“It is irresponsible for any elected official, let alone a U.S. senator seeking the nation’s highest office, to cavalierly use such deliberately hurtful speech. Racial slurs have no place in a presidential campaign.”
-- Karen Narasaki
National Asian Pacific American Legal Center Executive Director

 
“The senator has unwittingly given tacit approval to racist speech. The use of anti-Asian slurs fosters a permissive climate of hate and violence. After a year when three Asian Americans lost their lives to hate crimes, the use of racist terms like this one weighs heavily in the minds of Asian Pacific Americans.”
-- Margaret Fung
Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund Executive Director

“When a candidate for president uses racial slurs, it does nothing but encourage racists and bigots everywhere. But for Sen. McCain to defend his use of the word by claiming that it only applies to certain individuals adds insult to injury. The word ‘gook’ is used to degrade all people of Asian ancestry, not just his tormentors. Sen. McCain’s explanation is naïve at best, and at worst reveals a streak of racial insensitivity and intolerance.”
-- Representative Robert Matsui
D-Sacramento

“McCain doesn’t realize that his characterization deeply hurts Asian Pacific Americans. I think we have had enough of his ‘straight talk.’”
-- Joe Andrew
Democratic National Committee Chair

“Asian Americans have experienced an increase in hate crimes, and the word ‘gook’ is often heard from the lips of the attackers. … The term has provocative connotations of violence, as evidenced by the attacks on Asian Americans victimized by hate crimes.”
-- John Tateishi
Japanese American Citizens League National Executive Director

“It was an unfortunate comment for which Sen. McCain has profusely apologized.”
-- Tom Yu
Republican National Committee spokesperson

“We hope people understand his reasons for using that term. Anyone who suffered to that extent is bound to harbor ill feelings.”
-- Dan Schnur
McCain Campaign spokesperson

 
“The wording he used is not appropriate. If you’re going to be president, then you shouldn’t use this kind of word.”
-- Elizabeth Szu
California Republican Party API Coalition Chair

 
“The guy is one big contradiction. It’s classic McCain. It’s contradictory just like all his policies. … He’s just himself out there. He’s got a rough sense of humor. There’s a reason why the guy wasn’t the most popular in the Senate.”
-- Prof. Bruce Cain
U.C. Berkeley department of political science

“I can understand McCain’s position, but he has to let it go. You have to process that stuff. Each veteran always loses something when you go to war. We’re trained to look at the enemy and dehumanize them. But he’s not the first POW and he’s not the last. … You know in private he’s probably calling everyone ‘gooks.’”
-- David Oshiro
Vietnam War Veteran, 1969-1970

 
“The CRP is open to all California voters. We are an inclusive party. We have no comment in response to his comments.”
-- Stuart Deveaux
California Republican Party spokesperson