Sweetie?
At least he figured out he'd better get on record as having apologized.
My mind boggles at the thought of the "What if Hillary had saids" we could make out of that "Sweetie."
And Obama has a habit of calling people Sweetie?
I wonder how Axlerod and the other guys feel about being called Sweetie?
I wouldn't mind it myself, as long as he patted me on the ass when he said it.
My mind boggles at the thought of the "What if Hillary had saids" we could make out of that "Sweetie."
And Obama has a habit of calling people Sweetie?
I wonder how Axlerod and the other guys feel about being called Sweetie?
I wouldn't mind it myself, as long as he patted me on the ass when he said it.
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It just pisses me off. Imagine. Just imagine. Where is the progressive blogosphere on this one? The reader blogs proclaiming him a misogynist?
May 15, 2008 10:28 AM | Reply | Permalink
You're reading one. Except that Billy has a sense of humor and doesn't "proclaim" a lot.
May 15, 2008 11:14 AM | Reply | Permalink
Be informed, watch the news clip, and judge for yourself:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4STLISLdxi4
May 15, 2008 12:09 PM | Reply | Permalink
Ouch. It gets worse every time I see it.
There's a consequence of all of this that I pointed out below. A consequence that other Obama fans are apparently not ready to face because they're just too gripped with fear over what this scandal could do to the Obama campaign. But face it we must.
This ends any hope of getting Hillary to run as Obama's veep. As a champion of feminism, Hillary can't afford to have herself tainted by being associated with a man who doesn't respect women.
If Obama gets through this with no worse consequences than losing the chance to have Hillary as a running mate, he'll have gotten off easy. He'll have gotten off easy indeed.
May 15, 2008 12:14 PM | Reply | Permalink
I just hope that the concession speech he gives over this will bring all the sweeties in the Democratic party together.
May 15, 2008 12:26 PM | Reply | Permalink
Are rabbitsmorgasbord and presidentraygun the same person? You sure look alike.
May 15, 2008 6:03 PM | Reply | Permalink
It's not that this should be a big deal, sweetie. It's just that it isn't a big deal when Hillary having a sneezing fit on TV sets the blogosphere aflame.
May 15, 2008 12:24 PM | Reply | Permalink
"hardworking white Americans" is not a "sneeze". It's representative of a concerted effort to marginalize Obama as the scary black guy, going back to her surrogates before NH.
Show me where Obama has made a concerted effort to demean and marginalize women voters -- ever.
Frankly, feminists should be more outraged over "obliterate Iran" than "sweetie".
That's the opinion of this 58 year old, white female feminist. Who has been more appalled by Hillary's tactics, race-baiting and overt use of her affirmative action attached to her famous name.
May 15, 2008 12:32 PM | Reply | Permalink
Happy birthday, Sweetie! We'd better get that name changed. Wouldn't want people to think you're lying about your age.
May 15, 2008 12:36 PM | Reply | Permalink
Happy birthday.
May 15, 2008 1:10 PM | Reply | Permalink
Oh, the laugh you provided to me, 57andfemale. You are one of the most reactionary posters on here!
May 15, 2008 2:14 PM | Reply | Permalink
I'm female, almost 60, wildly feminist and totally in agreement with you. He apologized, it's over.
Someone further down mentions having daughters and being used to using names like honey etc. I've certainly found myself doing that with the main people I work with who happen to be young, smart, ambitious and totally wonderful women. It's embarrassing, but luckily, they just laugh and forgive me.
I'm more focussed on what Obama does while in office than what he calls a reporter. If I see policies that go against equal rights for women, then you'll hear me start yelling.
May 15, 2008 5:43 PM | Reply | Permalink
Obama was the one making phony charges of racebaiting primarily by proclaiming that gaffes of middleaged white men were part of a deliberate campaign plan by Hillary. This in the face of the fact that such a strategy was an obvious loser in the Democratic Primaries. I guess he thought that Hillary got to Biden really early.
About the sweetie remark -- it is what is known in poker as a tell -- involuntarily revealing what the speaker is actually thinking.
Sweetie an affectionate diminutive used by men to women, women to men, women to women, and adults to children. It is not used by men who respect women to an adult professional woman doing her job. And if it is used, any apology must recognize that it caries this implied infantilizaiton of the professional woman involved. Obama's so-called apology shows that he simply didn't get it.
Did he really expect us to believe that he uses that term for all sort of people? Men, for example?
Go back and read his book the Audacity of Hope -- you will learn that he thought it was really cute that his wife gave up her big career plans to marry him, that he left the burden of running the household to her even though she decided to continue her career (understandably she got very angry -- he reprots eing baffled as to why)that he began his courtship of her by inducing her to violate her law firm's norm of not having supervisors involved with their underlings (Does anyone know if that law firm made Michelle an offer or not? Did he wreck her chances there?) and that there are three references to women's issues in the index and then you are referred to the entries for family.
What outstanding stands did he take on women's issue you ask?
p26: [Obama was talking to an old codger who had]"airbrushed out of the picture... the absence of women and minorities in the halls of power."
p27: "Beyond that the party cultivated a certain
live-and-let-live philosophy: a philosophy anchored in acquiesence toward or active promotion of racial oppression in the South; a philosophy that depended on a broader culture in which certin norms -- the nature of sexuality , say, or the role of women -- were largely unquestioned; a culture that did not yet possess the vocabulary to force discomfort, much less political dispute, around such issues.
p36: "The victories which the sixties generation brought about -- the admission of minorites and women into full citizenship, the strengthening of individual liberties and the healthy willingness to question authority -- have made America a better place for all its citizens. But what has been lost in the processs, and has yet to be replaced, are those shared assumptions -- that quality of trust and fellow feeling -- that brings us together as Americans."
He can lip synch -- it is not at all clear that he can walk the walk -- he's just not nice enough.
May 15, 2008 6:41 PM | Reply | Permalink
Interesting comment, AJM. Thanks for putting it together.
I don't think I've ever seen anyone pull out quotes from one of Barack's books. I haven't read his books, but I see he's the master of the run-on sentence in writing as in speaking. At least in these passages.
I find it curious that Barack isn't particularly feminist, yet he was raised by a single mother who had a career, and who was named Stanley because her father had wanted a boy.
May 15, 2008 11:50 PM | Reply | Permalink
I didn't read them either, but it seems both his mother and his grandmother were the really strong people in his life, yet he eulogizes the missing father and his grandfather. Someone who's read more can tell me if I missed it with this synopsis.
May 16, 2008 7:52 AM | Reply | Permalink
And at least Obama apologized to the reporter. Clinton has yet apologized for her "working, HARD working white people" remark. The closet she came to an apology was agreeing with Rangel that it was a dumb thing to say. That's not an apology.
May 15, 2008 10:08 PM | Reply | Permalink
**Awwww. Sweetie. That's so cute. It's also a consequence of having two small daughters. (Of course, I won't admit to doing it because I can't remember their NAMES.)
May 15, 2008 12:48 PM | Reply | Permalink
I have two small daughters and I'm much more prone to using overly cute names because of them. Imagine a Potions Professor adding "ie" to basic words such as "brush", "drink", .... it's pathetic!
May 15, 2008 2:24 PM | Reply | Permalink
I am a mom and not so long ago my boss said something to me and I said "What hon?". I apologized and he knew that I wasn't being inappropriate. I'm very used to frequently using terms like hon, sweetie, boo, etc.
For Chrissakes, it's not like an all out lie or anything.
May 15, 2008 10:47 PM | Reply | Permalink
I'm also the dad of two young girls, just a bit younger than Obama's. If anything, I think him slipping and calling someone sweetie (who it looked to me that he was pretty distracted when he said it) could even be example of a Dad that is actively involved in the parenting of his kids. Which is what feminists (male and female) have been fighting for - equality and parity of the sexes in all of life's responsibilities and rewards.
I can understand how women over 50 might here a man use the term Sweetie and think it harkens back to a time when secretaries, waitresses, and stewardesses were eye candy for the male power structure. But for a dad of Barack's and my generation, especially one who is married to a woman with a successful career, I think the most reasonable explanation is he often uses the term as an active parent to his two wonderful daughters (Obama 51, and Obama 52?, ala Bush 41 and Bush 43?)
May 16, 2008 9:34 AM | Reply | Permalink
Ironic, coming from an Obamanaut.
