McCain Pressing Obama to Pardon Boxer Convicted Nearly a Century Ago; You're a Little Late John

By James King Fri., Oct. 16 2009 at 12:02 PM

Categories: News

www.deadschools.net

Senator John McCain hopes to be a different sort of "Great White Hope" for the memory of former heavyweight champion Jack Johnson

Senator John McCain isn't pulling punches in his effort to have former heavyweight champion Jack Johnson pardoned for a 1913 conviction.

The Galveston Giant, as Johnson was called, died in 1946, so trying to get a guy who's been dead for more than 60 years pardoned seems like a marvelous use of our senator's time.

In a letter to the president today, McCain re-affirmed his belief that Johnson was convicted on racial grounds after his 1913 violation of the Mann Act.

Johnson was convicted of "transporting women across state lines for immoral purposes" in 1913, a crime for which he was sentenced to one year in prison.

Rather than do the time, Johnson fled the country and lived abroad until surrendering himself to the U.S. government at the Mexican border in 1920.

Johnson ended up serving just under a year in prison and everyone moved on -- everyone but the "maverick" apparently.

Back in August, McCain rallied members of Congress to support a posthumous pardon for Johnson.

McCain claims he never got a response to a letter he sent President Obama back in August concerning the pardon.

Perhaps that's because the president was busy trying to run the country, not advocating for a guy who served a year in jail almost 100 years ago and has been dead since 1946.

In today's letter, McCain urged Obama to "right this wrong and erase an act of racism that sent an American citizen to prison."

Of all the black people sho have unjustly spent time in prison, McCain picks a guy who did less than a year? Guess it's the little victories that count for McCain at this point.

Tags:

arizona, heavy weight champion, jack johnson, john mccain, pardon, president obama, the mann act

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ah yes the Mighty McCain. Still hasn't revealed his secret plan that would end the wars yet. I call BS. He would have been court martialed for signing his confession in Nam if his daddy wasn't an admiral. thinly disguised enough for ya?
dollars to donuts if he pardons him he will get blasted by the right for it. I see where he is catching heck for helping Libiya without going to Congress. Did not Bush say it was unnecessary?
I am sure that Jack Johnson's decendants would truly disagree with James King's statements. Unlike Barack Obama who was elected President in a somewhat racially sensitive 2008, Jack Johnson was Heavyweight Champion in 1908 when a black man couldn't even drink out of the same water fountain as a white man. Jack Johnson broke racial barriers long before Barack Obama was even born. If Barack Obama has enough time to sit down with David Lederman, he should at least take the time to pardon a man who paved many roads for African Americans in this country, including his own road to the Presidency.
The whole thing smacks of opportunism which is the reason real people are not helped unless there is an advantage to the politico. Sad. There are many innocent people who need help and presumption of innocence and due process are broken in Arizona.
You don't credit John McCain with enough brains. His strategy is to test Obama to see if he can do what his mouth says. Its a test to see if Obama is a hypocrit. No test needed really. Look deeper perhaps this is important to descendants perhaps there is money involved for descendants or even John.
"Senator McCain should "right the wrongs" in his own state. His office has received many letters on this issue and has chosen to ignore his constituents pleas for help." These more current figures have full access to American "due process" and do not need nearly as much help. Dead people need a bit more help, as they can not advocate for themselves.
Clearly, Mr. King has never seen the Ken Burns film "Unforgivable Blackness" (the story of Jack Johnson). It's OK Mr King, the liberals have already stated that it's OK to support a pardon for Johnson. What's your problem? McCain's "Unforgivable Whiteness"? Feel good that McCain (even a year after defeat) still stood-up and made good on his desire to see that pardon through. You see, McCain is actually a man of integrity. Amazing that Obama can't have one of his many people respond to this pardon request. You're just upset that he did not think of it first. Obama does not have a lock on virtue. This is simply the right thing to do, and it only requires a few written documents, a signature and a simple photo opp.
"McCain claims he never got a response to a letter he sent President Obama back in August concerning the pardon." Well we know of many letters sent to Senator McCain on innocent person sitting in Arizona's prisons, asking for his help and he chose to ignore the request. Now, he knows what it feels like.
Arizona's people are under siege and McCain choses to turn a blind eye to injustice in his own state. Makes no sense.
Senator McCain should "right the wrongs" in his own state. His office has received many letters on this issue and has chosen to ignore his constituents pleas for help. This Republican is tired of the political spin and no action. Very disappointed in Senator McCain, Kyle and Franks. Wrap themselves in the American flag while taking away our rights and freedom.
Senator McCain, It would be nice if you looked in your own backyard and those who have been wrongfully convicted and imprisoned. Fight for these constituents! We don't have to look in other states when Arizona's court and prison systems are broken.
Ridiculous commentary. What kind of 'journalist' are you, James King? A hack, that's for certain. McCain is certainly spending his time better than you: attempting to right a long-standing wrong, as opposed to your prowling about for any thinly-disguised opportunity to bash someone who doesn't fit your idealogy. If anyone ever laments the eventual loss of most newspapers, it won't be because of pseudo-journalists like you. It will be because of the coupons.
Tell that to Mr. Johnson's family. Congress freuqnetly corrects mistakes of the past. James King. idiot.