Top Obama speechwriter under fire for "groping" Hillary cutout

[Cash_thatswhatiwant]

Question No. 58 in the transition team vetting document for the Obama White House asks that applicants: "Please provide the URL address of any websites that feature you in either a personal or professional capacity (e.g. Facebook, My Space, etc.)"

Question No. 63 asks that applicants "please provide any other information ... that could ... be a possible source of embarrassment to you, your family, or the President-Elect."

For a while there this afternoon, President-elect Barack Obama's immensely talented chief speechwriter, 27-year-old Jon Favreau, might have been pondering how to address that question.

That's when some interesting photos of a recent party he attended -- including one where he's dancing with a life-sized cardboard cut-out of secretary of state-designate Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, and another where he's placed his hand on the cardboard former first lady's chest while a friend is offering her lips a beer -- popped up on Facebook for about two hours. The photos were quickly taken down -- along with every other photo Favreau had of himself on the popular social networking site, save for one profile headshot.

Asked about the photos, Favreau, who was recently appointed director of speechwriting for the White House, declined comment. A transition official said that Favreau had "reached out to Senator Clinton to offer an apology."

Favreau is not the first campaign aide whose online presence has proved awkward. Last March, John McCain aide Soren Dayton forwarded an anti-Obama YouTube video to his private Twitter feed linking Obama with the Rev. Jeremiah Wright, leading to his suspension from the campaign. And in 2007, two bloggers hired by former North Carolina senator John Edwards stepped down after blog posts they had written before he hired them became a subject of controversy.

Favreau's case seems unlikely to be so dire; Clinton senior adviser Philippe Reines cast the photos as evidence of increased bonhomie between the formerly rival camps.

"Senator Clinton is pleased to learn of Jon's obvious interest in the State Department, and is currently reviewing his application," he said in an e-mail.

http://voices.washingtonpost.com/the-trail/2008/12/04/o...

To be honest, I just want to express happiness that the speechwriter is under the age of 30!

[Clio the Leo]

1. The REAL question is why is the OTHER guy trying to pour beer up her nose?

Is he trying to drowned her? What's up with that?

[John Q. Citizen]

7. Water boarding?

[DrToast]

28. Darn you, Katie Couric!

Sorry, that immediately pops into my head whenever I hear that term now.

[polichick]

2. Yikes!

[Kahuna]

3. Wow. Not good.

[Phx_Dem]

4. Favreau is under 30? Judging by that photo, I would have guess he was under 15.

[Drunken Irishman]

8. Really? How many 15 year olds do you know with receding hairlines?

To me, he looks over 30.

[Phx_Dem]

37. I was being facetious in reference to the pose.

I guess I don't know any grown men who grope the "boobs" of a cardboard cutout.

[Drunken Irishman]

39. I do! :P

I thought you meant looks, sorry.

Sometimes people look really young.

[Phx_Dem]

43. LOL. Well stop it!!

[Radical Activist]

62. Maybe when you're around they don't

[Joe the Revelator]

110. you don't hang out with many grown men then

[gkhouston]

44. I went to college with an 18-year-old who had one. n/t

[Drunken Irishman]

48. Sad! :(

[Ken Burch]

82. a receding hairline, or a carboard HRC cutout?

The scary part would be if he had both.

[gkhouston]

162. The hairline. I went to college a looooong time ago. n/t

[Jennicut]

60. Nope. He looks about 30 or a bit under. My husband started having a rededing hairline

at 24!

[WinkyDink]

83. In today's society, 30 is the New 15. Sadly.

[PM Martin]

5. Bye Bye Mr. Favreau!

[Sidney J Mussburger]

14. Where's he going?

[otohara]

73. Hardly

Hillary would have hired him if she could have, he's that good.

[Drunken Irishman]

6. The worst thing with this is not that he did it...

But that he allowed the photo to be taken knowing it could cause him trouble.

Kind of stupid.

[Occam Bandage]

27. I agree. He's dumb as hell for taking the photo, and even stupider for uploading it.

[dbmk]

99. Not necessarily him posting it.

You can post pictures and then tag them with the names of other facebook users (in them or not) - and the picture will then be linked to their account.