May 15, 2008 1:20 PM | Reply | Permalink
:) I have to go, gasket. Don't let them comment behind my back.
May 15, 2008 1:28 PM | Reply | Permalink
Got ya covered.
May 15, 2008 1:30 PM | Reply | Permalink
Okay, I saw the clip. I almost laughed when I first heard about it. I was raised on a farm and my father had a very large operation with about 30 hired hands in the summer. He worked very hard to not lose his temper with the young men so one of the things he would do was call them "honey" when he was getting annoyed. He also did this with his children. I got really amused when I found myself doing the same thing later in life. And the term is not gender specific. As I have gotten older I have learned there are much more important things to fight about than people calling me sweetie. But I am glad he apoligized.
May 15, 2008 11:32 PM | Reply | Permalink
Yes, he is the most evil, horrific sexist in the history of the United States and the press should be covering this 24/7 to the exclusion of all other stories because if Hillary ever called anyone "sweetie," that's certainly what they would do.
May 15, 2008 3:25 PM | Reply | Permalink
You mean like Rev. Wright?
May 15, 2008 10:52 PM | Reply | Permalink
Yeah - a real misogynist. I guess he keeps Samantha Power around to grab her sweet Irish ass whenever he feels randy.
May 15, 2008 7:10 PM | Reply | Permalink
Yes, all of us have certain mannerisms and sayings we unconsciously use in our everyday interactions. John McCain is always saying "my friends", for example. Hillary likes to strongly nod her head whenever she makes a point she wants you to agree with.
Other people like to place their hand on your shoulder or arm when they taking to you. It doesn't mean they are sexually harassing you. Its just a mannerism.
"Sweetie", is a term of endearment, or of informal cordiality. You obviously are hoping that it instead betrays some kind of sexist condescension by Obama.
Is this really to be the last refuge of Clinton supporters, intimating that sexism is the reason behind her losing to Obama?
May 15, 2008 10:35 AM | Reply | Permalink
I don't really see a huge difference between this and Clinton's recent "white Americans" gaffe. They both misspoke (and have both admitted it), and they need to be more careful with their words.
Like it or not, but calling a female "sweetie" will get you in trouble in a lot of places.
May 15, 2008 10:45 AM | Reply | Permalink
From my experiences travelling throuh the Midwest, it's Midwestern diner talk. It's what truckers and waitresses say to each other, you know, the common people. This is another example of Obama getting slammed for being a regular kind of guy by the elitists.
Next week in some unforseen incident, probably for coming off as cold and aloof and too formal to some service industy worker, Obama will again get slammed by the common people for being an elitist.
May 15, 2008 10:54 AM | Reply | Permalink
Oh, I'm aware of that. It's just midwestern-diner speak that he needs to avoid. As Desidero points out, we wouldn't care for a casual usage of "boy" towards Obama, even though it can also be used in an innocent manner. We all need to be conscious of how what we say can be taken the wrong way, and that goes doubly for politicians.
May 15, 2008 10:59 AM | Reply | Permalink
Ben, maybe so. But I hope that you recognize this for what it is, in this case. A last ditch attempt by Clinton supporters to rally her female base by suggesting sexism by Obama.
May 15, 2008 11:13 AM | Reply | Permalink
Yes, blame Clinton for it. She forced Obama to call the reporter "sweetie", she forced the reporter to run the comment on the news and she is the one who hasn't reported on it in the national news.
May 15, 2008 11:27 AM | Reply | Permalink
BevD,
Do you have a reading comprehension problem? I said Clinton supporters. Such as, Billy. I did not say Clinton.
May 15, 2008 11:57 AM | Reply | Permalink
Don't get your panties in a wad, Sweetie. I'm wondering what the Obama Senate Office is like. Sweetie here. Honey there. Get me a cup of coffee, Sweetie. Who knew Obama would be capable of that kind of patronizing talk to a member of the press? And as far as desperate goes, we're not going desperately low yet. We can go a lot lower when our desperate backs are against the wall. We can start resenting those Midwestern comments. What are you guys saying? We cling to our terms of endearment?
May 15, 2008 12:16 PM | Reply | Permalink
Who does Obama think he is? Charlie Wilson?
May 15, 2008 12:18 PM | Reply | Permalink
Exactly. And I don't know if it's true, but the best moment for me in the film about Charlie's war is when the women suddenly turn out to be super competent and kick ass professional in a crisis. Looks and brains. That's what's gotten me by all these years.
May 15, 2008 12:24 PM | Reply | Permalink
**Whew. I thought you'd put up a bigger fight. Wimpy white guy.
May 15, 2008 12:50 PM | Reply | Permalink
This is one of the most trivial threads yet, and that's saying something this year.
May 15, 2008 7:29 PM | Reply | Permalink
It's the calm before the storm.
May 15, 2008 10:09 PM | Reply | Permalink
It isn't anything like "midWestern diner talk". It was a dismissive remark made to shut her up, it was insulting, he apologized for it and I am pretty damned certain he won't do it again. Let's not make it into something it is not.
May 15, 2008 11:36 AM | Reply | Permalink
I'm guessing that you haven't bothered to watch the actual video clip.
May 15, 2008 12:14 PM | Reply | Permalink
Yes I watched it. That's why it was so insulting. It was dismissive and condescending. I didn't like it, the reporter certainly didn't like it, and obviously the station she worked for didn't like it either. Obama apologized, which he should have done.
May 15, 2008 12:20 PM | Reply | Permalink
Good, then you saw how rude and presumptuous the reporter was being as she tried to interrupt Obama while he was trying to pay attention to his hosts that were showing him the car that the factory had produced. Color me unsurprised that you would take the side of the rude and angry woman, though.
May 15, 2008 12:56 PM | Reply | Permalink
That's a reporter's job, for Christ's sake! You're so used to a docile, roll over press who phones it in that when a reporter is aggressive you think it's "bad manners". It's no wonder the Bush administration has gotten away with the shit it's pulled for eight years.
May 15, 2008 1:03 PM | Reply | Permalink
**You guys have much better ears. I couldn't hear the "sweetie." Just the snotty remarks by the reporter. I'm not saying he didn't say it, I just couldn't hear more than "sshhweee."
May 15, 2008 6:20 PM | Reply | Permalink
I can't bring myself to watch it. If I watch it, I'll have to admit I saw it. This way I can always say I know Obama has said some controversial things, but I never heard them myself.
May 15, 2008 12:42 PM | Reply | Permalink
How could you blog here 16 years and never once hear anything like that? If it had been my blogmaster, I would have gotten up and walked out. Unless I was Blue Dude, then I would have kind of slithered or skated. You are the same as Blue Dude, right? Oh wait, no, you're the same as me. This is confusing, my head will explode.
May 15, 2008 2:51 PM | Reply | Permalink
It kinda looks like it already has.
May 15, 2008 3:10 PM | Reply | Permalink
Well, I was a "Midwestern" waitress (not sure what Midwestern has to do with it, it's national in my estimation, but if you require it, that's where I was) part time for 9 years in my misspent yud, in a pretty rough after-hours joint, because it was good money.
If people really want to get into the sophisticated linguistics of waitress-talk and "hon" and "sweetie," rather than just spout the usual p.c. on such stuff, I'd be interested.
It's about power. When you're in the restaurant, you're seated, the waitress sees it like this: is standing and in full control of what you get, you are on her turf, you're like the baby, she's like the adult. You only think you have power over her and only think she is a servant. She calls you "hon" or "sweetie" to let you know this in an underhanded sort of way, a way it's not easy for you to get mad about, because it has double-meaning.
It's not for nothing that this sort of talk is not sanctioned in better restaurants. In better restaurants, waitpersons must act as servants, and the customers are the clear masters.
I don't know what was in Obama's mind when he used it, but it's pretty clear he recognized this meaning afterwards.
Big picture, though, this is a silly post as to presidential politics, Billy Glad, because it's no big deal, because he is bound to get ornery and much more outrageous with some press persons in the future, all presidential candidates and presidents do, it's a foregone thing, it's going to happen, the press baits and baits and the target finally gets angry, and even the most outrageous examples are forgiven because it's expected. Reagan was the only one I can think of that escaped a lot of this because he avoided half of the chances by acting deaf, and for the other half he would babble in a friendly manner, not really answering any questions directly--one devious old coot he was.
