Rahm Emanuel apologizes for 'retarded' remark after Palin attack

[24601]

Source: Washington Post

White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel has apologized for referring to liberals as "retarded" during a strategy session last summer.

A White House official said Emanuel called Tim Shriver, the CEO of the Special Olympics, last week after his comments were reported in a Wall Street Journal article and prompted Shriver to write him to express "dismay" over Emanuel's word choice.

The apology gained new attention just hours after former Alaska governor Sarah Palin posted a scathing critique of Emanuel's comments on her Facebook page and called for President Obama to fire him. Palin's son, Trig, was born with Down Syndrome.

"Just as we'd be appalled if any public figure of Rahm's stature ever used the 'N-word' or other such inappropriate language, Rahm's slur on all God's children with cognitive and developmental disabilities -- and the people who love them -- is unacceptable, and it's heartbreaking," Palin wrote.


Read more: http://voices.washingtonpost.com/44/2010/02/emanuel-apo...

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Let me get this straight....

The world turned on its head. "Liberals", aka the kind of folks on DU??, are attacked by the WH Chief of Staff and defended by Palin?

Of course, she could be saying it's our right to be "retarded", or that she's afraid Trig will rebel and grow up liberal?

Palin aside, thanks a f'ing s*&tload Rahm - your words not withstanding, your loyaly is touching and brings tears to my f'ing retarded eyes.

[no_hypocrisy]

1. OK, now it's Sarah's turn to apologize to a Kennedy.

As per Levi Johnson's interview a few months ago in Vanity Fair:

After Tripp was born, Sarah would pay more attention to our son than she would to her own baby, Trig. Sarah has a weird sense of humor. When she came home from work, Bristol and I would be holding Trig and Tripp. Sarah would call Trig--who was born with Down syndrome--"my little Down's baby." But I couldn't believe it when she would come over and sometimes say, playing around, "No, I don't want the retarded baby--I want the other one," and pick up Tripp. That was just her--even her kids were used to it.

http://www.vanityfair.com/online/wolcott/2009/09/who-kn...

[24601]

2. Palin's involvement is merely amusing - I'm far more concerned

about Rahm's misguided priorities & views.

[timo]

10. meh

I dont know how much stock I would put into what that kid says, no palin fan, just saying that kid seems less than credible

[iamjoy]

11. Yep, He's Trash

I don't like Palin either, but that one doesn't ring true - at least as far as what she said. I do believe it possible she would "reject" Trig in favor of a "normal" baby

[timo]

23. bet your hind teeth

that people will hold it up as gospel, regardless of what reality is, if you just keep saying it over and over it becomes true .....I am kinda burned out on all the bullshit in the world!!

[No Elephants]

50. Birds of a feather, etc.

[marshall]

42. Has she ever acknowledged that Levi's version is accurate?

That would be a boondoggle for her.

[IndyJones]

60. Why would she? He's spewed so much since the election, it would be a full time

job to follow everything the kid says and dispute it. At some point Palin just has to ignore it. Like most everyone else already does.

[DailyGrind51]

3. But, what if Rahm resigns and winds up back in Chicago?

Where "we" don't want him either!

[booksenkatz]

4. By the way, did Cheney ever apologize for his GFY on the Senate floor? nt

[secondwind]

6. To my knowledge, he did not. On the contrary, he made another remark.

[24601]

20. I pay no attention to him - he doesn't have the President's ear nor

reflect his thinking.

VEEPs are Constitutional Officers - WH Chiefs of Staff serve at the pleasure of the President.

So Mr. President, was Rahn off message or is it your position that liberals are f-ing retards? Before we have another election, we'd really like to know where YOU stand. And what you intend to do about it.

[No Elephants]

49. Please see Reply 47.

[No Elephants]

48. That's like insulting your own Party members and handicapped people?

Not every situation that is superficially similar is truly comparable.

[panzerfaust]

62. Pleeeze: Differently Abled

Official DNC coinage (http://www.phrases.org.uk/meanings/111450.html )

And, yes, though he did mean it as an insult - "retarded" was introduced to replace previous terms (which, in turn had been introduced to replace ...) used to refer to the mentally slow in a non-offensive manner.

No matter what term is au courant, being mentally slow is demonstrably not a good thing; Thus, whatever term is used will eventually become offensive and then must be replaced by yet another.