The story is not clear on the specifics there.

[Ken Burch]

81. I'm thinking the photo was not taken early in the evening.

This is most likely an vivid illustration of the concept of "impaired judgment".

And I'm guessing this guy won't get to grope any non-cardboard breasts anytime soon.

[high density]

9. Death to him!

[lapfog_1]

10. Let's cut the guy some slack.

Was this before or after the primary campaign?

Plus, he looks young, it looks like a party with some alcohol involved.

Has everyone here always behaved totally politically correct while drinking at parties?

[Maru Kitteh]

148. I'm not writing speeches for the president. What other immature bad choices should we excuse

by saying, "Oh, no big deal. He was just DRUNK."

[polichick]

11. Well, Samantha Power got canned for calling Hill a monster...

It'll be interesting to see what Barack has to say about this.

[cali]

If you had read all of what was posted

you'd realize that this is not going to get him shitcanned. Hillary laughed it off.

[polichick]

19. If you had read my post, you'd realize I'm interested in what Barack has to say...

...not Hillary.

[w4rma]

71. She's been rehired. (nt)

[polichick]

86. I know - good news. imo she should never have been fired.

[spiritual_gunfighter]

89. And now Samantha Power is back on the team

I don't think he is going anywhere. And he shouldn't.

[polichick]

106. I didn't think Power should be canned either - but I'm still curious about Barack's take on it...

He runs a pretty tight ship.

[spiritual_gunfighter]

109. I am sure Barack isn't happy about it

but I don't think what he did was reason for him to be fired.

[polichick]

112. Did he get fired? Barack was pretty strict before the election...

...but things might be different now.

[berni_mccoy]

12. Make Love...

Not Political War.

I'm sure everyone got a laugh out of that.

[demodonkey]

13. Oh for Pete's sake......

...just some young guys having some fun. If I was Hillary I'd have a good laugh (and be sort of flattered, honestly.)

A good friend of mine had her picture taken with an Obama cutout -- she was pointing to a sign next to it, but due to her short stature and the height of the cutout, it looks like she was pointing at, um shall we say, something else in the cutout's midsection. She really meant to point at the sign, and didn't realize how it looked until friends sent her the photo and we all laughed.

Geesh can't we all just lighten up. There are so many real problems that need to be addressed.

[cap]

20. um.... so how should Tailhook have been handled?

yeah... everyone thought it was a joke and that the women in question should "lighten up".

I know, it's a cutout and not the real person. But the next step is the real thing.

You know, the RW is plumbing the media for just this sort of thing to discredit Democrats and real sexism when it truly happens.

I think Favreau was being young and dumb but when you are on the President's team, there's no slack.

I'm not entirely convinced its harmful or harmless but I would say that it is breaching good judgment.

[spiritual_gunfighter]

22. You are comparing what happened at Tailhook to this picture?

Please refrain from the politically correct B.S. This picture is harmless. Lighten up.

[No Elephants]

31. Good grief. This is not remotely like Tailhook.

[Vattel]

56. Come on, be honest.

You say: "I know, it's a cutout and not the real person. But the next step is the real thing."

But you don't really think that molesting a cutout of HRC is a stepping stone to molesting HRC.

[Sex Pistol]

63. Wow! I'll bet you are a lot of fun to be around.

[cap]

84. Frankly, I would have been really hurt by this picture

I would have felt degraded. You're right I would have been no fun.

How would you like your girlfriend, wife, or mother treated like this?

Remember when Cindy was told to strut her stuff at a rather raunchy affair? A lot of us didn't think this was so hot.

Favreau has got to work with Hillary in the future. He should have known that he would have to deal with her in the Senate or as it now stands as Secretary of State.

[Sex Pistol]

85. You can't be serious. This is simply a couple of guys clowning around--nothing more, nothing less.

You really should loosen up a bit. If you do that, you will live longer.

[spiritual_gunfighter]

88. Self Righteous very often? n/t

[karynnj]

68. There is a huge difference between a cardboard cutout and a person

The fact is the man has clearly been embarrassed by this and he apologized. The question may be what is behavior is normally around women. If there is a problem, then this is another indication of it and he should be called on it. From the one article on him I read, he sounds like a nice guy.

