As a Clinton supporter, I have no objection to "kicking some butt"

[brooklynite]

This isn't sexist; it's a generic fighting expression. In the 1980 Pennsylvania Primary, Jimmy Carter predicted he would "kick his (Kennedy's) ass". Nobody was offended.

[HerbChestnut]

1. Thank you.

K&R.

[Fred Sanders]

2. Agreed. That a hand full of so-called Clinton supporters find the use as sexist is a puzzle to me!

Phrases are phrases, all these battles and hair pulling over semantics is ridiculous and sad., and it cuts both ways.

The reaction to this handful of semantically tortured opinions about what the phrase means and how it was used is as sad as the complaint......but let The Semantical Wars continue!

That it is all boiling down to semantics is good evidence that the daylight between Clinton and Sanders, removing the rhetoric and drilling down to the actual position, is not much on actual policy and issues - the daylight could be closed with a sheet of paper.

[DemocratSinceBirth]

3. Kind of like when Manny Pacquiao said he would kick Juan Manuel Marquez's butt

For non-boxing fans Manny did eventually get up and lived to fight again.

[cosmicone]

4. I agree when it is between two men

Women on witness stand, women on the exam table and women opponents for a job have to be handled with more nuance.

[bvf]

12. Nuance?

You've given some thought to this, right?

If so, you can do us the favor of delineating those situations in which the term can safely be used in inter-gender disputes.

My guess is that you won't be able to. Everyone has a butt, after all.

[cosmicone]

15. If I were Sanders...

I wouldn't have fallen into that trap.

When asked about kicking republican butt, I'd have said, "I want to defeat republicans with ideas and not demean them with a crude euphemism, but, I have other pinnacles to climb before I get to the republicans."

Imagine the furor it would cause in Russia or the ME if a POTUS were to say, "I want to kick some Russian/Palestinian butt"

To me, it shows Bernie is not ready to be a world leader. He is still mired in NASCAR/football phrases.

Diplomacy is a skill.

[treestar]

17. TRUE

The main point was it didn't show him to be a great speaker on his feet.

[bvf]

20. Looks like I was right.

You completely sidestepped the invitation to elucidate your initial statement here. No surprise there.

But to respond in the vein of "If I were Sanders..." is, at best, an anemic dodge. Quit while you're behind.

Oh, I hope my use of "behind" doesn't upset anyone!

[dreamnightwind]

22. Actually Sanders gave the perfect response

He was saying how it was premature for him to be discussing the general election, he needs to win the primary first. A much tougher challenge for him, IMHO.

[JoePhilly]

5. Same.

[DemocratSinceBirth]

8. I took it at face value...In a fight one person kicks ass and the other gets his ass kicked.

Politics is a blood sport. I am content to live with the results. Winston Churchill said politics is worse than war because in war you only die once.

[VanillaRhapsody]

6. The ass he needs to worry about is his own

Its currently being handed to him...

[DemocratSinceBirth]

10. Yes

[Qutzupalotl]

7. Thank you.

You're a lot more mature than many others I could point to, even on this thread.

[NanceGreggs]

9. Agreed.

I don't think the term is sexist, nor objectionable.

[DemocratSinceBirth]

11. How about vainglorious?

EOM

[bvf]

13. Thanks. That's quite reasonable. n/t

[99th_Monkey]

14. Thank you.

I was beginning to think only women had butts.

[Downwinder]

16. Media is like a bunch of kids hollering: "Fight,Fight,Fight."

[enough]

18. My favorite recent use of "kicking butt," was when I asked a friend how was yoga class that morning.

My friend said: "She kicked my butt," meaning that the yoga teacher had run a very demanding class. This was a compliment to the teacher, and an expression of happiness on the part of my friend (who is also a woman).

"Kicking butt" is so common everywhere (and so common among women), that, as a woman in my 70's, I just can't see it as sexist.

[tammywammy]

19. I don't see what's objectionable about the phrase "kicking butt"

[bvf]

21. See #4 for a non-explanation. n/t

[Jim Lane]

23. I hope you don't get a hide for this.

There's apparently something in the ToS that requires everyone to jump to full-throated support of any attack on an opponent, while voicing full-throated defense of one's own candidate, merits be damned.

I mean, I've never actually read that provision, but it must be in there, given how frequently it's adhered to.

And, for the benefit of the sarcasm-challenged, let me spell out that I'm joining the other Clinton opponents who are thanking you for being reasonable.