"Mentally Challenged" is, I believe, the most recent iteration of this process. Though I would argue that a "challenge" must be recognized as such by the person trying to meet it to be used appropriately.

My half-brother, with IQ measurements clustering around 50, is not "challenged" in any sense that he could possibly understand. He is just himself; but he is certainly not very quick of apprehension, and I certainly prefer it when someone comments on his being retarded - vs calling him a moron.

Though, in his case, to be called a moron could be taken as a compliment, as he is on the traditional dividing line between Moron (IQ 50-69) and Imbecile (20-49).

[mdmc]

5. When will that hideous man apologize to us?

I really don't like him very much..

[Sienna86]

7. Having a nephew with Down's Syndrome

I dislike the use of the word"retarded" in a way that degrades individuals. Someone who has the capability to know better but chooses not to is ignorant, not retarded.

[provis99]

35. odd, considering "retard" started as a politically correct alternative for "moron".

Retarded after all, merely means "slow".

[No Elephants]

46. Nothing odd about it. Rahm was using the word as an insult, not to describe someone born "slow."

That kind of use is exactly why the word "retarded" has beome so hurtful, like the formerly used medical terms "cretin" and "idiot" before it. (Not so sure "retard" was ever anything but an insulted. "Retarded," yes, "retard," I never heard of, except as an insult.

The only odd thing is that Sarah is just now getting insulted by something that happened months ago. I'm sure it has nothing to do with the recent story about her using her PAC money to buy her own books to "reward" donors. Nor with her association with Fox.

[tularetom]

8. Liberals object to something he said - he tells them to get f*#ked

Palin objects to something he said - he apologizes.

That tells me everything I need to know about this sorry piece of crap.

He needs to be gone yesterday.

[No Elephants]

51. Please see Reply # 47.

[democrank]

9. Rahm Emanuel was wrong.

Period.

[Demeter]

13. It's His Way

being wrong and insulting the people he is supposed to work for...

[No Elephants]

57. He works for Obama, not the DNC. But, IMO, he does both a disservice whenever he shows his

contempt for people, be they disabled or simply heretofore loyal Democrats who are not turds like him. And so does Obama, who obviously has never told Rahm that Rahm would be fired the next time he insulted liberals.

Because Noodles has done that publicly more than once. I can only imagine what goes on when he talks with Obama and others in the WH. And Rahm still has his job. Then again, a President who hires Rahm as Chief of Staff does so for a reason. Therefore, the remark about liberals may as well have come from Obama, as far as I am concerned.

This liberal will be very active in 2011, especially in the primaries. And, no matter who the Presidential nominee is, I will vote Democratic, but it will not be for a New Democrat. It will be for a liberal, even if I have to write in him or her. So far, I like Elizabeth Warren, the Harvard Law Professor who really seems to understand the economy and the bail out.

Hmm. Wonder if we could get her to run in the primary?

"Elizabeth Warren, the Harvard Law professor overseeing the $700-billion bailout, has blown the whistle on the Obama administration for the lack of oversight on its economic rescue plan.

Warren, often referred to by the press as the "bailout watchdog," testified Tuesday before the Senate Finance Committee – and was quick to blame the Treasury Department for not cooperating with Congress and for failing to be transparent on bank-bailout spending."

http://www.wowowow.com/politics/bailout-watchdog-elizab...

[mmonk]

12. I told you he would listen to her, not us.

[tomm2thumbs]

14. This from 'No, I don't want the retarded baby--I want the other one'-Palin?

She's only reminding people of her own indiscretions - be that as many as they are we often forget an odd few here and there

[cornermouse]

15. He apologized in private to the CEO of Special Olympics.

In other words he apologized to someone on his socio-economic level.
No public apology was issued.
No apology to parents who actually have disabled children was issued.
No apology to other democrats who he insulted was issued.

Rahm's character in a capsule. Isn't he special...

He should have been fired no more than 5 minutes after Obama found out Rahm made the statement.

[customerserviceguy]

16. Obama would have a tough time with that

especially after his "Special Olympics" crack on the Tonight Show during the campaign.

As for what Caribou Barbie says and does, we have plenty of her own words and actions to judge her by, I really don't need the self-serving word of the son of a crackhead, who has demonstrated that only one of his heads works...