[jberryhill]

76. MMmmmm.... I've known some people with whom it would be a tough call /nt

[Joe the Revelator]

111. Oh, JESUS FUCKING CHRIST

Some of you are such obnoxious drama queens.

[InAbLuEsTaTe]

54. No kidding. People need to lighten up.

[IsItJustMe]

188. You are absolutely right. Seems like folks just walk around waiting to be offended.

[ProSense]

15. The OP title is BS. Favreau is not "under fire" n/t

[Sidney J Mussburger]

18. The OP found this over at Free Republic

and brought it over here to cause division, how nice.

[jefferson_dem]

30. This is sludge's manufactured headline...

Could the OP be any more obvious?

[Sidney J Mussburger]

34. Well, he/she could've posted a flashing siren

[ccharles000]

16. What assholes

[elkston]

17. I wouldn't mind being that close to Hillary either. She is very huggable. :)

[Hawkowl]

21. Who gives a putrid SHIT?

Really. Slap the little boy's hand for being an indiscreet dufus and move on. Besides Hillary is smiling in the picture.

[beachmom]

23. Okay, that pic is funny. It has been taken out of context. Clearly.

[Vattel]

59. self-delete

[Political Tiger]

24. Shocking! Absolutely shocking! Oh the humanity!

He should be shot for committing this ghastly crime! I am just shocked, shocked I tell ya! How will this young man ever live down this beastly offense against cardboard cutouts? After all, cardboard cutouts have rights too!

[damntexdem]

25. Never trust anyone under 30.

[11 Bravo]

26. Holy shit! They're trying to beerboard her!

[BeyondGeography]

29. Dumb

But forgiveable.

[Ian David]

32. I may be wrong....

... but I don't think this is how Mystery says to do it.

[Sidney J Mussburger]

36. I wonder if he kiss closed

I've been known to open a 4 set of Hillary cutouts in my day.

[nugzie]

174. she does seem to be giving out

IOI's (indicators of interest)

[crazy homeless guy]

33. Ummm.. That is my armpit. My boob is a little more to your left.

Guilty of armpit fetish.

[gkhouston]

45. Yup. I guess the cardboard cutout wasn't uh, topologically correct. n/t

[Writer]

35. Outside of politics? Not a big deal.

Inside of politics? Stupid, stupid, stupid.

[zulchzulu]

38. Who was the asshole with the camera that leaked the photo?

That's the question.

Ferchrissakes, people do all kinds of things to cutouts especially after a couple drinkies... sheesh...

[kiranon]

51. Agree. n/t

[Metric System]

40. Very disrespectful. The fondling is particularly offensive and questionable.

[ProSense]

41. OMG!

Fondling cardboard?

[Metric System]

42. It's a fondling gesture. Your point?

[Joe the Revelator]

113. Some of you are so far off the deep end.....

its amazing.

[Metric System]

115. The fact that you're taking issue with MY comment says a lot about you. I never said he should be

fired or the media should make a big deal out of this. He apologized, Hillary accepted, end of story. HOWEVER, saying that I'm "off the deep end" simply because I find this picture distasteful and demeaning suggests to me you see nothing wrong with it at all. And that troubles me. I expect better from Dems.

[Joe the Revelator]

159. If being a dem means having to make mountains out of molehills

then I don't know if I can be a part of the crazy wing of the democratic party.

[Kahuna]

49. It's cardboard. It's not like it's an actual person. nt

[snooper2]

190. THE CHILDREN !!!! WHAT WILL WE TELL THE CHILDREN!!!

The Saint Hillary has been defamed!

It is a travesty!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Let's post 30 threads about it and bitch and moan and then forget about it 2 days later....


What a waste of energy- you might as well just pray or something

[DuaneBidoux]

46. poor taste. bad judgment. out of politics: big shit. in politics: deadly.

[Starbucks Anarchist]

47. Only Vince Vaughn can get him out of this one.

[FormerDittoHead]

138. Vegas, Baby! n/t

[genna]

50. Why should that be a newsworthy story? b/c it's silly?

I'm sure HRC HAS bigger fish to fry.

