Comments: 20 Score: [-] 257 [+].
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Posted: 6 months ago by coldbladed:
That certainly seems rude and out of character for him. I thought he was the charismatic candidate?
Score: [-] 120 [+].
Posted: 6 months ago by clscott645:
I don't know. It doesn't seem that bad.
I think that it may be just another nit-picking thing going on around here.
Score: [-] 116 [+].
Posted: 6 months ago by tvirus:
I don't think there's anything wrong with the word sweetie. It's a cultural thing, like in certain states people say "hun" and "sweetie" a lot. Apparently he's been in trouble for using the word before.
Anyway, I was looking for background about this clip (like why he blew her off) and I found this:
Score: [-] 79 [+].
Posted: 6 months ago by 2manyusernames:
« tvirus : I don't think there's anything wrong with the word sweetie. It's a cultural thing, like in certain states people say "hun" and "sweetie" a lot. Apparently he's been in trouble for using the word before.
Anyway, I was looking for background about this clip (like why he blew her off) and I found this: That may be, however if a reporter spoke to Obama's wife like that there would be a hellstorm raised.
Accusations of patronizing and being treated with disdain. Accusations of being belittling and more would be made and the reporter would probably be fired.
Obama and his campaign would of course not be the one's acting upset. Others would do it for him.
Score: [-] 20 [+].
Posted: 6 months ago by coldbladed:
« tvirus : I don't think there's anything wrong with the word sweetie. It's a cultural thing, like in certain states people say "hun" and "sweetie" a lot. Apparently he's been in trouble for using the word before.
Anyway, I was looking for background about this clip (like why he blew her off) and I found this: The term sweetie has a lot of connotation mixed in with it. It originates from the concept of a sweet or a candy. I think we can see why a woman wouldn't want to be referred to in that way by just anyone.
Score: [-] 0 [+].
Posted: 6 months ago by gammerus:
Hour later, Obama left a voicemail for Agar. Obama apologized for not getting back to her. He also told Agar he has a bad habit of calling people "sweetie."
Obama then said: "I mean no disrespect, so I am duly chastened on that front."
At least he apologized.
Score: [-] 0 [+].
Posted: 6 months ago by gammerus:
« 2manyusernames : That may be, however if a reporter spoke to Obama's wife like that there would be a hellstorm raised.
Accusations of patronizing and being treated with disdain. Accusations of being belittling and more would be made and the reporter would probably be fired.
Obama and his campaign would of course not be the one's acting upset. Others would do it for him. Why do you keep trying to pick a fight with the media? Anytime something happens with Obama you keeping bringing up the what if card. What if someone had said this to his wife? What if McCain had said it. Can't we just stay on topic?
Score: [-] 70 [+].
Posted: 6 months ago by hOOsker:
She should have said..."Take your time bro"
Score: [-] 124 [+].
Posted: 6 months ago by unzercharlie:
« 2manyusernames : That may be, however if a reporter spoke to Obama's wife like that there would be a hellstorm raised. You assume this is true simply to back your argument? I can't really see it becoming an issue if it did happen, but I don't know what the outcome would be any more than you do.
Score: [-] 5 [+].
Posted: 6 months ago by 2manyusernames:
« unzercharlie : You assume this is true simply to back your argument? I can't really see it becoming an issue if it did happen, but I don't know what the outcome would be any more than you do. Oh please.
Common. Sense.
Such a term would obviously cause some complaints and irritation. If his use of it with a reporter caused grief and for him to feel the need to apologize the use of a term which is often thought condescending and belittling than the use of the term for his wife would have an even greater level of complaints.
This is true not only with Obama but with any politician, celebrity, high-ranking employee, or anyone with an inflated sense of themselves.
The politicians themselves wouldn't complain obviously, but others would.
« gammerus : Why do you keep trying to pick a fight with the media? Anytime something happens with Obama you keeping bringing up the what if card. What if someone had said this to his wife? What if McCain had said it. Can't we just stay on topic? I wasn't picking a fight with anyone dearie.*
The "what if" card is on topic here.
Also Obama has nothing to do with my hypothetical scenario. The same would be if McCain said it. McCain would catch a bit of flak, much like Obama. He'd apologize and that would be that, just like here. If some reporter said that to McCain's wife there would be an equal uproar than if some reporter said it to Obama's wife.
It really isn't that hard to see my point. At least it shouldn't be.
The reporter is in a lower pecking order than the wife of a presidential candidate (rightly or wrongly, that is true). Therefore the use of what some may feel is a condescending term on a reporter wouldn't get as harsh a reaction as on the politician's wife.
Heck the use of that term is grounds for a sexual harassment lawsuit. It really is understandable and logical for the wife of a presidential candidate or a female presidential candidate to be offended.
