McCain calls for review of 'stand your ground' laws

[Penny Lane 8,159]

(CNN) - Sen. John McCain, who lost in 2008 to the first African-American elected to the White House, said President Barack Obama's speech about race relations was "very impressive" and agreed that "stand your ground" laws should be re-examined, including those in his own state of Arizona.

"The 'stand your ground' law may be something that may needs to be reviewed by the Florida legislature or any other legislature that has passed such legislation," McCain said on CNN's "State of the Union."

Arizona is one of 30 states that have such laws, which give individuals certain legal rights in cases of self-defense. The law in Florida has come under scrutiny recently during the trial of George Zimmerman, a neighborhood watch volunteer who shot and killed teenager Trayvon Martin last year during a confrontation.

Asked if he thinks Arizona should review the law, McCain said: "Yes, I do."

"And I'm confident that the members of the Arizona legislature will, because it is very controversial legislation," he told CNN chief political correspondent Candy Crowley.

McCain said he didn't agree with fellow Republican Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas, who argued Friday the Obama administration is calling for a review of "stand your ground" laws as a way to further its agenda against Second Amendment rights.

"Isn't it time for America to come together?" McCain asked. "I'd rather have a message of coming together and discussing these issues rather than condemning.

"I respect (Cruz's) view, but I don't frankly see the connection," he added.

McCain said that while American society has made progress on racial issues, the recent tensions over the Trayvon Martin case have "highlighted the differences that remain."

"What I got out of the president's statement, which I thought was very impressive, is that we need to have more conversation in America," he said. "I need to talk to more of my Hispanic organizations in my state. I need to talk to more African-American organizations."

The longtime senator pointed to the economic disparities between African-Americans and other demographic groups, citing the city of Detroit, which he called a "wasteland," as an example.

"What's the majority of the population in the city of Detroit? Who suffers the most? Obviously we know the answer," he said of the city that filed for bankruptcy last week.

The main point that can be drawn from the president's speech on Friday, McCain said, was that "we've still got a long way to go."

"And I think the president very appropriately highlighted a lot of that...as only the president of the United States can," he said.

http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2013/07/21/mccain-calls-for-review-of-stand-your-ground-laws/?hpt=hp_t3

[Jacque67 7,328]

OMG Will he never learn to retire from politics. He may have done some heroic things in Vietnam, but the fact he chose to campaign with Palin, shows dementia has set in. Probably a member of staff has advised him to make a comment on this case in order to remain "relevant "

[JohnR! 5,495]

McCain said that while American society has made progress on racial issues, the recent tensions over the Trayvon Martin case have "highlighted the differences that remain."

McCain is amongst the few members of the thinking caucus of the GOP. The rest of the Republican'ts will have his hide for sensible remarks such as the above.

[Karee 4,190]

The real John McCain died in 2007/2008 when he went over to the dark side and realized you have to pander to the right wing religious nuts in this country to get the GOP nomination. I guess GWB taught him that lesson in 2000.

[GandD 5,966]

The real John McCain died in 2007/2008 when he went over to the dark side and realized you have to pander to the right wing religious nuts in this country to get the GOP nomination. I guess GWB taught him that lesson in 2000.

Yes

[Penny Lane 8,159]

The real John McCain died in 2007/2008 when he went over to the dark side and realized you have to pander to the right wing religious nuts in this country to get the GOP nomination. I guess GWB taught him that lesson in 2000.

You'd think they'd learn that while that gets you the nomination, it kills you in the actual election because you look like a nut to the rest of the country.

[Karee 4,190]

You'd think they'd learn that while that gets you the nomination, it kills you in the actual election because you look like a nut to the rest of the country.

It's a catch 22 thing. You'll never get the republican nomination by being a moderate. However, when you do get the republican nomination by being right wing nut, then the your democrat opponent beats you over the head with all the crazy $hit you said in the primaries to win the nomination in the first place. That's why you'll never see someone like Chris Christie or any other moderate republican win the nomination to run in the general election. Prepare to see Democrats in the white house for a long time in the future until the republican party can rid themselves of the religious crazies.

It's almost funny when they go on about how bad Islamist extremism is, yet the right wing christians in this country have alot in common with them. The Christian right in this country is basically a mild form of the Taliban. They just threaten people with calling them out for being "un-christian" rather than blowing them up. The principle is the same though.

[We Keep Receipts 9,238]

It's a catch 22 thing. You'll never get the republican nomination by being a moderate. However, when you do get the republican nomination by being right wing nut, then the your democrat opponent beats you over the head with all the crazy $hit you said in the primaries to win the nomination in the first place. That's why you'll never see someone like Chris Christie or any other moderate republican win the nomination to run in the general election. Prepare to see Democrats in the white house for a long time in the future until the republican party can rid themselves of the religious crazies.

It's almost funny when they go on about how bad Islamist extremism is, yet the right wing christians in this country have alot in common with them. The Christian right in this country is basically a mild form of the Taliban. They just threaten people with calling them out for being "un-christian" rather than blowing them up. The principle is the same though.

Truth. We had this discussion in a Game Stop on Friday. Basically, in order to get the nomination you have to hate someone or something.

If the WBC was in charge, it would be like the Taliban here in the US. I rather not think about it.