[Mass]

52. The photo is stupid, but I am more interested by whom leaked this photo.

Hopefully, this asshole does not belong to Obama's team. For the rest, not exactly a groping, given where the hand is. Well, I guess it is a slow news day.

[karynnj]

67. Same here - it sounds like it was only briefly posted

and may well have come out only because he disclosed it. There is a huge difference between cardboard and the real person.
Favreau is an incredibly talented person and only about 5 or 6 years out of college.

[d_b]

53. lulz

[Sebastian Doyle]

55. I could think of far more offensive uses of cardboard cutouts

If you saw the movie "Jesus Camp", you know what I mean.

If you haven't, just imagine the cardboard Hillary at PUMA camp, and it would be about the same thing.

[Agent William]

57. Hey, I think I go to college with that guy...

Oh wait, never mind. False alarm!!

[DCBob]

58. Oh geez. Groping cardboard does not count as groping.

Dumb.

[Radical Activist]

61. A drunk guy in his 20's was goofing around!!!! OMG!!!

[Vattel]

64. This picture was taken out of context.

It was a part of an Obama team sensitivity training session (OTSTS) on how not to treat members of Obama's national security team. The audio should have been included: "Is groping allowed? Right, not allowed. How about picking their noses with a beer bottle? I know, that's a tough one, but it's actually not allowed either."

[nc4bo]

65. You should spin for a living, you are pretty good at it.

[Brooklyns_Finest]

66. Funny pic

Anybody who gets up-in-arms about this photo has serious problems and is no fun to be around.

[bridgit]

78. hahaha, bring back a similar pic with Michelle as subject and be prepared to have your words...

pressure fed you via Pyrex turkey baster

[TheDonkey]

69. Wow, he's hot

Unfortunate that this picture got out there but he's HOT!

[AbbeyRoad]

70. Young guys acting silly at a party. I'm shocked.

Nobody was hurt, except maybe a few brain cells, and he apologized.

He shouldn't have done it, but everyone does something stupid from time to time that they regret later.

[ruggerson]

72. Clinton and her spokesman defused it perfectly

pitch perfect, classy response.

[Catherine Vincent]

74. Well, at least if it were a real breast, he knows how to grab it.

Look at the pose of his hand.

[bridgit]

75. "under the age of 30"? More like under the age of 17...

[jberryhill]

77. Action is hard to discern from a still picture

They were trying to take a picture standing with it, and a sudden breeze blew it over. The photographer snapped the picture just as those two guys were reacting to keep it from falling over. One of the guys was obviously in mid-swig of his beer when he turned to keep it from falling.

[MrSlayer]

79. Bah, big deal.

A couple of young guys having a few laughs.

[woolldog]

80. I thought this was an Onion piece, when I clicked on this thread.

[cornermouse]

87. 'Nother question.

Why is Obama fixated on knowing every detail of his future democratic colleagues while reaching across the aisle to the republicans where one should probably expect much worse behavior and no loyalty?

[4themind]

90. Self-del-nt

[4themind]

102. del-nt

[Lady-Damai]

91. WOW!!!!!! n/t

[Evergreen Emerald]

92. I know...lets imagine reversed rolls. How would you react if Mark Penn

...did that to an Obama likeness and see if you would have the same reaction. And then, couple it with someone in the same camp calling him a monster and see what your reactions would be.

You guys seem to forgive Obama's camp alot of stuff you would likely not forgive anyone else.

Great: we get another frat-boy in the white house. At least this time the behavior is not from the president--just apparently condoned by him.

[Arkana]

96. There'd be a lot of raised eyebrows if Mark Penn was caught groping

an Obama cardboard cutout.

[Darth_Kitten]

93. When he "reached" out to Senator Clinton, what part was he aiming for?

Yes, yes, say the half-assed two second apology and pretend you have maturity and class.

[Arkana]

94. Yeah, not good.

I swear, Facebook and Myspace is going to render my whole generation unemployable.

But folks my age are retarded and don't think of what could happen if they post stupid pictures of themselves on social networking sites. Considering that Hillary herself doesn't seem to take offense, I don't really know why it should affect Favreau's chances of being Obama's speechwriter.

[donco6]

95. He didn't grope Clinton; he groped a piece of cardboard.

Fer chrissakes.