May 15, 2008 1:25 PM | Reply | Permalink
I've reached an age where waitresses and sales people call me "dear" and what you're saying sounds true.
I don't know if it's silly or not. I think the silly thing is we're about to turn the country over to a freshman Senator who spent his first term running for office. So I count as his experience college, law school, some neighborhood organizing, running for the State Senate, serving in the State Senate and running for US Senator before running for President. And we really think this person is ready to govern America. I call that silly.
May 15, 2008 2:10 PM | Reply | Permalink
Welcome to the new paradigm Billy. Obama is Google, Hillary is Microsoft. In the new world, experience isn't all it's cracked up to be. An upstart teenager in a garage can change the world nowadays and being an expert in the old ways of doing things is a handicap. Vision, innovation and competence are key. Obama is rebranding the Democratic party and leading the party in his direction while Hillary is still using the same messages, like a retired general always fighting the last war. He may have spent his whole career “running for office” but he has run an effective campaign and bested Hillary Clinton at that game despite her numerous initial advantages.
If I remember, George W. wasn’t vastly experienced but didn’t exactly lack it. It was conveniently forgotten that his experiences were often tinged with failure. Unfortunately, Hillary is that candidate in this election – see healthcare.
May 15, 2008 3:50 PM | Reply | Permalink
Sorry about the double posting sweetie!
May 15, 2008 4:03 PM | Reply | Permalink
That's not a problem. But I'm going to sneak something serious in here, hoping you'll be the only one who notices. Nobody makes it without a mentor. I've had a couple. One of them was Bob Bullock, who was also a mentor to you know who. So you know who really did have a lot more experience governing when he ran for President than Obama has had. And he had, in my opinion, some very first rate mentoring. When I look at Obama, I can't quite figure out who his mentors are. Any idea? I think a list of Obama's mentors would be a very fascinating list. Here are some possibilities. Axelrod, Daschle, Jackson, Kennedy, Kerry, Wright, Michelle Obama.
May 15, 2008 4:21 PM | Reply | Permalink
So obviously you realize that one can fail spectacularly despite experience and mentoring...
Being community-focused rather than individual focused, I don't think Obama is really a mentoree but more of a liminal figure. Obama has a special kind of experience with his background as a community organizer. If you really think about the skills developed in that role, tell me that might not be exactly the skills that America needs in their president to make it a better place. Obama is a risk, but isn't that what it's all about - if we didn't dare to take risks, that would make us conservatives, by definition.
May 15, 2008 4:48 PM | Reply | Permalink
I might agree if I didn't think the executive branch was so badly broken.
May 15, 2008 5:07 PM | Reply | Permalink
What Bush and Rove were very good at was using the office to extend the power of the office and the power of the candidate. But, while they learned that from a Democrat, they used it as Republicans, to politicize and destroy that part of the executive branch that knits and mends the social fabric. Until 9/11, Bush and Rove were headed for a one-term smash and grab Presidency that knee-capped as much of the Democratic program as possible while enriching the Bush base of wealthy Americans as much as possible. But 9/11 made it possible for Bush to play President in the only role sanctioned by the Republican orthodoxy: Commander In Chief. Suddenly, he had a real war to fight. For a Republican bent on destroying social programs, nothing could be better. As Reagan demonstrated, you can use the defense budget to destroy social programs. Getting the government of the United States back into business is going to take skill and perseverance. I imagine someone like Lincoln would be up to it. About someone like Obama, I'm not so sure.
May 15, 2008 5:53 PM | Reply | Permalink
Hey, I've just figured it out. You're really the Big Dog, aren't you? Ha! Posting here to defend the wife and have a chance to blast Obama anonymously.
You rascal, you. That's pretty cool.
May 15, 2008 7:32 PM | Reply | Permalink
Welcome to the new paradigm Billy. Obama is Google, Hillary is Microsoft. In the new world, experience isn't all it's cracked up to be. An upstart teenager in a garage can change the world nowadays and being an expert in the old ways of doing things is a handicap. Vision, innovation and competence are key. Obama is rebranding the Democratic party and leading the party in his direction while Hillary is still using the same messages, like a retired general always fighting the last war. He may have spent his whole career “running for office” but he has run an effective campaign and bested Hillary Clinton at that game despite her numerous initial advantages.
If I remember, George W. wasn’t vastly experienced but didn’t exactly lack it. It was conveniently forgotten that his experiences were often tinged with failure. Unfortunately, Hillary is that candidate in this election – see healthcare.
May 15, 2008 3:52 PM | Reply | Permalink
I think you're confusing campaigning with governing, not that some of the marketing tricks might not carry over.
May 15, 2008 4:58 PM | Reply | Permalink
I think you're confusing campaigning with governing, not that some of the marketing tricks might not carry over.
May 15, 2008 4:59 PM | Reply | Permalink
ha!
May 15, 2008 6:10 PM | Reply | Permalink
ha!
May 15, 2008 6:10 PM | Reply | Permalink
As in, "more coffee, hon?" If you've ever waited tables, you know that everyone is "hon" and "sweetie." Everyone. But outside of $25,000 a year or 12 years old, it's insulting.
May 16, 2008 12:53 AM | Reply | Permalink
It was a gaffe, for sure. And most importantly, it's the only new thing they've got going for them that might sway the superdelegates toward Hillary. The same old bogus arguments projecting from primary results to general election results haven't swayed the superdels. The bogus demographic arguments based on ignoring margins of error, over-generalization, and general hyperventilating expressions of "concern" haven't swayed the superdels. Rumors that Obama is a secret muslim (I take him at his word that he isn't, as far as we know) didn't do the trick. The Wright spectacle didn't derail him, not even the second time it somehow came up. Wins in Pennsylvania and West Virginia didn't slow the flow of superdelegates to Obama, much less turn things around so she has a chance at winning the race for pledged delegates.
But it's not over. They now have sweetie-gate.
In the interest of giving Hillary every possible chance, I've rec'ed every post so far that mentions sweetie-gate in the title. It was clearly a gaffe, a moment of political incorrectness, and there's no point in hiding it.
Obama supporters need to face up to this. Do we want a presidential candidate who would call a reporter "sweetie," who admits that this is a bad habit (we don't yet know how long he's had this habit, but I'm sure the press will hound him until we get the answer we deserve to that important question), and most importantly, for all we know might slip up again in the general campaign and call someone else sweetie?
If this is the issue that gets the superdelegates to swarm to Hillary, then so be it.
May 15, 2008 11:37 AM | Reply | Permalink
Maybe Obama has a secret Muslim sweetie!
May 15, 2008 12:16 PM | Reply | Permalink
Didn't she "misspeak" about this more than once; and hasn't McAuliffe said the same thing?
BTW, I believe the MSM has been more than kind to Hillary. They have ignored most everything from the Clinton years related to Bill and cover ups.
May 15, 2008 8:12 PM | Reply | Permalink
Hmmm. I thought Hillary did that when she was telling a lie.
Seriously, "Sweetie" would not be offensive in much of the USA; and it certainly isn't ANYTHING like talking about the importance of WHITE voters over other voters. I'm a white voter; but I was offended by that one.
May 15, 2008 8:09 PM | Reply | Permalink
When you are in a diner/restaurant/cafe and the waitress brings your coffee/pie/lunch and says "Here you go, hon" (honey), does that make you mad, too?
May 15, 2008 10:36 AM | Reply | Permalink
I'm reminded of a guy who was referred to a lawyer for some legal matter and when he came to the office he asked the woman who met him at the door to bring him a cup of coffee. She pleasantly brought him one, and being the lawyer billed him $500 for her services. But yes, I think you're right - in strip clubs they also use "honey" and "sugar" quite a lot. Why get bitter?
Hey, just think, if Hillary is the VP candidate Obama can give her free backrubs. Bush only got to do that with Rice and Merkel.
May 15, 2008 10:52 AM | Reply | Permalink
It's the same type of language that is used in urban restaurants, like those on the South Side of Chicago. I'll bet that when Bill-O went to that famous restaurant (Martha's?) in Harlem, he got called "sweetie" or "hon" as well. You guys are piling on Obama for using the common language of regular people. Congrats.
May 15, 2008 11:00 AM | Reply | Permalink
Even regular people know that there's a time and a place. If they were on the campaign plane, and Barack said, "There are more seats in front, hon," that's not dismissive. "More seats in front, sweetie" . . . still not dismissive, though this time I'd hope that Michelle is on the same plane.