[KamaAina]

44. "Special Olympics crack"

Jay Leno: So what did you score, Mr. President?

President Obama: About a 137 (or whatever).

Leno (in sarcastic, patronizing tone): That's very good, Mr. President!

Obama: Ha-ha. Just like Special Olympics.

In other words, Obama was saying that Leno was treating him like a Special Olympian, not mocking Special Olympians.

[No Elephants]

53. That's not all Obama said. And your interpretation is....charitable.

The import of Obama's his remarks and gestures was that Special Olympians get polite applause no matter how poorly they perform.

Obama admitted he was wrong and apologized to Shriver and to Special Olympians. Do you think he was insincere?

[No Elephants]

52. Heh.

Rahm is the one with the problem. Obama said something about the Special Olympics and therefore correctly apologized to Shriver, who accepted, on behalf of the Special Olympics.

Apparently, Rahm's analytical abilities failed him, so he equated his insult with Obama's and also apologized to Shriver, so he (Rahm) could issue a statement that he'd apologized.

After the announcement that Rahm had apologized to Shriver, I guess the media contacted Shriver's office to see if the apology had been accepted. A woman from that office said that Shriver could not accept an apology on behalf of all people with disabilities and their families and friends.

In other words, Shriver could call Rahm names, if he wished, but, unlike Rahm, Shriver has way too much class for that.

Now, they're saying that Rahm apologized to Shriver AND other representatives of disabled people and their families. No specifics other than Shriver, though.

[salguine]

17. Maybe "retarded" liberals shouldn't be able to vote in 2012. They're retarded, after all...

[No Elephants]

54. They should vote. That's why God made primaries.

A lot of Massachusetts liberals stayed home. The spin was that Massachusetts wants the country to go further right. Never stay home, even in you write in your favorite liberal. I wrote in Rep. Capuano, whom Coakley had defeated in the primary and who voted against the Iraq War and the Patriot Act. If I did not like him as much as I do, I would have written in some other Massachusetts Democrat.

But NO ONE is ever going to be able to spin any act or omission of mine as favoring moving this country any further right.

[WVRICK13]

18. I'll Say It Again

It sure is getting hard to tell which party is which.

[No Elephants]

55. Yep. Please see Reply # 47.

So, Rahm's a turd, IMO. But, also, who stood by quietly and let this happen, while dutifully donating to and voting for DLCers, New Democrats and "Third Way" candidates?

I truly thought Obama was not one of them and supported him wholeheartedly, to the point where I decided to go over $2300 and risk being caught. (And yes, I could have used the money myself, and my son could have used it, too. I honestly thought I was spending it in the way that would benefit my son most.

I could not WAIT to vote. Could not sleep. Was on line before the polls opened, though I usually vote on off hours, out of respect for people who have to get to work.

Turns out, Mr. "I always opposed the Iraq War, "I'll repeal DOMA and DADT" and then "Sure, I just voted for Bush FISA policies, but I'll fix it as soon as I'm in office" was just keeping his New Democratness under wraps until after the election. If there's anything worse than a candid DLCer like Rahm, it's a misleading one. I guess that's not even Third Way.

Never again. Never again.

[Bluenorthwest]

19. Rahm is fucking ingnorant

and one has to assume that his words are an example of how the President and his close circle speak among themselves about others.

[Raschel]

21. So Palin's saying 'if you don't want me to say ni**er don't say retarded'.

What a hateful bigot she is.

And Rahm was right to apologize quickly. She'd love nothing more than to keep it going for more attention.

[Salmonslayer]

26. You put words in her mouth and then you call her a hateful bigot

for "saying" those words?

From the article
"Just as we'd be appalled if any public figure of Rahm's stature ever used the 'N-word'"

What you put in quotes
"if you don't want me to say ni**er don't say retarded"

You look bad, not Palin

Palin may not be the darling of the left (understatement of the year), but, putting words in her mouth and then calling her a hateful bigot is wrong. Try using a real quote next time.

In my opinion Palin is right here. Rahm is wrong for using the term "retarded" and wrong for calling liberals "retarded".

Stay focused on the issue instead of using it as an opportunity to unfairly attack someone you do not like.

[Raschel]

31. First, apart from this article let me state again, she is a hateful bigot. Second, why

would she even mention the word ni**ger in her complaint? It doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure it out.