[mtnsnake]

97. Favreau proves that the Republican Party doesn't own the patent for sexist assholes

What a black eye this jerkoff is on our Party.

[elkston]

98. It is not sexist to express desire for a woman. (n/t)

[mtnsnake]

100. Where the fuck did I say it was sexist to epress desire for a woman?

Nice try, Sherlock.

[Gin]

101. what would be said here if the cutout was of Michelle and they did this?

it was ignorant and stupid. I don't see any humor in this at all.

[mtnsnake]

103. Great point. Just imagine if some asshole from the Clinton camp groped a cardbd cutout of Michelle

like that. This place would explode. The sexism/misogyny police would be all over it like flies on stink for months.

[Metric System]

116. Oh my! Mark Penn humping a Michelle cut-out? Shudders...

[Beacool]

173. Mark Penn humping ANYBODY................

[bridgit]

120. "said"? As in 'words'? You mean after the roof blew off this joint? Dunno, but it would be...

very ugly to watch

[bridgit]

121. duup

[MyNameGoesHere]

125. You really think he desires HRC?

That is close to the dumbest post in this thread full of dumb posts.

[La Lioness Priyanka]

157. if that is expressing desire, you must have a very limited understanding of desire. nt

[Billy Shears]

114. actually, he's a brilliant speechwriter and will continue to be

it doesn't hurt that he has a sense of humor.
you might want to look into acquiring one. they make life so much more enjoyable.

[bridgit]

117. Hahahahahaha, so you're saying that's where Obama's been getting all his malleable, vacuous...

'god words'?

[ErinBerin84]

123. well, it's a matter of taste

but, no matter how much his opponents tried to turn it into a bad thing, those "malleable, vacuous" words probably helped Obama's candidacy a lot.

[bridgit]

126. A "matter of taste"? Perhaps, but that's also why most people don't buy & large drink wheat grass...

juice. So you're more likely to find it positioned in with other products more palatable. I was never risen to the 'god words', so they did not effect me. I prefer my politicians on the earth where I live. Either does Obama's cabinet picks concern me unduly as threads here concern so many in that I'd seen their 2nd coming too. But none of that is what this thread is about, right? You do know that...

This OP concerns the continued, childish, 'focused on the unseemly things' disrespect for HRC that has passed for 'boys just being boys' inside the Obama camp. Now there's a pic of it, and that's pretty hard to deny. With the world in as serious a condition it's in it is imo a waste of time to lend reason to such behavior.

[ErinBerin84]

160. um, whatever.

The point is, the "vacuous words" reached people and inspired them .. Just like Hillary's words touched people in other ways. Other people were turned off by Clinton or Obama's words. I'm not saying that either was better, but it really is a matter of taste.

[Billy Shears]

128. you really should get over your bitterness and accept the next President

It must irk you to think that his words will go down in History while yours will all be forgotten.

[bridgit]

129. Get over your rank hypocracy and I quote, "it doesn't hurt that he has a sense of humor

"you might want to look into acquiring one. they make life so much more enjoyable" You need to seriously practice what you preach long before to start to think about preaching to others - what a jackass!

[Name removed]

150. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[mtnsnake]

149. LMAO!!

[Ozma]

104. Aren't there any REAL issues for the Washington Post to be

writing about??

This article is obviously not something worthy of the Post.

[live love laugh]

137. Expect this kind of drivel to permeate the media during Obama's term. nt

[ErinBerin84]

105. fucking stupid

but probably not worth getting fired over...this time.

[Enrique]

107. I liked when Obama says no lobbyists will work for him

he should do the same with frat boys.

[Hellataz]

108. if this is the level of embarrassment that will come from his staffs vetting, Obama has no problems

This is no big deal, Obama is young enough himself to know this is not a big deal and I'm sure in the end Hilary will see past it as a joke.

[ClarkUSA]

118. 'a transition official said that Favreau had "reached out to Senator Clinton to offer an apology."'

Link: http://politicalwire.com/archives/2008/12/05/speechwrit...