If she's asking a question, it's a professional context, and it's not the place for the same language.
May 15, 2008 11:25 AM | Reply | Permalink
I'll agree that it's not perfectly PC, but have you watched the video? It's hardly an earth-shattering utterance.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4STLISLdxi4
May 15, 2008 12:01 PM | Reply | Permalink
Not earth shattering? Not earth shattering??? You're whistling past the graveyard, my friend.
Not a single superdelegate has endorsed Obama since the "sweetie-gate" story broke. I think they're all holding back to see if he can survive it. Edwards must be kicking himself right now for having such unfortunate timing with his endorsement.
This is it, friends. If Obama survives this scandal, he'll have the nomination easily. But if not, then ... well, some things are just too depressing to think about.
If he does get the nomination then one consequence is that Hillary will be unable to accept the veep offer. She can't afford to have herself tainted by being associated with a man who doesn't respect women.
May 15, 2008 12:09 PM | Reply | Permalink
Wait a second . . . my snarkdar is tingling.
I would agree with both of y'all that it's not a huge deal.
May 15, 2008 1:35 PM | Reply | Permalink
I mean, it's not like starting a war of aggression against a nation of brown-skinned people.
But I will say, it sounded kind of flippant and obnoxious.
May 15, 2008 2:12 PM | Reply | Permalink
I thought it was likable enough.
May 15, 2008 2:57 PM | Reply | Permalink
Ah yes, the scandal the Clintons have been waiting for: Sweetie-gate.
Hey Billy, I'm getting ready to go on vacation next week. Long road trip. Memorial Day is just around the corner, and I see gas is up to about 4 bucks around here. How's that gas tax holiday coming?
10 days and counting...
May 15, 2008 10:45 AM | Reply | Permalink
Depends on which state you live in. Some states are enacting a gas tax holiday for the summer.
May 15, 2008 11:36 AM | Reply | Permalink
I'm referring to the temporary lift of the federal, not state, tax that was proposed recently.
May 15, 2008 11:50 AM | Reply | Permalink
I know. I thought it was unnecessarily obnoxious.
May 15, 2008 11:51 AM | Reply | Permalink
I can forgive her if she tells me what that body of water in the background is. Maine? Pacific Northwest? Looks cold and dreary. Looks like she's just turning away from the beach as the Obama and its crew of Obamanauts sails away toward the edge of the world. What is she thinking?
May 15, 2008 12:27 PM | Reply | Permalink
You're right, Billy. I was harsh. A gaffe on my part. Gimme her phone number so I can call and apologize.
May 15, 2008 12:34 PM | Reply | Permalink
Could be she's on the deck of the Titanic trying to remember the words to that damn Celine Dion song. Or else trying to spot dolphins off of Santa Catalina. What the hell, how can people tell so much from a 64pixel picture - "she's stressed, her car needs a tune-up, she once went to a carny and dreamt of being a trapeze artist, there's still remnants of an oil spill in the distance, she should have taken more dramamine and she laid out her lobster traps wrong". Am I close?
May 15, 2008 3:04 PM | Reply | Permalink
If it's the Pacific North West, she might be digging for gooey ducks. I hope it's Maine, though. She could be a pettycoat whaler.
May 15, 2008 5:57 PM | Reply | Permalink
You nailed the trapeze artist bit.
May 15, 2008 6:20 PM | Reply | Permalink
1 out of 6 ain't bad, I think.
May 16, 2008 1:03 AM | Reply | Permalink
It might be the Sound. I think I recognize the slope of Long Island in the distance, but it really could be anywhere.
May 15, 2008 12:39 PM | Reply | Permalink
She just seems lonely. Like the Obamanauts sailed without her. And a cold front or a storm is coming in.
May 15, 2008 12:44 PM | Reply | Permalink
I sent myself on the deep open sea
with only a boat and that small troop of men,
my friends, who never had abandoned me.
(26:100)
May 15, 2008 2:06 PM | Reply | Permalink
Well, it's definitely not Jones Beach. Not enough pepsi cans.
May 15, 2008 12:57 PM | Reply | Permalink
Looks like a Pacific sunset along the northern California coastline to me, maybe Northwest coast?
May 15, 2008 12:47 PM | Reply | Permalink
I'm thinking PNW or Maine. Hoping to hear it's Maine. Those women know what it's like to wait for the men to come home from a dangerous voyage.
May 15, 2008 12:50 PM | Reply | Permalink
She seems so vulnerable. It makes we want to call her ... you know .... Sweetie.
May 15, 2008 1:22 PM | Reply | Permalink
Nah. Ship's anchored in the bay. They're unloading it now. Storm passed us and blew out to sea. Sun's rising on a new day. I'm not turning away, but turning to greet you. Took you longer to get there since you came by land. Those are tears of joy in my eyes. I wasn't sure you'd make it.
May 15, 2008 1:49 PM | Reply | Permalink
And then you notice the limp and the incisions where the kidneys used to be. I've seen this movie too many times - still gives me the willies. Red sky in morning, sailors take warning....
May 15, 2008 3:09 PM | Reply | Permalink
Priceless Billy. I've always thought her avatar was not an actual body of water, but rather a backdrop from a feminine hygeine product commerical. My feminist principles always prevented me from going there, but screw it! Who cares about condescension and demeaning and sexist rhetoric coming from the democratic nominee for president. The reporter is just lucky she did not encounter John McCain with his C**T comment.
May 15, 2008 1:36 PM | Reply | Permalink
Yawn. A Hillary shill to the bitter end, hon.
May 15, 2008 2:45 PM | Reply | Permalink
You know, dijamo, you would be well served if you could somehow regain your sense of humor (if you ever had one to begin with). Bitter really doesn't serve you and you just sound nasty and mean-spirited all of the time. Everything in life is not a tragedy - Obama calling someone "sweetie" certainly is not. Lighten up, for your own sake.
May 15, 2008 3:23 PM | Reply | Permalink
I hate to break it to you but my sense of humor is very much snarky / sarcastic so it is intact. I find it hilarious that you are lecturing anyone about decorum on TPM. Gimmie a break!
I apologize if I've offended by likening her avatar to a femine hygeine product ad. This is much more accurate if only it was in color:
http://www.gazette.uwo.ca/2000/October/17/photos/yanni_cd.gif
May 15, 2008 4:07 PM | Reply | Permalink
What a larf - a friend who watches too much TV now assumes women wear white because they're on their period. I guess it's a logical misunderstanding - wonder what else our conditioning gets wrong.
May 15, 2008 3:40 PM | Reply | Permalink
Funny. When I first read this, I thought you were saying that a gas tax holiday was unnecessary and obnoxious. It made me laugh really hard.
May 15, 2008 12:56 PM | Reply | Permalink
Your laugh is contagious. ;-)
May 15, 2008 1:23 PM | Reply | Permalink
sweetie
noun
a person loved by another person [syn: sweetheart]
WordNet® 3.0, © 2006 by Princeton University.
The nerve of that guy.
May 15, 2008 10:52 AM | Reply | Permalink
What does WordNet have under "boy"?
May 15, 2008 10:54 AM | Reply | Permalink
My definition is; a male human that has not reached puberty.
Why do you have some other preferred usage?
May 15, 2008 11:05 AM | Reply | Permalink
Props.
Concise and correct.
May 15, 2008 11:51 AM | Reply | Permalink
Or even worse when Bill Clinton had the nerve to call Obama the new kid on the block and people in the Obama camp and Donna Brazile blew a gasket on CNN accusing Bill of being usually racially demaning language and demaning Obam. Never mind that Bill was dubbed the comeback kid. nevermind that in 2004 Edwards was the new kid on the block. Bill Clinton using the word kid in the context of talking about Barack Obama is RACIST!
Barack Obama calling a female reporter sweetie is A-OK and not sexist at all.
May 15, 2008 1:40 PM | Reply | Permalink
Does anyone recall on which side Billy Glad landed druing the whole "Don Imus Ho-gate Scandal"?
May 15, 2008 10:54 AM | Reply | Permalink
I was still about 50 years in the future when that happened. Didn't he get fired or something?
May 15, 2008 12:20 PM | Reply | Permalink
You mean like was it a) more racist than sexist, b) more sexist than racist, c) equally both, or d) none of the above?
