Rahm Emanuel's apology: The 'R' word

Rahm was wrong and he apologized but that still doesn't excuse that nutjob Palin from using her kid as a prop to take political shots at him.

Sister Sarah is months late in showing her fake outrage. In fact, Rahm Emanuel made that comment back in 2009, in August I believe. I don't know where Sarah Palin where living in 2009, but if she wanted to be outraged, she should have reacted back then. I think Sarah Palin attacking Rahm can only be a good news for him. HAHAHAHA !

Maybe Rahm wrote it on her Facebook page. I mean, if Stupid Sarah wants you to resign, you must doing something right.

I have a suggestion for the title of Crazy Sarah's next book: "Lessons on How to Play the Victim From the Ultimate Victim."

Palin saw an opportunity to play the victim, to make something seem like it's about her, and to stir up controversy where there shouldn't be any.

Winguts are masters at being political thugs and then falling back into poor little me "victim mode" when they get called out on it.

I just don't think it can get much more hilarious.

So "Caribou Barbie" is demanding Rahm Emanuels job as Chief of Staff because of his language? His language is usually 4 letter words, he has been known to send someone a dead fish wrapped in a newspaper. (I hope it was one of Murdochs) but if this is the best she can do as the "leader" of the Teabaggers then she needs a lot of help.

Let's see, this is the woman who quit her job a year and a half before her term as Governor expired, yet she still demands to be called "Governor", why? She quit because she did not like the job, it was to much hard work, and she needed the time to get rich having someone ghost write a book for her and to take a new gig with Faux News offering nutty far right wing "opinions".

Palin did make a remark about now flowing with the dead fishes, I hope Rahm sends her lots of dead fishes or maybe some "crabs" dead crabs smell real bad. I wonder if the mail clerk at Faux News would make sure they made it to her desk, or forward them to Wasilla?

At least the adults are finally in charge, right champ?

This seems to be the MO with the Obumble's Administration:

1) Say something stupid

2) Try to soften what was initially said.

3a) End up apologizing later.

3b) Beer summit

Most incompetent president ever!

Why don't you realize that word is hurtful, if not to the mentally challenged then to the caretakers and family of them. Its extremely offensive to have a high ranking public official representing the US tear down a portion of it through hurtful words. Palin has every right to be upset and to speak up about it.

Ohh, such vitriol! Wingdings have a remarkable capacity to marginalize slights made by one of their own, that if conversely issued by "the opposition" would have them them howling for blood like banshies. However, it does seem that the Cognitive Elite of the White House have some problem with their view of "special" people. Sort of along the order of viewing mainstreet USA as "clinging to god and their guns". Right out of the Hyde Park / Berkley playbook yes, but you don't want to be indiscreet and say so in public.

Three shameless apologists have commented so far - all siding with the person who made the undiginified and hurtful comment. All siding against the person who had the "gall" to call their guy on it.

You should each be so proud of yourselves. After all, this is all Palin's fault...right?

It'll be interesting to see how well sensitivity issues are handled by Palin and members of her adminstration come 2013. It won't be surprising to see her dramatically change her tune then.

I hope he doesn't get fired and come back here, we have enough problems.

Lisa, DrainYou, over do it, et al, Read the story! Although Rahm said this last August, it didn't leak into the news media until LAST WEEK. Palin's response was both timely and appropriate.

If a Republican made a disparaging remark about a particular racial group we would never hear the end of it, but when Rahm makes a disparaging remark about someone he gets off with a mild slap on the wrist. If Rev Sharpton berates someone for a comment he perceives as racist, Sharpton's status in judging the perpetrator is never questioned but the mother of a child with Downs Syndrome is accused of playing the disability card for political gain.

I guess it's true what they say: Liberals get a free pass on insensitive, biased statements.

Most incompetent president ever!
Posted by: Chris | February 3, 2010 5:39 PM
___________________________

Chris, you're such an idiot the word idiot just doesn't seem strong enough to describe you. Rahm Emmanuel makes a regrettable comment and apologizes for it, and somehow that equates to Obama being the most incompetent president ever?? LOL What a highly laughable and misinformed opinion you have there, lil' buddy. And I bet you think that Sarah Palin is more qualified to be the president, don't you? I'm sure you have all kinds of crazy, dangerous, stupid ideas floating around in that there noggin of yours.

You dumb@ss...

Libs, libs. Where's your outrage at Emmanuel? And for the mentally challenged (see how I didn't use the R word?) DrainYou, his remark was made in a closed-door meeting and not publicized until last week (go ahead: do a little further research on the event if you can). That just might be why Palin didn't respond to it in August.

And using her kid as a political prop? I guess all people who point to their children to help further the cause are using their kids as political props, then, aren't they? Even the liberal ones.

For the record, I'm not a Palin supporter. Just someone who likes to call it as I see it. On either side of the fence.

@Freddy

No, this isn't all Palin's fault. And no one here has suggested it was. But that's ok, you just keep on manufacturing bullsh!t to support your bogus ideology and distract from the truth. Afterall, if you were forced to support your claims with actual facts you'd be lost.

And by the way, no one here has mentioned it yet, but according to her daughter's ex, Levi Johnston, Palin joked about her own son Trig's Down syndrome, calling him her "retarded baby."

Hypocritical maybe?

Dear Rahm:

Those Americans who qualify as "retarded"--including the mentally impaired, and the just plain stupid--have just as much right to vote as you do, you elitist bigot.

Don't fire anybody...just let it keep adding up. The more the better....is it 2012 yet?