[polichick]

119. Perhaps he should keep his hands to himself at this point.

[polichick]

122. My first thought about this pic was "How hard up can you get? It's cardboard!"

[ClarkUSA]

124. Who cares? Bill did much worse with Monica Lewinsky, Gennifer Flowers, etc.

The ones here getting all prissy about this amusing episode must be extremely appalled at Bill's serial
philandering which occurred at a far more advanced age than 27.

[Alcibiades]

127. Shhhhhh!

That is a private matter between a man, his wife, and his many girlfriends.

[kiva]

130. And this was a "private" matter between this idiot and his cardboard cutout?

[ClarkUSA]

133. What is DU all of a sudden? a Moral Majority MeetUp for Clinton Cardboard Cutouts?

[Alcibiades]

147. Oh, no fire his sorry ass

That kid doesn't deserve the opportunity he's been given. He clearly lacks the judgment to hold any sort of important job in the upcoming Obama administration. Maybe he's a talented writer, but he's obviously not mature enough.

If you doubt that's sincerely how I feel, you can check upthread, where I wrote the same thing, several hours ago.

[ClarkUSA]

154. Then Bill Clinton should've resigned after the truth re: Monica Lewinsky came out, eh?

I'm sure you wanted him to do that back then, what with your unyielding yardstick for lack of "judgement"
and maturity for the job, that is...

[Alcibiades]

171. A Gore presidency would not have been that bad an outcome

An incumbent Gore would have won by a larger margin than he did in 2000, maybe even a cheat-proof margin. He would have then been eligible for re-election in 2004. Instead, his part in what had become a tarnished administration probably cost him the election. So, instead of 8 more years of Democratic control of the executive, we got 8 years of Bush, the Iraq War, and a global depression.

Not to mention Clinton's own repeated lies about "that woman," lies lots of us dutifully repeated, until such time as he realized that she saved the dress, at which point the whole thing became a purely private matter.

One of the things that is appealing about Obama is his comportment and dignity. As Obama's speechwriter, I'm sure this kid will get a good job somewhere, but I don't think it should be in this administration. I'm tired of drunken frat boys in the White House.

[ClarkUSA]

175. The question is: did you & others demand Bill Clinton's resignation after the blue dress showed up?

If not, then this outrage over Favreau is hypocritical at best.

[Alcibiades]

176. Big difference

No, I didn't call for Clinton's resignation. We had no DU back then, and I had better things to do at the time. I would have been perfectly happy if he had resigned, however. At any rate, the critical difference here is that Bill Clinton was already president, and this kid is someone who is being considered for a job. There's a huge difference between someone who has been elected by millions and someone who is simply being considered for a job.

The sorts of jobs Favreau would be considered for are the ones that require political judgment. Bill Clinton was getting sex in the Oval Office, but he did it in private: at least he tried to keep his failings private, at least he knew how this would be perceived. Favreau posed for a picture with a cardboard cutout of his boss's primary rival, with whom he contested a bitter and acrimonious campaignm, during which one of the main charges leveled against Obama and his supporters by the Clinton camp was SEXISM. There's no way such a person should be allowed anywhere near the White House: he'd be a distraction, and there's too much chance for a similar drunken "youthful indiscretion" in the future.

We are up against people who will seize on any little thing to distract and redirect the attention of the nation. I don't want to have to spend time dealing with drunken buffoonery at a time when we need this nation to be united behind the agenda of our president.

[ClarkUSA]

177. The difference is Bill Clinton's fuck-ups (no pun intended) had huge consequences down the road

On the contrary, Favreau's silly behavior has zero consequences and he'll stay on for a long and illustrous career with Team O and
beyond, despite what hypocritical handwringers like you have to say. Your tortured rationalizations for Bill's "private" adulterous
blowjobs as somehow being evidence of better judgment than Favreau "public" goofing on a piece of cardboard is nothing short of
Hillaryous and proves what a totally fatuous piece of Clintonian bullshitting your position is!

[Alcibiades]

181. First off, there's nothing Clintonian about me

Didn't I just write that I would have been happy if Clinton had resigned? President Gore, eight years of Democratic control of the White House, rather than Bush? I've been accused quite often of every kind of vice by Clinton supporters because I have argued, many times, that Bill Clinton squandered a tremendous opportunity just because he couldn't keep it in his pants.