May 15, 2008 3:27 PM | Reply | Permalink
Of course Obama has a habit of using "sweetie".
As new10 said, it is a term of endearment.
Don't forget, he has two young daughters and a wife.
I'm sure he uses "sweetie" all the time.
May 15, 2008 10:55 AM | Reply | Permalink
I guess some people just prefer the "f*** you" vocabulary of Dick Cheney and his crowd. Telling...
May 15, 2008 11:02 AM | Reply | Permalink
Don't tempt me.
May 15, 2008 11:05 AM | Reply | Permalink
I guess some people just prefer the "f*** you" vocabulary of Dick Cheney and his crowd.....
May 15, 2008 11:37 AM | Reply | Permalink
May 11, 2008 3:53 PM:
May 11, 2008 3:57 PM:
I'm sorry, what was your point about Dick Cheney?
May 15, 2008 11:48 AM | Reply | Permalink
LOL! You got me! Touche.
May 15, 2008 11:53 AM | Reply | Permalink
STFU does mean Stop Talking Falsehoods Unfairly, doesn't it?
May 15, 2008 11:58 AM | Reply | Permalink
At least we can see your panties aren't in a wad. :)
May 15, 2008 12:39 PM | Reply | Permalink
It's one of the advantages of having a flat, feathered penguin backside!
May 15, 2008 12:50 PM | Reply | Permalink
hahaha!
May 15, 2008 12:45 PM | Reply | Permalink
Ah yes. It would be one thing for McCain backers to make an issue of this, but for Clinton supporters its laugh out loud funny considering Bill Clinton's extramarital history and Hillary's history trying to clean up these messes virtually by any means necessary.
May 15, 2008 11:05 AM | Reply | Permalink
Like what? What did she do to "clean up these messes by any means necessary"? It is exactly this kind of shit that pisses off Clinton supporters - it isn't true, it's a smear and it is unnecessary.
May 15, 2008 11:32 AM | Reply | Permalink
Dont worry, Bev, by "extramarital history" they mean all the thigh rubbing innuendo and fantasy they get into when they think anything about sex.
See, they're Maxim branded dudes - they think the only way to have sex is by insulting and demeaning women. Adult consenting sex is so 60's to the post-boomer generation. Not that Red Bull and vodka laced with Rohypnol makes an especially bad drink...
May 15, 2008 3:25 PM | Reply | Permalink
Ahhh...yes. Blame Hillary for her husband's affair. We're back to that one? I'll take a jab to the stomach with that kick in the face.
May 15, 2008 11:37 AM | Reply | Permalink
Wow, how do you "Blame Hillary for her husband's affair" into Jonze's statement? that's a pretty far reach. You're better off attacking the "clean up after her husband" suggestion. Which she did, by the way.
May 15, 2008 12:53 PM | Reply | Permalink
And how did she do that?
May 15, 2008 1:05 PM | Reply | Permalink
Jonze? You put it out there.....
May 15, 2008 2:28 PM | Reply | Permalink
Earth to fellow Obama supporters:
He has admitted it was a gaffe. So we can too. It was a gaffe.
Would it be different if it had been a young male reporter, and Hillary had called him "hon"? "Hold on a sec, hon."
Afraid so. That would be sorta-funny-dismissive instead of gratingly-dismissive. Sorry, but till sexism disappears, this sort of pat-on-the-back stuff is going to read differently depending on the gender of the speaker and the addressee.
May 15, 2008 11:10 AM | Reply | Permalink
May 15, 2008 11:55 AM | Reply | Permalink
Sorry. That bad tag was a gaffe.
May 15, 2008 12:05 PM | Reply | Permalink
ha!
May 15, 2008 12:19 PM | Reply | Permalink
Actually, I think people would be completely unbothered by Hillary calling a young male reporter "hon", if anything. It's just not quite the same.
The rest I agree with. It was a dumb thing to say, Obama knows it was a dumb thing to say, and he did what you're supposed to do when you say something dumb.
May 15, 2008 12:03 PM | Reply | Permalink
And evidently I misread your comment, since I actually agree with all of it.
May 15, 2008 12:04 PM | Reply | Permalink
No! The Obama Borg will continue to insist Obama is perfect no matter what he says, they must continue to counter every doubt about perfection, even if it requires ridiculous rhetorical knots. The Borg must issue at minimum 50 countering blog posts across the internet every time there is the slight possibility something negative might accrue to The Obama Borg, no matter how minor. Admitting error is weakness! Mistakes are never made! Don't listen to the single entities Senator Obama or his campaign staff, The Obama Borg knows better!
May 15, 2008 1:06 PM | Reply | Permalink
Oh, get over yourself, would you? Unlike some Hillary supporters, most of us Obama supporters can and do admit when our candidate makes a mistake, and we do NOT think he is infallible. Just stop. Having said that, this is a minor gaffe and it will fade from memory in the next day or so. All of this manufactured rage on the part of Hillary supporters is fine because it gives them an outlet for their grief and anger over her losing, but it is manufactured and it will pass.
May 15, 2008 1:18 PM | Reply | Permalink
I don't see where artappraiser endorsed either candidate - the criticism is aimed at Obama borg, there and rightfully so. That doesn't however mean that at no time does artappraiser believe that Clinton supporters are not borglike, or that omission is exclusion. Get over yourself, you're not the only borg in town.
May 15, 2008 1:49 PM | Reply | Permalink
Now that is funny.
Unless one is part of a, er, the collective..
I'm glad "hive mentality" is passing out of the vernacular.
May 15, 2008 3:15 PM | Reply | Permalink
Careful, you'll start Allsborg on another contest, and he's been monkeying around with this format way too much already.
May 15, 2008 3:31 PM | Reply | Permalink
Collective, combative, ideological. It's the avant garde! Coming soon to a thread near you.
May 15, 2008 3:34 PM | Reply | Permalink
That's really rich coming from someone who continually finds anti-Obama bias in Greg Sargent's posts to such heights of absurdity that they become humorous. From what I've seen of your commenting at Election Central, you're a poster child for irrational pro-Obama spin. Mho, you'd do everyone who wants the Democratic nominee to win a great favor by changing your user name and with that new user name affecting a more rational tone in your support of Obama.
May 15, 2008 1:59 PM | Reply | Permalink
I'm very glad that I amuse you! ;)
May 15, 2008 3:26 PM | Reply | Permalink
I've never claimed Obama is perfect. And he has never claimed to be perfect. In fact, he points out regularly that he's imperfect and makes mistakes.
The key is, he makes mistakes, and then he tries to fix them and do better in the future.
No candidate is perfect. I do not fear an imperfect candidate. I fear candidates who will not admit to mistakes, who will defend mistakes until the bitter end (or until the video footage comes out). We've had eight years of a president who does that. We cannot take eight more.
May 15, 2008 3:38 PM | Reply | Permalink
You mean like still defending your Iraq War vote?
May 15, 2008 8:13 PM | Reply | Permalink
Is that what dumping Rev. Wright was? "Fixing a mistake?"
Oh please.
May 15, 2008 11:09 PM | Reply | Permalink
It's not the first time he's called a woman "sweetie," apparently. He did it to a factory worker in PA. It's a class thing.
At least he didn't call her "monster."
May 15, 2008 11:21 AM | Reply | Permalink
Or, it could just be an interpersonal mannerism thing.
May 15, 2008 11:26 AM | Reply | Permalink
So break it.
I'm sure he doesn't call senators "sweetie."
May 15, 2008 11:31 AM | Reply | Permalink
Gasket already blown, eh?
May 15, 2008 12:01 PM | Reply | Permalink
Are you Canadian?
May 15, 2008 12:30 PM | Reply | Permalink
Damn Canadians.
May 16, 2008 1:33 AM | Reply | Permalink
How dare he? Misogynical pig! Rip off his head and spit down the hole! Crucify him! Obama thinks every woman is his own personal waitress! Sweetie! Dear God, what's next? Poopsie? The mind boggles...
May 15, 2008 11:55 AM | Reply | Permalink
I know everybody has agendas and I suspect the reporter from WXYZ's is against dismissive language. I really don't see why everybody is putting the blame for something the reporter decided to include in her piece and her own dismissive tone onto Hillary. Sure, you can surmise that the reporter is a feminist and that she may not be enamored by Obama, but what the heck does any of this have to do with Sen. Clinton?
