As a nonprofit organization, the Center for Consumer Freedom can’t endorse any candidate for President, or weigh in on any other election contest. But we take comfort in knowing that regardless of who wins the top political prize in November, our nation’s animal-rights extremists probably won’t have a friend in the White House.
In separate interviews with Field and Stream released this morning, Presidential candidates John McCain and Barack Obama spelled out personal histories involving that cruelest of bloodsports, fishing (heavens, no!), that we imagine have the anti-everything lunatics at People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) and the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) brooding about their perpetual state of mini-minorityhood.
Here’s Senator McCain:
"I fish all the time. I fish for catfish. I fish for bass. I fish for bluegill that all are on our property and in Oak Creek, which is our property up in northern Arizona … And I fish in the creek, and we have a pond that we have fish in, as well. We have one catfish who I’ve hooked at least 10 times who always is able to get to the piling of our little dock and break the line. He must have atleast 10 hooks hanging out of his mouth. We do stock it with catfish."
And Senator Obama:
"You know, when you’re in the South Side of Chicago, there’s not too much-too many opportunities for hunting and fishing. When I was a kid, I grew up in Hawaii, and so I would go fishing with my grandfather. And when I got older, actually, we did spearfishing there, which was sort of a combination of hunting and fishing …
"One of the pleasures of being a presidential candidate has been traveling all across the country, and we spent quite a bit of time in Montana recently. And I’ve got to say that I am absolutely certain that one way or another, after this presidential process is over, whether — because I lose or because I win — and I’ve got a little vacation time coming, I’m going to learn how to flyfish, because that land is spectacular."
Now that we can all breathe a little easier, we also note this 2002 CNN interview during which McCain suggested he would ultimately run for President on a "vegetarian ticket," and this online April Fool’s joke that has Obama announcing: "I am now a vegan." Animal rights activists aren’t generally known for their sense of humor, but it’s good to see that the candidates still have theirs.