I'm an Obama supporter, and I worked my ass off volunteering for Obama in the primary and the general election, and I'm proud that my state put him over the top in the primary. You just seem to think that just because I think someone who is drunken and irresponsible should not be entrusted with a position of great responsibility I must be a Clinton supporter, which I never have been, except when Bill Clinton was our nominee. I supported Jackson in 1992.

Rationalization? Read the bit upthread about "Shhhh! That's a private matter between a man, his wife, and his many girlfriends." I cannot imagine how that's an effort to excuse Clinton's affairs as "a private matter." I'm not hypocritical. I've got drunken behavior in my past that makes Christopher Hitchens look like an Mormon, but I'm not applying for any jobs in the West Wing, either. It's not hand-wringing. Favreau has been entrusted with a great opportunity, and he risks it all because of immaturity. It is exactly because I don't want any distractions such as this, and such as that Bill Clinton seemed to be so prone, that I think Obama should look for someone who does not make politically embarrassing mistakes when drunk.

I'll restate it again: part of what is appealing about Obama is that he has dignity, and his administration will represent a return of power into the hands of adults. Not the entitled little boy-man Bush, or the rutting Clinton, or even someone such as Favreau who acts like it's rush week. What we need in this administration are adults, folks who have some gravitas, who know that it's OK to get a little wobbly on your barstool, so long as you don't drive drunk, or get caught posing for embarrassing photos, or do anything that is going to detract from the agenda the Obama administration is going to pursue.

[4themind]

132. Oh no you didn't!

[ClarkUSA]

134. Heh

I couldn't help but note the amusing hypocrisy of it all.

[AJH032]

141. uh, yeah, and Bill payed the price for it, over and over again

or are you trying to suggest that Bill was let off the hook for it and thus we should allow someone with a lesser offense the same amnesty?

[ClarkUSA]

144. What price has he paid with the DUers who condemn Favreau now? None.

Get off your friggin' high horse.

What "lesser offense" did Favreau commit? Compared to Bill's serial dicking around on Hillary in and out of the White House,
past and present (have you heard of Ron Burkle's Air Fuck One? if you haven't, Google it), you must mean "miniscule, faux
outrage-level offense," the kind some Clintonians are good at generating without comprehending how Hillaryously
hypocritical they sound.

[AJH032]

145. DUers? Howabout being impeached by the US House of Representatives?

and getting ridiculed by the media for years? My point is that, despite any handful of DUer who defend him, Bill Clinton did indeed pay for his actions, many many times.

The way I understood your post was that Bill Clinton "got away" with his behavior, and thus none of his supporters should criticize anyone else. If that was a misinterpretation, then sorry. If not, then I'm not. No need to get upset.

[ClarkUSA]

152. Yes, I was speaking of some DUers' amusing hypocrisy of condemning Favreau while excusing Bill.

Stop trying to make Bill a victim because I don't feel one bit sorry for him playing with fire and getting burnt.
Specifically, I am speaking of the Favreau outrage here at DU and how hypocritical it is for those who excuse
Bill's shameless lying/adultery/lying about philandering while getting all huffy about a single guy goofing on
a piece of cardboard. You obviously don't/can't speak to that because you keep wanting to make this a pity
play/ploy about poor ol' Bill.

[AJH032]

155. wrong

I was only responding in a way that was appropriate to my interpretation of your post. It has nothing to with, as you say, me "wanting to make this a pity play...". That is all. Thanks.

[ClarkUSA]

156. lol

[Alcibiades]

172. You're right

If Clinton was wrong, this kid is wrong, too. Less wrong, though, but he's certainly demonstrated a lack of political discernment.

[bridgit]

131. rec 5

[leftofthedial]

135. yes I can!

hill baby

[adoraz]

136. hah I thought it was pretty funny... people need to lighten up

false outrage.

Not saying everyone needs to find this humorous, just that people shouldn't be offended by something like this.

[zalinda]

139. Really?

Have a cardboard cutout of Obama in chains and see the reaction. Or better yet, have someone call him a nigger, and see the reaction.

It's not funny getting a woman drunk and groping her, which is what is implied with the cardboard cutout.

zalinda

[Forkboy]

161. .....