May 15, 2008 11:59 AM | Reply | Permalink
Nothing.
This is a non-issue.
It was an inappropriate comment, and he apologized for.
Next?
May 15, 2008 12:04 PM | Reply | Permalink
I beg to differ, workerbee. Obama's clearly playing the sexism card before the Kentucky primary.
May 15, 2008 12:46 PM | Reply | Permalink
Was he tearing up?
May 15, 2008 4:08 PM | Reply | Permalink
No, he spit tobacco juice all over another reporter's shoes.
May 15, 2008 6:38 PM | Reply | Permalink
Well that tears it.
May 15, 2008 7:27 PM | Reply | Permalink
Not with Clinton. With her supporters attempt at exploitation. As can be seen herein.
May 15, 2008 12:05 PM | Reply | Permalink
What is with the American people and their acceptance of a docile press? It's her job to ask questions every opportunity she gets, if he doesn't want to answer, he's free to say he doesn't want to answer. What he said was demeaning and dismissive of her, has he learned a lesson? I'm willing to bet it won't happen again.
May 15, 2008 12:27 PM | Reply | Permalink
Oh,no! I guess I'm no longer a feminst because of that time when I got all fuzzy inside after getting off the plane in London and the the custom's agent said "Hello, LUV, what ya here for business or pleasure?"
May 15, 2008 12:03 PM | Reply | Permalink
Better than Ma'am.
That one always makes me feel old.. :)
Frankly, I can see why the reporter was offended, she's a professional, and the term was inappropriate in a professional setting. That said, it's not an offensive comment, and he apologized, end of story.
May 15, 2008 12:08 PM | Reply | Permalink
WB -
That's the most succinct, logical and fair description on this entire thread - or probably anywhere - since the onset of this whole brouhaha.
Thank you.
C
May 15, 2008 10:36 PM | Reply | Permalink
Huh? Since when does TPM ever go for succinct, logical, or fair?
May 16, 2008 12:02 AM | Reply | Permalink
Why thank you. I made it before my avatar started drinking.
;)
May 16, 2008 12:20 AM | Reply | Permalink
That one always reminds me of Alex going, "No time for the ol' in and out, luv, I'm just here to check the meter." Of course the British say "boot" and "spanner" and think Shepherd's Pie is a food - down this path lies madness. Plus, a British journalist would have broken his nose.
May 15, 2008 3:34 PM | Reply | Permalink
You can not call people Sweetie, and you can not call people Bitterie, in the land that never shuts the fuck up telling the rest of the world that it invented freedom of speech. Sure it did.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w0eGf1RsyZQ
May 15, 2008 12:05 PM | Reply | Permalink
She was asking a question at the wrong time and place. The tour of the Chrysler plant was meant as a photo op meet and greet for the assembly line workers, not a presser for a lone local reporter who got out of line aggressively trying to make a name for herself.
She was informed there'd be a presser later where she says he never did answer her question. If she had asked her question at the presser he would have answered it but I suspect she had all the story she wanted by then and was on her way back to the studio.
May 15, 2008 12:07 PM | Reply | Permalink
If you listen to Obama's apology, a different reporter represented the station during the Q&A, so she never got another chance to ask her question.
May 15, 2008 12:28 PM | Reply | Permalink
This is what I understood in his apology.
What he did do was reveal that she was a crasher at the Photo op. That she was NOT the identified reporter from the local radio station scheduled for the press conference later.
She was an unprofessional nut.
May 15, 2008 12:56 PM | Reply | Permalink
Here's a great one-liner.
http://tpmcafe.talkingpointsmemo.com/talk/2008/05/obama-apologizes-to-reporter-h.php
:)
May 15, 2008 1:09 PM | Reply | Permalink
Sorry, but calling her an unprofessional nut for these reasons is WRONG WRONG WRONG.
Limiting access to only to the "approved" or "identified" reporters is one of the biggest ways the current administration curtails our democracy and controls the narrative.
I don't know anything about her situation, but if she was denied access to the press conference and still found a way to ask a sitting US Senator and possibly our next president her question, I consider her courageous and professional and Senator Obama out of line for dismissing her no matter what he called her in the process.
If we had more reporters like her, I think we wouldn't be in many of the situations we are in.
May 15, 2008 1:18 PM | Reply | Permalink
She was not chose by the radio station that she works for as the reporter to be at the press conference.
She was a freelance nut.
Mayhill Fowler her ass for all I care.
May 15, 2008 4:04 PM | Reply | Permalink
And if you don't know anything about the situation nor researched into the "set up confrontation". Then why are you responding with such faux reflexive outrage?
What are you saying? "I don't know what I'm talking about but here goes".
May 15, 2008 4:20 PM | Reply | Permalink
I am so guilty of calling people "Sweetie" and I'm a 47 year old woman, born and raised in NYC. I don't mean it as a condescending, dismissive or sexist label...it just slips out because I LOVE people. I call men and women, children and adults, "Sweetie." I call my cat Sweetie-Pie. Sometimes it's "Sugar-Dumplin", or "Honey Pot" or "Dear Heart". It's all about love my friends, you know.
May 15, 2008 12:08 PM | Reply | Permalink
Spoken like a real New Yorker. You can call me Sweetie, anytime.
BTW, In the Latin American community, mothers call their own children Mama or Papa. It's a very sweet tradition. The last time I went shoe shopping with my 77 year old mother, the lady shoe salesperson referred to my mother as Mama. It was very sweet.
May 15, 2008 12:22 PM | Reply | Permalink
One last look.
May 15, 2008 12:28 PM | Reply | Permalink
Billy, Papa, come to Mama and vote Obama!
May 15, 2008 12:40 PM | Reply | Permalink
We're having beefaroni!!!
May 15, 2008 3:52 PM | Reply | Permalink
PS - if you recall the Elian incident you found out that the Latin community also thought unzipping their little hombrecito and remarking what a big man he was becoming was normal child's play, something that set many conservatives' hair on fire. Let's just say that politicians have to have a sensible limit on how far native they can go in any given situation.
May 15, 2008 4:20 PM | Reply | Permalink
Desiderito,
Perrdoname pero no comprendo lo que estás diciendo.
May 15, 2008 6:23 PM | Reply | Permalink
Desidero es muy inteligente y muy complicado a veces.
May 15, 2008 9:35 PM | Reply | Permalink
Hola, mi dulcita, solo quiero decir que una comunidad hispanica tiene costumbres diferentes de una comunidad ingles, y esos costumbres son diferentes entre su mismo - la gente puertoriqena, cubana, etc. En el incidente con Elian en Miami - cuando su madre se murio y todo el mundo regardo a esa batalle de dos paises - su abuela en su visitacion breve trato a jugar con el para calmarle, usanda los juegitos mas macho y sexual que es normal en la cultura blanca, pero absolutamente no abuso sexual en el sentido implicado por los conservativos como Jesse Helms o Bill O'Reilly.
Entonces qualquier candidato que cambia locaciones frequentamente necesita estar muy cuidado que no dice ni hace algo que puede dar ofensa. Pero eso se aparece mas extremamente i en la diferencia entre el mundo de finanzas y el mundo de obreros, algo que Obama descubrio con sus comentos de "amargos" y "aferrarse a la religion...". (No puedo imaginar la reacion a eso comentario en un contexto hispanico, y no recuerdo que uso el termino "Sweetie" a sus inversores).
(Disculpeme mis errores, ya hay mucho tiempo...)
May 16, 2008 1:37 AM | Reply | Permalink
Desiderito,
No sabía que hablabas español. Muy bueno. Billy tiene razón. Pero yo ya sabía que eres muy inteligente.
Yo no me recuerdo mucho de lo que pasó con Elian. En ese tiempo estuve en Alemaña. Solamente quería que volviera a casa. Pero estoy de acuerdo que todos tenemos costumbres diferentes. Y tambien fué mi respuesta un poquito en broma. Pero nada lo que dice ese puerco Bill O’Reilly me importa.
Sollen wir auf Deutsch nächste mal reden? Ich habe gesehen auf ein anderes gespräch das du auch Deutsch kannst.