If she has a complaint about what Rahm said, then let it stand on it's own merit.

Do you think that if Palin called someone a ni**er, the response would be, "Just as we'd be appalled if any public figure of Palin's stature ever used the word 'retarded'......."

It's just Palin blowing her dog whistle for the tea party. As if you don't know.

[closeupready]

22. So when will Sarah call on Peggy Noonan to apologize? Probably never.

I can't stand Emanuel, but I hate the double standard even MORE.

>>When I was a young woman I found all beauty and fascination in people. I found flowers boring. I ignored them when I saw them, or turned away. I think I felt they got in the way of my understanding Kafka and Sartre. I think I also thought flowers were something old ladies do to make things prettier because they don't understand the tragedy of life. Now I think people who put flowers all over the place are the only geniuses. They know flowers are an unasked-for and essentially unearned bit of beauty given to us perhaps to suggest other, greater beauty to come. They're in Einstein-land, gardeners, and thinking of eternity. And I thought they were just retards with spades. Anyway, flower people are generous.<<

http://www.opinionjournal.com/columnists/pnoonan/?id=11...

[Salmonslayer]

29. Noonan is a writer not the Chief of Staff

Not that I think that makes it ok, but pulling a quote from an opinion article ~6 years ago and then attacking Palin for inconsistency seems to be reaching a bit. No public figure could stand up to the standard you expect of Palin.

Rahm should be the focus here. I don't think he apologized because of Palins request. I think he apologized because he got caught saying something inappropriate and also insulting Obama's base.

Rahm apologized for his words, but, I doubt he has changed his spots. I hope Pres. Obama reexamines his choice for Chief of Staff

[closeupready]

30. Yes, of course I'm reaching; I'm sometimes too subtle with my points.

So here it is: Republicans are hypocrites - their opinion-makers and power-players chastise the Democratic Chief of Staff for THE EXACT SAME SPEECH they employ ON THEIR OWN.

Alaska residents have been quoted as stating that Palin has used racist speech of her own, and Peggy Noonan - who not even weeks ago appeared on Sunday morning political chat shows as someone who is representative of the prevailing Republican point-of-view - has employed "retard" (and more than once, mind you - the opinion journal article to which I linked is merely ONE example) on her own, so they can take their outrage and fuck off.

[hojomo]

64. Noonan was Reagan's top speechwriter and she did it THREE TIMES

Noonan was Reagan’s primary speechwriter. AT LEAST THREE TIMES called people “retards” in the WSJ. That bastion of conservative idealism published all without objection. Here are the quotes from three different columns.

1. “Did the–let’s be generous–perhaps retarded Justin Timberlake realize he’d gone too far?”
2. “I didn’t tell them Jimmy Carter is a retard or Bill Clinton is a pig.”
3. “They’re in Einstein-land, gardeners, and thinking of eternity. And I thought they were just retards with spades.”

So where were all the right-wing Nazis when she wrote those?

[seeinfweggos]

24. poor choice of words, but i still love rahm.

good dem. who knows how to kick some GOP ass.

[No Elephants]

45. In this case, he's a DLCer who was calling other Dems "fucking retarded."

The man's behaves like a crude, arrogant little bully, no matter who he is dealing with. And he has been driving off a large part of the Dem base, which is going to hurt Democrats in elections. Neither of those things is my idea of a "good Dem."

I guess different opinions are what makes a horse race, or so they say.

[Nihil]

25. More like a caption competition every day ...

"Rahm Emanuel apologizes for 'retarded' remark after Palin attack ..."

"... reminds him what 'retarded' really means."

[gaijinlaw]

27. I find Rahm Emanuel's personality a little grating

Screw him for dumping on liberal Democrats and all, but I am not down on him for his use of the "R-word." Sometimes there's no substitute that offers the same catharsis.

Honestly, it's only vermin like Caribou Barbie who would actually refer to a mentally challenged individual that way.

Context is everything. I've found the kid with Down's Syndrome who works at the Safeway to be way more reliable than my boss who, despite having graduated from GMU, is a fucking retard.

[Hawkeye-X]

28. Your apology is accepted, if it accompained with a RESIGNATION

Now, go 'way, asswipe.

Hawkeye-X

[fascisthunter]

32. yet no apology to the left

[No Elephants]

47. You noticed that, too, eh? How smart can Rahm be if he thinks insulting the left repeatedly is

no big deal for his boss?

