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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all in the name of those great conservative values...God help their children and all the children of SC and VA, so that they don't grow up and become as ignorant as their guardians.
These Republicans just can't get a handle. A party gone wild.
Another GOP shows that they can't control their mouth.
How conservative are you mr Bob McDonell? or you practise selective conservatism ! only when its convinient for you?
This is just another example of how the USA proves itself to be very low class over and over again to the whole world. We (the USA) have got an intelligent, diplomatic president for a change and the media wastes our time with garbage instead of contributing to shaping up the country. The followers of right-wingers (possibly ignorant victims) didn't want to send their kids to school for fear that their children would be addessed re: educational pep talk by the President (stay in school, get an education, etc) but think it ok to have representatives lie and use the "F" word in public political speeches. I guess McDonnell is very "liberal", gosh, that scares me. Now, I'm scared; you mean Republicans are liberals, communists, nazis, socialists, foul mouthed, corrupt , and liars...gosh, gee whiz...boy have I been fooled.
Why am I not surprised? The Republican party's political "stars" and their spokes-mouths are hypocrits. They preach family values, high morals, holier-than-thou attitude, and good Christian behavior. I am beginning to believe that if it has a Republican label, it inspires as much trust as drywall manufactured in China.
Look at Joe Wilson, and Duck Cheney. This is all you get with the GOP folks. No answers just expletives (sp).
If he so confident about his funding mecahnisms... then why not act dignified and out line a few during his speech.
I doubt he has any plans and hopes to win promising not raise taxes
and using the f-word instead of explaining his creative idea.
He should take lessons from Obama about how to deliver a meaningful dinified speech.
He has no business representing anything
What else can he say? Didn't you hear what his 'southern' brother uttered to the distinguished leader of the free world? Americans! my heart is aching for you. I wish Obama didn't win the election. You right-wing lunatics deserve buffoons like Limbaugh and dobbs – They will take you back to the stone ages. Then again, I don't wish that to my southern friends; because you deserve better! Now, post this CNN – will you? Another thing: Why is the very HUMAN Mr. Turner of CNN still keep hypocrite like Lou Dobbs on his payroll is beyond me!!!!!!!!!!
Thanks
Oh my God!! He used the f'ing 'F' word!! How barbaric!! Oh, how the morally rightous liberals are going to pounce all over this irreprehensible conduct because we all know how superiorly civil they conduct themselves at all times!!
All republican elected officals should just quit their positions in government over this unacceptable behavior!!
Yep; you can alwyas count on those Republicans to come up with another one. It's like "can you top this?" "I can do more to call attention to my stupidity than Addison (Joe?) Wilson!" "Oh, wait! Is stupidity what I should be expressing publicly?"
Jasmine in Germany needs to better her english before she condems Americans on theirs! Go back to your black clothed, unfriendly country. The politician (although human) needs to clean up his mouth obviously.
To raise money being a Republican this days all you have to say something embarrasing to yourself, your district and your country or put out stupid incendiary comments.
Expect others struggling to raise money to follow that route.
That very sad for the GOP.
Unbelievable but it is ok. This is how Dick Cheny talks. This is why the Republicans will never win back the middle.
Im so tired of people playing the american people against each other we know now both Dems and Rep are the same and that just because we have a dem president does not mean change, because Obama is doing what Bush did with the war expand,Kill and murder thats what they are doing.
The GOP Sucks.. Thats why I'm an Independent now. Appears to me that the GOP is the Taliban of the USA. They all need to be Tea Bagged, over and over.
As my grandfather, a russian immigrant, used to say, "You can dress him up, but you can't take him no place."
For those who are excusing the word, it is unacceptable to use this word in public; especially by someone wanting to lead the state. Standards still count people. Can we stop calling the repubs the "Moral Majority" already?
He should get more votes this way from the liberal establishment , considering the fact that he probably wouldn't have gotten any from them.
If a liberal would have made this remark, it would have been totally dismissed by the news media. When are we going to have 'equal' coverage concerning politics? We can only dream, I guess.
ROFL! Class act, GOPer!
hilarious! all the posters here use this as another excuse to attack the "war-mongering christian corrupt big oil extramarital affair" republicans – that's how you all see the republicans correct? oh no the F bomb! lol! lame! get your attacks in now because the dems are getting voted out in the next election and you all know it
So... am I right in assuming that each person here criticizing him has never once uttered a single curse word in their lives? Yes?
What did you say Mr. McDonnel?..Your proposals are going to do what for Virginia?
Man, when people are stressed and broke they get desperate and start losing all kinds of respect for themselves.
we need to stop the republican party completely, they either don't know any better, or they just plain don't care, either way we will be better off without them.
Now Bob, Have you been hanging around Obama's Chief of Staff Emmanuel?