Hasta luego
La chica del Bronx
May 16, 2008 2:58 AM | Reply | Permalink
Peut-etre c'est meilleur que nous parlons en Francais - je me sens un peu intimide, tu as habitee a Allemagne et parles l'espagnole nativement, et moi? Je suis seulement un dilletante, comme un pied noir. Ou les langues slaviques, mais ceca c'est un peu eloignee - ces pays ne sont pas tres importants dans l'ordre nouveau.
May 16, 2008 5:33 AM | Reply | Permalink
Would you two slow down? My Spanish isn't that good. I can't keep up.
May 16, 2008 9:17 AM | Reply | Permalink
But how's your German, Billy? Desidero's spanish is really too good for someone who isn't native. My spanish should be better for someone who heard it spoken at home from birth. Neither of my brothers speak a word. And because I lived in Germany, I think more in German than I do in Spanish.
What's goin' on here today? I'm up early after a late night. There seems to be a lot of deep philoshopical studies going on a TPM today. I just can't go there. We need some ideas Billy. You're the idea man on campus.... what's it gonna be?
May 16, 2008 10:08 AM | Reply | Permalink
Mais non, mon petit chimpanzé!
Francais est trop difficile pour moi, mais est le langue de mon rêves. Maintenant je suis tres envieux. Est tu peut-être Polonais? Was für eine schwere Sprache das ist. Ich schlage vor, eine neue sprache für die neue Weltordnung-- eine mischung von alles!
Bis bald, criatura de quatro pies. Ciao. Ha un giorno piacevole.
See you on the board!
May 16, 2008 9:57 AM | Reply | Permalink
Mais non, mon petit chimpanzé!
Francais est trop difficile pour moi, mais est le langue de mon rêves. Maintenant je suis tres envieux. Est tu peut-être Polonais? Was für eine schwere Sprache das ist. Ich schlage vor, eine neue sprache für die neue Weltordnung-- eine mischung von alles!
Bis bald, criatura de quatro pies. Ciao. Ha un giorno piacevole.
See you on the board!
May 16, 2008 9:59 AM | Reply | Permalink
Hey, Des, I hit the DAILY DOUBLE!
May 16, 2008 10:13 AM | Reply | Permalink
All I can think about this morning is peaches.
May 16, 2008 11:09 AM | Reply | Permalink
And I thought I was just seeing double. Mon Dieu, 371 Sweetie postings and climbing.
Billy, I think you've started a movement - either we take over the party or we open a chain of family diners offering a Sweetie-free safety zone. We can call it Momi's or Peaches and have Bronx girl use her German and Italian to make sure the griddles run on time.
May 16, 2008 11:55 AM | Reply | Permalink
Et non Polonais, mais je peux comprendre un peu. Meilleur la Russe, Tcheque et Serbo-Croatien. Et un peu de Turq pour le güle güle laughing laughing bit.
May 16, 2008 1:10 PM | Reply | Permalink
Desidero, est tu vraiment? C'est nest pas possible? You're here. I've only just discovered that you can keep going on a thread once it has slithered off the screen. Finding you here is hysterical. I just did a test on an old post of mine and VOILA!
I wondered if you'd seen my answer to you earlier. I left you a message this morning on the Comic relief thread, but then IT disappeared.
Anyway, if I could come back in another life, I would definitely speak Russian. The MOST beautiful music. I have a good enough accent but not the rest...
I'm afraid today is a total bust at TPM. Sad day-- no Billy. But you can't blame him.
I tired of all the same old stuff.
Here I am hanging out in the "enemy camp." That's gotta tell you something.
Buenas noches. Gotta go to a concert. I'll check in later just for the hell of it.
Ciao
May 16, 2008 8:36 PM | Reply | Permalink
You are certainly the most charming person in the cafe. Don't get bored and leave.
May 17, 2008 12:27 AM | Reply | Permalink
Oh, I wasn't being coy or anything. When I leave, there will be no hints, just gone. But thanks for the sweet words. You must be a "sweetie honey bee."
May 17, 2008 12:31 PM | Reply | Permalink
Of course I'm here - I'm everywhere ;_)
The best way to stalk people is to check their profile and find out where they've been posting. Gotta run.
May 17, 2008 3:08 AM | Reply | Permalink
Eureka, you ARE everywhere. I'm just trying to keep my head above the miasma of bullhsit around here.
Bis später
La chica del Bronx
May 17, 2008 12:42 PM | Reply | Permalink
HONOUR is so sublime perfection,
And so refinde; that when God was alone
And creaturelesse at first, himselfe had none;
May 15, 2008 2:11 PM | Reply | Permalink
Well, thank you Darlin'! I just moved to Washington Heights by the way--so a shout out to you!
And isn't it also common in the Latino community for adults to refer to each other as "Mommy" or "Poppy"? I've started calling my S.O. "Poppy" when no other word will do...
May 15, 2008 12:33 PM | Reply | Permalink
this was meant for girl from the bronx
May 15, 2008 12:37 PM | Reply | Permalink
I know, Sweetie. No problema.
May 15, 2008 12:47 PM | Reply | Permalink
Yes, I had just mentioned that above. My mother says Mama but you can say Mami or Papi too! Good catch.
Enjoy the Heights. Take a stroll through the Cloisters for me.
May 15, 2008 12:49 PM | Reply | Permalink
I'm a femaie Bronxite as well. How come you didn't mention the trend of Latina store cashiers here calling female customers "mommie" for at least the past year? :-) Mho, it's not like waitresses using "hon" or "sweetie," there's no power thing going on with it, I take the meaning as merely one of kindly intent. But I must admit I am not an expert of all parts of Latina culture, and some hidden putdown could be going way over my head.
May 15, 2008 1:45 PM | Reply | Permalink
If you're talking to me, I already did spoke of this up thread. And yes, it is completely meant as a term of endearment in the Latin American community.
May 15, 2008 2:29 PM | Reply | Permalink
Now that I had time to think on it more, there is some interesting semiological differences going on here. "Hon" and "sweetie" in pink-collar working class white world is often used to indicate a relationship of parent to child. The user is the parent. It can be used to be condescending, as I think a lot of waitresses use it, or it can be an endearment, like in a beauty parlor. Certainly it's condescending when used in "hon, get me some coffee" in the white collar world.
But what I (and acquaintances) have noticed is that Latinas in service jobs over the last year have begun to use it when they speak to non-Latina female customers. But it comes not from a parent to child condescending relationship, but just the oppostite, child to parent! Not just a term of endearment, but also of respect. This is very smart customer service, if nothing else. :-)
(I would add to Billy Glad that yes, service people calling a man hon or dearie when they didn't before, I think you are correct to feel some neutering there, clearly they see you as over the hill, as in, need help crossing the street, you poor old man? :-))
May 16, 2008 12:51 AM | Reply | Permalink
oops to be clear, an edit to one sentence above:
But what I (and acquaintances) have noticed is that Latinas in service jobs over the last year have begun to use "momi"
May 16, 2008 12:59 AM | Reply | Permalink
I think the reason it's become so prevalent in the past 5 years or more is because of rap music. So it's spreading through the culture.
May 16, 2008 3:06 AM | Reply | Permalink
In the Italian culture (at least in New York), mothers and grandmothers call their children and grandchildren "mommy" - I know I do that with my 3-year-old granddaughter sometimes, and she looks at me strangely and says "Nana, I'm not mommy" - it's really funny!
May 15, 2008 3:19 PM | Reply | Permalink
Well, that's interesting.
Maybe it's a Mediterranean thing. When I asked my mother about the origin, she didn't have much to say. All this talk about it has gotten me curious, though. I'm going to see if I can track it down.
May 15, 2008 6:20 PM | Reply | Permalink
Well, Baba, (grandmother) is a term of endearment to any old Russian woman, I think maybe it's a widespread practice. Maybe an old time one.
May 15, 2008 8:57 PM | Reply | Permalink
Careful, Baba is grandmother, but the nicer term is the dimunitive Babushka or Babichka depending on the language - abuelita en vez de abuela. "Baba" spoken directly comes out "witch", such as the infamous Baba Yaga.
May 16, 2008 1:42 AM | Reply | Permalink
Arrrgh, I made an contradictory statement.
I meant that the term wasn't an "offensive" term, like bitch or 'ho.
It was "offensive" in that it was a slight to her professionalism. I talking degree of offense, here.
I hope that makes more sense.
May 15, 2008 12:11 PM | Reply | Permalink
This was one of Obama's dickish moments, as when he told Hillary that she was likable enough. I am sure we'll see more of them.