[adoraz]

184. NO, not the same thing

This does not need to turn into a "sexism" charge, which seems to be the outcry.

It should be compared to 1 girl pouring beer into Obama's mouth and another grabbing his junk. If I saw that, I would chuckle as well, just because I would know the people were drunk and acting stupid. It isn't anything that should get the guy fired, or something people should be so offended by.

In your post, you are implying that they called Hillary a cunt..... with a cut out of her chained to a bed. It makes zero sense.

WTF is up with half the people on DU turning everything into sexism?

[mzmolly]

140. Isn't it odd that the press is more interested in a silly, juvenile stunt than they were

the case for war?

I've gotta say, I.COULDN'T.CARE.LESS.

[question everything]

142. He should be fired for his stupidity

Not for the "groping" but for posting this on the web when, as you poined out, the White House does not want any embarrassing photos.

And this will be the only way he can learn a lesson.

[MiddleRiverRefugee]

143. What's the difference between this and Saxby Chambliss' 'Big Daddy' moment?

[w4rma]

168. One involves a real live very underage girl. The other has no victim. (nt)

[Forkboy]

146. Only on DU.

[Triana]

151. What would happen if a female speechwriter for Clinton was photographed

groping the crotch of an Obama cardboard cutout at a party and it turned up on facebook?

Just asking. Something to think about. (putting on flameproof suit now)

[polichick]

153. imo she would look just as pathetic...

One thing that is a little disturbing about this is the way it gives the impression of two guys abusing her ~ creepy.

[La Lioness Priyanka]

158. what would happen if a male speechwriter for clinton did this to a picture of michelle obama?

that is a closer analogy, i bet this forum would all be up in an outrage

[ProSense]

166. Only an idiot would be outraged by that.

Seriously, only an idiot would be outrage at a leaked photo of a male Clinton staffer planting a wet kiss on a cardboard image of Michelle Obama.

[ProSense]

165. And what would happen if

Hillary's Campaign Manager bragged about owning a Hillary nutcracker?

[Brooklyns_Finest]

163. Wow

Some of these post seem like they are coming from nuns or man haters. These are young guys having fun.

I will say that I am probably the only one in my circle who does not have a Myspace/Facebook account. I get hella crazy and I don't need people seeing my debauchery.

[LostinVA]

164. "Man haters"-- OMFG

[Midlodemocrat]

167. No fuckin' kidding. Those of us who don't like

mistreatment of women are apparently man haters. Who knew?

[Warren Stupidity]

169. mistreatment of cardboard.

unless there are some other set of facts that go with this idiocy.

[Midlodemocrat]

170. Puleeze. You cannot be that obtuse.

This scenario was designed to embarrass. The beer down the throat, the groping.

Open your eyes. The fact that they didn't actually grope Hillary Clinton means shit. The intention was to create a provocative photo and they succeeded.

[Warren Stupidity]

180. mistreatment of cardboard.

You are getting all worked up over the mistreatment of cardboard. It reminds me of the people who have apoplectic fits over flag burning.

[mwei924]

187. Yes, I'm sure they were plotting evil sexist schemes at a drunken house party.

[adoraz]

185. LOL! is this a joke post?

mistreatment of women? WTF?

[Stump]

178. It's a fucking party....

big deal...moving right along...

[Teaser]

179. This is why I never get drunk around cardboard cutouts

nothing good can come of it.

[watercolors]

182. Some people just need to find a life!

Like who cares about the silly photo?

[Warren DeMontague]

183. THIS IS HUGH!!!1111 I'M SERIES!!1111!!!!!!

[Colobo]

186. I don't see anything wrong here.

[Beacool]

189. The fact that you don't is precisely the problem.

[Cash_thatswhatiwant]

191. Like I said I'm just happy to have young people involved in Obama's administration this way

i of course think it's wrong what he did, but he apologized, and it was accepted. I don't think he should lose his job for this stupidity.

[Binka]

192. Your Intentions Are Pure I Am Sure

Dr. Seuss would get a kick out of your shit.

[polichick]

193. How inspiring to know that the guy behind Obama's beautiful speeches...

...is a drunken fool. Woohoo!