*dearie was used here to illustrate the point that many find such terms insulting. I was betting that you'd feel a tinge of irritation at that. That you'd feel I was being patronizing, condescending, and dismissive of you WHICH IS FAR FROM THE TRUTH. Just pointing out something.
Score: [-] -23 [+].
Posted: 6 months ago by unzercharlie:
« 2manyusernames : Oh please.
Common. Sense.
Such a term would obviously cause some complaints and irritation. If his use of it with a reporter caused grief and for him to feel the need to apologize the use of a term which is easily and often thought condescending and belittling for his wife would have an even greater level of complaints.
This is true not only with Obama but with any politician, celebrity, high-ranking employee, or anyone with an inflated sense of themselves. Sorry, I just don't buy it. I'm pretty sure I could call Chelsea or Hilary sweetheart and they'd just smile. They're politicians, whether it gets under their skin or not, they play nice with the public.
This is just a case of a pissed off reporter who didn't get what she wanted when she wanted it. Time to make a fuss.
Score: [-] 0 [+].
Posted: 6 months ago by 2manyusernames:
« unzercharlie : Sorry, I just don't buy it. I'm pretty sure I could call Chelsea or Hilary sweetheart and they'd just smile. They're politicians, whether it gets under their skin or not, they play nice with the public.
This is just a case of a pissed off reporter who didn't get what she wanted when she wanted it. Time to make a fuss. Read again what I wrote. You could call Hillary anything you want. You can say almost anything about Chelsea (well you can't use the term pimped her our even when the term has nothing to do with prostitution) without any flak from the politician.
They have to smile and say thank you very much. Others would be upset. Others would be making accusations of sexism.
That was my point, or if you prefer my unsupported and unproven *supposition*
Score: [-] -23 [+].
Posted: 6 months ago by unzercharlie:
« 2manyusernames : Read again what I wrote. « 2manyusernames : That may be, however if a reporter spoke to Obama's wife like that there would be a hellstorm raised.
Score: [-] 0 [+].
Posted: 6 months ago by 2manyusernames:
« 2manyusernames : Read again what I wrote. « 2manyusernames : That may be, however if a reporter spoke to Obama's wife like that there would be a hellstorm raised. Cute. :-)
Quote the entire comment though:
« 2manyusernames :Obama and his campaign would of course not be the one's acting upset. Others would do it for him.
Score: [-] 0 [+].
Posted: 6 months ago by unzercharlie:
So in this hypothetical world where I call Obama's wife "sweetheart." Someone is going to jump up and say "Hey don't talk to her like that!" and then the media's going to walk all over me. Have I got that right?
It's not a big deal, it's a pissed off reporter.
Score: [-] -13 [+].
Posted: 6 months ago by drogue:
It looks like the press were supposed to be gathering b-roll footage while he walked around with the plant managers and workers. He wasn't taking questions yet, and she was showboating.
Score: [-] 45 [+].
Posted: 6 months ago by 2manyusernames:
« unzercharlie : So in this hypothetical world where I call Obama's wife "sweetheart." Someone is going to jump up and say "Hey don't talk to her like that!" and then the media's going to walk all over me. Have I got that right?
It's not a big deal, it's a pissed off reporter. Yes, it is a pissed off reporter. Yes the reporter shouldn't have been asking him questions or bothering him at this particular time.
My point is.
1. "sweetie" is considered sexist by many people. Just as some words are considered racist by many people.
That doesn't mean the use of the term is automatically sexist. Obama was not using it in a sexist manner.
2. If someone used the term "sweetie" with a female candidate/spouse especially in a brush-off manner there would be accusations of sexism that would *probably* be louder than this mere whimper of an accusation.
Neither case would be sexist, that isn't my point. Just that the accusation would be made.
Score: [-] -23 [+].
Posted: 6 months ago by gammerus:
unless the media chose to focu on it (they love to pick and choose) the focus would be the same regardless of whether or not it happened to a reporter or hillary.
It isn't as tho this is being ignored anymore than any other awkward political moment.
Score: [-] 0 [+].
Posted: 6 months ago by D3SPiTE:
Would it have been better if he said "I will talk to you later middle aged woman reporter."?
Score: [-] 0 [+].
Posted: 6 months ago by abandonedcouch:
Argh, what horsecrap. I see nothing wrong with being called sweetie, honey, darlin or whatever other little cute-ism someone can come up with. I'm called "sweetie" all the time and I use it right back; it's very common in rural areas. The UPS guy who delivers my photos at work calls me "honeybunch" and "sugarpie" and I've never once gotten my knickers in a wad over it.
It's gotten so out of hand that my boyfriend recently got reported to the principle of the school he teaches drumline at for refering to one of the girls in the band as "young lady". Her mother threatened to sue and the principle laughed in her face. So now my boyfriend calls the rest of the girls "young lady" and calls the girl who complained "Slagathor".
Score: [-] 0 [+].
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