May 15, 2008 12:18 PM | Reply | Permalink
LOL. Please define a "dickish moment" so I can recognize one when I see it...
May 15, 2008 12:21 PM | Reply | Permalink
I hope so.
May 15, 2008 12:21 PM | Reply | Permalink
It was dumb.
And yes, it's exactly like if Hillary had called a African American man "boy." Because back when I was working my way through college at various restaurants, not only did lots of my fellow female employees call me "honey," "sweetie," "baby," etc. -- and vice versa -- but we also all referred to the black guys as "boys."
Jesus.
This Edwards endorsement sure has you HRC supporters salty, doesn't it?
May 15, 2008 12:22 PM | Reply | Permalink
The "boy" comment came up because someone said "sweetie" couldn't be offensive because of its dictionary definition. Calling a black man "boy" would seem to be an extra layer worse, but names like "sweetie" can be quite professionally demeaning, as in this case.
May 15, 2008 4:42 PM | Reply | Permalink
What about intention? Does anyone really think he intended "sweetie" in a degrading manner like "hey macaca"???
May 15, 2008 5:01 PM | Reply | Permalink
Okay, it was Obama's "macaca" moment.
May 15, 2008 6:21 PM | Reply | Permalink
No, he just meant it in a dismissive manner like "hey, you sack of potatoes" or dumpling or whatever.
May 16, 2008 1:45 AM | Reply | Permalink
(Pssst, Desidero: You know I'm joking, right?)
Suddenly I'm craving pierogies.
May 16, 2008 3:16 AM | Reply | Permalink
No dice, Obama has the lock down on Chicago and Michigan no longer counts, and these are the only places you'll get them good stateside. (Actually there was a pretty nice Ukrainian restaurant downside in Manhattan, they should still be friendly to the Hillary club). I'll see if I can dig you up some from here, but nowhere near as good as the other side of the border.
May 16, 2008 5:42 AM | Reply | Permalink
I'd rather make my own. Machine made pirogies always toughen the dough.
That Ukrainian restaurant ? In the East Village? Odessa/
May 16, 2008 8:51 AM | Reply | Permalink
Ayup, though my last ones were in Kiev, so I'm spoiled.
May 16, 2008 12:31 PM | Reply | Permalink
I had my little ol Kiev Baba teach me. Did you take a lil ol river ride in Kiev? Raving about the food? That's rather odd.
I know, I know the flour is different.
Baba said ours is better.
:)
May 17, 2008 12:24 AM | Reply | Permalink
**You ARE kidding, right? Calling a female Sweetie (often an endearment) is the SAME as calling a black man BOY (often NOT an endearment)?
May 15, 2008 6:27 PM | Reply | Permalink
I've amplified the audio on that clip, and it's clear that Obama did not say 'sweetie' -- he said 'seenie', which is short for 'senorita'.
May 15, 2008 12:27 PM | Reply | Permalink
Now we know how the first Iran/US summit will go. Now we need to talk about those nukes and Israel, Sweetie.
May 15, 2008 12:34 PM | Reply | Permalink
"Sweetie" is so much more of a threat than "obliterate".
David Duke to Hillary Clinton: You had me at White Americans.
May 15, 2008 12:46 PM | Reply | Permalink
But what if in Persian it means something kiss the sole of my boot?
May 15, 2008 12:49 PM | Reply | Permalink
THAT'S GOOD, Billy! I'm good for another day with that one. Thanks.
I also understand that there are many foreign words now banned from the Persian language. "Pizzas" for example, is now known as "elastic loaves."
I imagine "sweetie" is also banned. Perhaps the subsitute should be "nectar blossom" or "whiff of peach" or "my little saffron sherbert" or ...
May 15, 2008 1:54 PM | Reply | Permalink
All I've ever wanted to do is put a smile on your face. :)
May 15, 2008 1:59 PM | Reply | Permalink
With your German background we could do "Meine Küchen" oder "Meine Mauschen", or a Czech dumpling would be "Muj knedlik". I think there's a rule that says it's not sexist if it's in a Central European language, right?
May 16, 2008 5:50 AM | Reply | Permalink
And I can only imagine how quickly "my little whiff of peach" would get someone thrown out of a US workplace.
Back to politics, I hear that in Persian, "obliterate Israel from the map" is translated "encouraging respect of Muslim peoples", but it's not a language I'm any good with so I take other people's word for it.
May 16, 2008 5:54 AM | Reply | Permalink
I suggest "my little taste of pineapple." Probably sounds better in French, though.
May 16, 2008 8:32 PM | Reply | Permalink
Billy, you ARE here. And now I have to go!
Later
May 16, 2008 8:42 PM | Reply | Permalink
Or is this it in Spanish?
Mi poco gusto de la piña.
May 16, 2008 8:57 PM | Reply | Permalink
I think the best choice would be:
Sabor de piña
poco gusto would mean more like small amount of taste.
but we mean taste as in flavor, so sabor is the better choice.
Now, if we put the ie of sweetie on it, then it would have to be: saborcito de piña.
Yep, that's it.
Well, that was a fine group project.
Now I can get some rest.
Sweet dreams, sweeties.
May 17, 2008 12:04 AM | Reply | Permalink
After all this time, hanging around TPM has finally paid off.
May 17, 2008 8:49 AM | Reply | Permalink
Billy, you made it to 400 comments. Is that an all time TPM record?
May 17, 2008 12:51 PM | Reply | Permalink
Shhh, don't disturb him - he's floating in the wafting scent of piña. You've made his journey, time travel is much more difficult than people assume. The biggest problem is tomorrow he has to wake up and go back to killing, but for now everything is okay.
May 17, 2008 5:21 PM | Reply | Permalink
Okay, fellas. The griddle cakes are hot! I have Piña Coladas ready just for Billy and his pineapple passion and a wonderful French Merlot for Desiderito. It's party time! But for dessert-- a game of truth or dare!
May 17, 2008 9:11 PM | Reply | Permalink
OK, Billy, now you're getting a little ridiculous. You think Obama will do any worse than the asshole we have there now who gave Germany's Chancellor Merkel a shoulder massage????? Come on, let's not get absurd.
I was not happy when I saw that clip - I think Obama was being a bit condescending and dismissive, and I react viscerally when a woman is called "sweetie" (I work with labor unions and I get that kind of treatment all the time, and it always rankles me). But he apologized and you can be sure he won't do it again. I think we can move on, although Hillary supporters (and nut-jobs like Taylor Marsh and her ilk) will try to play it for all it's worth. No matter - he's going to win the nomination and this too shall pass.
May 15, 2008 12:53 PM | Reply | Permalink
Only a little ridiculous? I'm losing my touch. I'm more worried about the massages Obama is going to get than the ones he's going to give.
May 15, 2008 1:01 PM | Reply | Permalink
No, you're not losing your touch. Believe it or not, I've always considered you among the more sane Clinton supporters here - reasoned and intelligent. Even though we disagree (sometimes vociferously), I've always enjoyed our interactions. ;)
May 15, 2008 1:14 PM | Reply | Permalink
Me, too. :)
May 15, 2008 1:32 PM | Reply | Permalink
Just drink the koll aid sweetie.
May 15, 2008 12:45 PM | Reply | Permalink
Exactly - more koll aid for everyone! They are drunk on koll aid - which tastes of BS (and crap!).
I think Gotalife would agree with me that any country that would democratically elect a man like Obamamamablabla is complete CRAP.
May 15, 2008 12:57 PM | Reply | Permalink
The koll-aid has left a bitter-sweetie taste in my mouth!
May 15, 2008 1:14 PM | Reply | Permalink
Sorry I stepped on this one. Didn't see it when I posted below. :)
May 15, 2008 1:20 PM | Reply | Permalink
Which would be a vast improvement over Hillary's
(sound of cricket's chirping) and McCain Beach Boy songs.
May 15, 2008 12:50 PM | Reply | Permalink
Think how those crickets are going to sound in January.
May 15, 2008 12:55 PM | Reply | Permalink
Oh, sweetie! When you call, I show up...
May 15, 2008 6:52 PM | Reply | Permalink
Oh, sweetie! You called?
May 15, 2008 6:59 PM | Reply | Permalink
Perfect.
May 15, 2008 10:08 PM | Reply | Permalink