Conventional wisdom. Democrats can afford to ignore the left because the left has nowhere else to go. What will they do? Vote for Republicans? (Amazing that I heard this recently from a Democratic "spokesperson" on MSNBC. I guess DLCers remember 1992 and 2000 only when "democratically" trying to bankrupt third party candidates by suing them in every state.

DLC wisdom: The left is dumb because they don't understand that, to win elections, you have to speak and legislate like a Republican.

Combine, then stir in a Napoleon complex. Heat a minute or two and you get Rahm N. Noodles.

[Arkana]

33. Son of a bitch, Rahm, why did you do this?

You made that stupid, vapid bitch (yes, that's right, I said it. Sarah Palin is a bitch.) relevant.

[SKKY]

34. Obama made a Special Olympics snide remark on Leno..

...which as the father of a child with Down Syndrome, is much worse in my mind. If Obama gets a pass on that one, which he did, I think Rahm should probably get a pass on his using the word retarted.

[Raine]

39. I thought Obama had apologized for that remark

but maybe I'm wrong, if he didn't then he should have.

[No Elephants]

40. Obama called Shriver from Air Force One, right after that show. Still, it was not a great remark.

Neither was Rahm N. Noodles' remark.

[SKKY]

43. That's correct, he did appologize. And you could see on his face...

...immediately that he was thinking, "WTF did I just say?". I was just making the point that Obama, in my mind, made a much more pointed and accute insult towards handicapped individuals, and was given a pass. I don't think what Rahm did was nearly as bad, so I don't really understand the outrage.

[No Elephants]

56. I disagree. I don't think Obama's remark was more pointed and acute.

I did not see that on Obama's face, either. It was on my face when I heard it, though.

Maybe, if you had a child with developmental challenges, you would understand why using "retarded" as a way to insult people with no developmental disablities is so hurtful.

And maybe if you were a liberal who had donated way more to Rahm's boss than you could afford, you would understand why having the First Appointee call you fucking retarded for not being a DLCer like he is a tad frustrating. I'm thinking it's a wonder it does not his boss, too. Then again, Presidents have their reasons for making Rahm Chief of Staff, though his reputation precedes him.

BTW, not every disagreement with someone in the WH is "outrage."

[SKKY]

59. Please check post #34 by me.

[DeSwiss]

36. K&R n/t

[boppers]

37. Interesting how the controversy has overshadowed its origins...

Rahm was talking about the idea of using party money, to split the party, by running ads *against* party members who didn't pass some kind of a purity test.

[No Elephants]

41. That's their Constitutional right. After Rahm dumped on the "left of the

left" (ludicrous reference), why is anyone suprised that the Democratic wing of the Democratic Party would find a way to be heard?

I never signed up to be center right. Rahm N. Noodles sure did, but I didn't. But, regardless of what he signed up for, his open contempt for, and ridicule of, a large portion of the Democratic Party may well contribute to the undoing of someone in the WH, being it Noodles or Obama.

[Raine]

38. Now Rahm needs to apologize to liberals and

how about Rush apologizing for his continual use of the word "retard".

[No Elephants]

58. Why would a liberal accept Rahm's apology when, obviously, Rahm truly believes what he said?

This is not the first time he has insulted liberals since Obama appointed him.

Please see also Replies 47 and 57.

P.S. I'm not even all that liberal. Until I started posting here, I called myself a centrist. That was probably not totally accurate because I am liberal on social and cultural issues, and favor single payer. I'm not center right or idolatrous, though.

[Wardoc]

61. 41 > 59, healthcare = mandated insurance, Dems obey Palin, Mass = Rep Senator, Corps = people...

...bizzaro world, here we are.

And the cheerleaders want us to be rahrah happy about a totally fucking meaningless SOTU speech???!?!?!? You'd think we had won the lottery, the superbowl and WW3 the way some were raving about that all the while anything and everything of meaning and substance is being smackdowned on our collective asses. Hell, pass me the fucking happy pills next because this is getting ridiculous.

[timtom]

63. So that's TWO major gaffes:

1st - the thoughtless comment

2nd - caving in to the likes of Sarah Palin

For a former warrior, he certainly is weak in the knees.

[w4rma]

65. Weasel. (nt)