[mrrobj 20]

It's a catch 22 thing. You'll never get the republican nomination by being a moderate. However, when you do get the republican nomination by being right wing nut, then the your democrat opponent beats you over the head with all the crazy $hit you said in the primaries to win the nomination in the first place. That's why you'll never see someone like Chris Christie or any other moderate republican win the nomination to run in the general election. Prepare to see Democrats in the white house for a long time in the future until the republican party can rid themselves of the religious crazies.

It's almost funny when they go on about how bad Islamist extremism is, yet the right wing christians in this country have alot in common with them. The Christian right in this country is basically a mild form of the Taliban. They just threaten people with calling them out for being "un-christian" rather than blowing them up. The principle is the same though.

Spot on!

This appears to be a common reality with the Republican party......and it continues like clock work. I mean, who does not understand this?

Given this reality, why don't the "religious crazies", as you call them, of the party.... can't comprehend this reality and wake up and smell the coffee. Don't they want their party to win a Presidential election in the next decade or more??

Or, are they seriously crazy and simply just can't comprehend or control how their actions are steadily hurting their party. Even after all that talk in the last election about how they vowed to make changes, look what they are doing right now???? They pushing these issues even further at full throttle.......so much for those changes, lol....

Since I'm a registered Democrat and obviously bias, can a Republican on this board please explain this? I'm honestly curious as what their position is on how their Republican party should move forward.....

[Penny Lane 8,159]

There is no moving forward for the Republican party until they become more inclusive than exclusive.

There is no reason right now for women, minorities, LGBT folks, or youth to flock over to the Republicans. The Republicans, to many of those groups, represent an extreme they do not support.

Until they figure that sh*t out, they won't be seeing the White House for awhile.

[RGinWA 816]

Spot on!

This appears to be a common reality with the Republican party......and it continues like clock work. I mean, who does not understand this?

Given this reality, why don't the "religious crazies", as you call them, of the party.... can't comprehend this reality and wake up and smell the coffee. Don't they want their party to win a Presidential election in the next decade or more??

Or, are they seriously crazy and simply just can't comprehend or control how their actions are steadily hurting their party. Even after all that talk in the last election about how they vowed to make changes, look what they are doing right now???? They pushing these issues even further at full throttle.......so much for those changes, lol....

Since I'm a registered Democrat and obviously bias, can a Republican on this board please explain this? I'm honestly curious as what their position is on how their Republican party should move forward.....

They love a wedge issue and love their base. So hating is just part of the game.

Both parties want to play politics yet the GOP is better at hate.

[Karee 4,190]

There is no moving forward for the Republican party until they become more inclusive than exclusive.

There is no reason right now for women, minorities, LGBT folks, or youth to flock over to the Republicans. The Republicans, to many of those groups, represent an extreme they do not support.

Until they figure that sh*t out, they won't be seeing the White House for awhile.

Yeah and their lame attempt at supporting amnesty for illegal aliens as a way to be more inclusive isn't going to win them any supporters that's for sure.

I know it's boring, but they should focus more on fiscal responsibility. They're recent track record on that hasn't been great though. It's tough to run against a party that is all about giving people free stuff. People like free stuff, and I think the majority of them don't realize that free stuff isn't really free. Someone, somewhere, has to pay for it at some point.

[Karee 4,190]

Given this reality, why don't the "religious crazies", as you call them, of the party.... can't comprehend this reality and wake up and smell the coffee. Don't they want their party to win a Presidential election in the next decade or more??

Because they're religious CRAZIES. Crazy people don't understand logic. Crazy religious people are even worse. They're not only illogical, but they believe that some all knowing being up in the sky is 100% behind their craziness. That makes them exponentially more crazy when they think they have god in their corner. They could care less if the republican party wins another election. As long as they did the lord's work trying to make it happen, then there's a special place for them up in the sky after their Social Security runs out and they starve to death. Same with the Islamic nuts and the virgins and all that.

It's a pretty easy decision really. If someone could convince me that I could spend eternity getting laid by 70+ virgins on a daily basis, rather than living a squalid existence in some $hithole in Pakistan, I might consider blowing myself up I doubt I could ever be convinced of that though. 70+ women and 1 man has trouble written all over it. I don't care if they're virgins or not. Sounds more like hell to me.

[mrrobj 20]

Because they're religious CRAZIES. Crazy people don't understand logic. Crazy religious people are even worse. They're not only illogical, but they believe that some all knowing being up in the sky is 100% behind their craziness. That makes them exponentially more crazy when they think they have god in their corner. They could care less if the republican party wins another election. As long as they did the lord's work trying to make it happen, then there's a special place for them up in the sky after their Social Security runs out and they starve to death. Same with the Islamic nuts and the virgins and all that.

It's a pretty easy decision really. If someone could convince me that I could spend eternity getting laid by 70+ virgins on a daily basis, rather than living a squalid existence in some $hithole in Pakistan, I might consider blowing myself up I doubt I could ever be convinced of that though. 70+ women and 1 man has trouble written all over it. I don't care if they're virgins or not. Sounds more like hell to me.

LOL!!!

[Penny Lane 8,159]

That your wife, mrrobj?