are really missing the point. Since she is the most competent candidate in any event, allowing the oldest slur in the world to prevail sets women back a long time. This is a lot more than breaking through a glass ceiling. It's making sure a new one, much lower, and reburbished with stronger glass, is not installed everywhere women live and work in this country.

Would he have laughed it off and reacted the same way if someone had been asking about Obama and said, 'How do we beat the n****r?'. AND use the situation to raise funds? No. So there you go.

And Rick Sanchez probably couldn't find his way out of a paper bag with a flashlight and GPS...So it's bad, bad, bad, when you get caught up by Mr. Sanchez.

McCain, of course, has principles, strength, courage, and everything else that the talking head political pundits are so infatuated with (no word on whether he uses Aqua Velvet), so this whole incident will be ignored.

Why isn't anyone who's so dismayed and disgusted and disillusioned over the "plants" in Hillary Clinton's audiences even asking whether this person was a plant? Huh?

That sound you hear is my head exploding with the hypocrisy of political coverage.

And here I thought right-wingers were the ones who were appalled, just appalled! at all the horrible language used on the left.

Seriously, wingnuts: you motherfuckers really want to go down this road? 'Cause we'll be happy to oblige.

Besides the obvious ("How do we stop the self-hating torture victim?"), I look forward to this sort of exchange:

"Senator McCain, you used to tangle with the Christian-Right assholes. How did you beat those fucknuts?"

"Well, that's an excellent question. In fact, I decided I couldn't beat them, so, instead, I joined them. Completely fucking pussied out, I did!"

Giuliani is going to stick a plant in his next audience to use the "C" word.

Wait for it.....

The best retort for Hillary would be the simple question: "Does he have the guts to say that to my face?"

This could accomplish two things: Force McCain to back away from the b-word. And undercut all that goofy macho posturing that McCain and the other Repubs have been indulging in.

W[h]ere are the folks from the previous thread who said we should just ignore this slur? Those who suggested it was simply small and petty to criticize McCain for not denouncing it?

Is it still OK to call Hillary a bitch if you profit from it? Or is that finally crossing the line?

McCain didn't call Hillary Clinton a bitch, but he handled an individual supporter's use of the word badly. For that, I gave him a pass with some tsk-tsking.

But incorporating "the bitch incident" into your official campaign to profit from it in terms of news coverage and monetary donations is "crossing a line."

McCain needs to condemn these tactics and apologize for the conduct of his campaign staff.

FYI: This only legitimizes accusations of sexism and misogyny on the part of the candidates against Hillary Clinton. In my view, it makes her more sympathetic.

Were are the folks from the previous thread who said we should just ignore this slur? Those who suggested it was simply small and petty to criticize McCain for not denouncing it?

Is it still OK to call Hillary a bitch if you profit from it? Or is that finally crossing the line?

Well, this really isn't surprising to anyone paying attention. Certainly his base isn't offended - it's who they are: sexist idiots and authoritarian followers. McCain didn't repudiate the questioner because he himself thinks Hillary is a bitch.

Feel free to use your imagination to accurately come up with slurs he might use in private (or tolerate in public) to describe the other DemocratIC challengers. And if you think that's unfair I'll remind you that in the Age of Bush sexism, class-ism and racism are not only accepted but encouraged among the leadership and rank-and-file of the Republican Party.