McDonnell drops F-bomb in live interview
WASHINGTON (CNN) - Bob McDonnell, the normally-disciplined Republican candidate for governor in Virginia, mistakenly blurted out the F-bomb during a live radio interview on Friday.
Appearing on Washington-area radio station WTOP, McDonnell was sparring with host Mark Plotkin on the topic of transportation funding.
Plotkin asked if McDonnell would consider an increase in the state gasoline tax to help fund the transportation budget. McDonnell said no, and uttered the expletive during his response.
"So no tax will be raised during your four-year term?," Plotkin asked.
McDonnell answered: "I'm going to find other ways to be able to fund transportation. I've outlined twleve f-ing funding mechanisms that are creative, that are entrepreneurial."
The remark was first flagged by the Virginia Democratic blog NotLarrySabato.
McDonnell is running against Democrat Creigh Deeds in the governor's race, one of two marquee political battles in 2009 along with the New Jersey governor's race.
UPDATE: McDonnell communications director Tucker Martin said McDonnell's remark was nothing more than a verbal flub.
"At one point Bob was speaking quickly, and in trying to say 'funding mechanism,' he stumbled and accidentally said another word," Martin said. "It was unintentional, and anyone who spends any time around Bob knows he does not use such language. It was an accident. It is that simple."
Martin called it "disappointing" that the Deeds campaign is spending "so much time and energy aggressively pushing this absolutely trivial matter to every blog and media outlet they can think of."
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And he says he has changed from his youthful indiscretions....golly I think he took lessons from Cheney remember the statement he yelled out at one of the Senators......tsk tsk tsk those republicans sure need a lot of soap....
the word has probably been added to the most recent dictionary update as a slang term used, unfortunately, in everyday language....
In the spirit of George Allen, Bob McDonnell may have just had his "macaca" moment. 🙂
Yep, the Republicans are the moral party alright. Geez. Swearing, cheating on their spouses, trying to pick up guys in the bathroom, hitting on underage interns and the list goes on and on, yet they stand all righteous and holier than though putting themselves above democrats. Palease!
The gas tax needs to be increased. 20 years kept at the same amount, with no increase for inflation, is ridiculous. Anybody who says they will find other ways means only one thing: government will be strangled, bad roads won't be fixed, starving of the poor, no health care for children of the poor. Get real, people. Of course we need an increase in the gas tax!
Well finally someone that speaks like the rest of America.
Way to Go!!!! The Republicans are FINALLY coming out fighting – and ironically acting like the Democrats have for the past 8 years! Woohoo!!!!! "F"ing is no longer a bad word – remember – back when the conservatives wanted to get it out of the lyrics of songs, or at least get those songs away from our kids... and the liberals cried – no no no – censorship, free speech... this is just a word of the times... etc etc! Well.... here ya go! Coming right back at ya in spades!!! whoops... am I allowed to use the word SPADE now? I forget!?
We better start electing Republicans again, otherwise they are going to get angry. Even a man of God has to curse-what is this country coming to?
Don't stop there-curse all the feminists who think a woman should be able to go out and work in this society for (get this) equal pay! Curse all the reverse racists who want to see Hispanics in the Supreme Court and blacks in the White House!
Only people like Pat Robertson's disciples can truly love their country!
Oh, please!
He just mispronounced "funding" and immediately said "funding" correctly.
It could happen to any of Obama's preachers under pressure of a live broadcast.
lolwut
To Jules Sand-Perkins:
YOU LIE!!!
NO...This was not an accident. These words don't slip unless you use them quite often. Please...true colors come out most inconveniently, don't they?
Another grand example of that grand old party going into the gutter. They all sound desperate to me-especially that idiot that yelled out during the President's speech in the halls of Congress. He should be reprimanded. We teach our children manners and civility. I think he owes the country an apology.
McDonnell shows himself to be not qualified to be an elected representaive of the US American people, apparently he does not have proper command of the English Language. If he does get elected (many US Americans have language deficits themselves,), let's hope he'll be a supporter of education reform. It is an insult and an international catastophe for McDonnell to think he is reaching the voters in Virginia through ill speech. Why would Virginians want their Reps to be "dumbing them down"? Is this US America's showcase?
I suppose all those parents in Virginia that kept their children home from school so that their fragile minds would not be tarnished by our presidentls speech are more than willing to let their kids listen to this man's filthy mouth.
If this is the new brand of conservative eloquence, God help Virginia's children!
I wish Lincoln in 1861 had just let the South secede.
OMG – I cannot believe someone is taking up for this guy calling it a "slip of the lip" – F- – king sounds like Funding, therefore, he misspoke!!!
YOU LIE!!! He said what he is most likely used to saying – I am sure this is not the first time a CURSE WORD came out of his mouth!!
So from now on, the REPUBLI-CAN'Ts will blame everything that comes out of their mouth as a "slip of the lips' or 'did not mean to say that' or 'it was spontaneous'!!!!
VIRGINIA WILL REMAIN BLUE!!!! ronald MCDONNELL is wasting his time!!!
Another GOP HACK that don't have a chance come election day. The MAJORITY has had enough and we will take more seats to give us total control. This my friends will be the only way to completely recover from the one/two punch of the Bush/Cheney Administration. CHANGE HAS COME TO AMERICA.
There is no effin way that the people of Virginia deserve this right wing sleaze.
Dereliction of Duty, you must be living in Bizarro land. The PMRC was created and headed by Tipper Gore. I'm pretty sure she's not conservative.
If you have to lie to make your case, you really don't have a case to begin with.
Impeccability of speeech is important to maintain by those who are in the public domain. Oops!
It sounded more like an accidental mispronunciation. Big deal. Not like any of us haven't used it before, even if it was intentional.
Who cares? It's more disturbing if someone says they've never used the word.
Looks like the GOP has discovered yelling and swearing can generate big bucks! Look for McDonnell to rake in a million dollars...ironically mostly from rightwing people who claim they go to church every week!
McDonnell is doing his best to mess up his campaign. I am starting to think he wants Deeds to win.