Republican presidential hopeful John McCain said Wednesday he responded appropriately after a woman used the word "bitch" to describe Democratic rival Hillary Rodham Clinton.
"She made a comment, I made light of the comment, and then I said very seriously I treated and continue to treat Senator Clinton with respect and I've said that many times," the Arizona senator told reporters at his Phoenix office. He chuckled when a reporter brought it up.
When asked whether he thought the woman's comment was funny, McCain said he reacted that way because he wanted to move on.
"I can't dictate what other people say — that's not my business," he said. "Nor is it an appropriate role for me to play in a gathering at a restaurant, and if anybody thinks that I should, then I think they have the wrong idea of what gatherings are all about."
At the campaign event on Monday, the woman asked McCain, "How do we beat the bitch?"
McCain laughed along with the crowd as he said, "May I give the translation?"
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