I know what people are trying to make of this. An apology? I'm sure most, if not, all of us have used the word "retarded" to describe one another. It's not cruel or unusual. Sarah Palin has said more retarded things. I'm not apologizing for that comment. Life is tough, people get sent to war, people get murdered, people do cruel physical and mental things to others and it's just not right! What are you going to do about it? Just deal with it. Chalk it down to ignorance and don't try to demonize them. Make yourself better than them.

Much ado about nothing...

Didn't Vegas work real hard to establish it's reputation as a place to blow money but now god forbid we use it as an example of excess. How silly! And retard just means "to delay the developoment or progress", which to me seems pretty appropriate for those with developmental problems and not at all disparaging.

Seems like there are bunch of retards in Vegas these days...

Yes, Sarah Palin is outraged yet Alaska's Developmental Disabilities Program Website includes the following: "Examples of types of developmental disabilities are mental retardation, cerebral palsy, autism, and seizure disorder". She should be fired as Governor for her insensitivity...oh wait.

Don,

Although you question the intellect of Chris, I'm afraid repeated name calling (and not very original at that) doesn't say much for your own intellect. While I don't necessarily agree with Chris, I think the implication is that this is another misstep, if not by Obama personally, then by someone he hired. You either weren't able to recognize that or were more interested in ignoring it for the sake of a rather lazy flame attempt.

Better luck next time!

Enough is enough!" Democratic Rep. Shelley Berkley said in a statement. "President Obama needs to stop picking on Las Vegas and he needs to let Americans decide for themselves how and where to spend their hard earned vacation dollars."..

Wow, a Dem who believes Americans are smart enough to think for themselves. What a concept!!!! Oh, the intelligence! Amazes me! NOT!

Rhambo used to be my rep. and Mr. potty mouth did absolutely, you guessed it, NOTHING!!!! Sent a few emails and did alot of campaigning. Did nothing for his district.

Furthermore, people need to stop criticizing Sarah Palin's child who has Trisomy 21 the correct medical term. It is evident that she is still a threat to your lame liberal agenda that people have finally had enough of and will vote their voice this fall and in 2012.

Say a mechanic needs to adjust the ignition timing of your vehicle's engine.....If they determin that it requires the opposite of advancing it, with the correct terminology being retarding, is that mechanic being insensitive?

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Didn't Palin complain about political correctness? I guess that's just for her.

Is there a bigger scumbag in Washington than this guy along with all the other thugs BO has brought into the White House?

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All siding against the person who had the "gall" to call their guy on it.You should each be so proud of yourselves. After all, this is all Palin's
Posted by: Freddy | February 3, 2010 5:53 PM
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It's hilarious sitting back and watching the Teabagger thugs on here (see above) play the fake outrage "victim card"....and NO ONE does this better than Bible Spice Sarah.

These are the same rightwing nutbags who still believe the Death Panel lies and are demanding to see the President's birth certificate.

Honest Abe, you may be correct, but the bar was substantially lowered after Karl Rove and Scooter Libby left the area.

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Is there a bigger scumbag in Washington than this guy along with all the other thugs BO has brought into the White House?

Posted by: Honest Abe | February 3, 2010 7:14 PM
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I'M GLAD YOU ASKED!

YES, THERE WAS A BIGGER GROUP OF SCUMBAG THUGS IN WASHINGTON.....and hopefully they'll be in prison some day.

Could Bush Be Prosecuted for War Crimes?

A Nuremberg chief prosecutor says there is a case for trying Bush for the 'supreme crime against humanity, an illegal war of aggression against a sovereign nation.'
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http://www.alternet.org/world/38604/
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Retard is correctly used as a verb not a noun, retarded is an adjective... this doesn't mean anything negative such as in a mechanics line of work Poertage Parker but when a US OFFICIAL says it out of frustration or anger then he is using the noun sense of the word which is an offensive slang term, Rahm is an immature baby and needs to control himself if being civilized is necessary. Anyone that can defend that statement or even attack someone else for speaking up against it shows no character and is a complete follower, that's a big danger.

The reason it just surfaced is that the liberal media buries all the mistakes made by no class Obama and his hacks. If Bush/Cheney had said anything close to this (which they wouldn't because they're not pint sized excuses for men)they would have been vilified. Show some class Obama and thank god your children are healthy. This shows the power Palin can wield by getting an apology 6 months later. And why is the rat apologizing to the Special Olympics? He should apologize to ALL parents of special needs children.

The right wing fascists that here have a narcissistic interest agenda in mind. They hate people with other thoughts than a mega-corporate government run by feeding the peasants with mindless dribble! These are the Godless money infatuated wanna-be class of people! They go to church on Sundays and collect porn on their phones during the week! I'm tired of these idealist hypocrites that try to enslave us with their Bill O'Reilly's and Glenn Beck (who doesn't reveal he's the member of a religious non-Christian cult). If morons who post here had an education and quit listening to people that had barely high school diploma's then they might see the truth!

More double standards from the fanatical left. Rahm should resign. He's proven that he is worse than a Republican, and HE IS an angry WHITE GUY. That's not allowed.

On second thought...Rahm and his fellow bigot and hater Obama should both compete on the Special Olympics relay team where they belong.

To borrow from a poster on another board, the mentally challenged should be more offended that they were compared to Democrats!

Since the Tribune allows the use of "teabagger" (and some say it's ok because the teaparty folks used it first) is it now OK to call Democrats "F.R."s? After all, their beloved Rahm calls them that.

Sticks and stones. Complaining about something so harmless is retarded.

Enough of this picky PC language crap. The country has real issues that need worked on! This is just typical election year crap by people grasping at straws for the spotlight.

People with special needs should be mad at Emanuel for associating them with liberals. Liberals aren't retarded, they're ignorant, arrogant, and condescending.

Don:

You are going to base your beliefs on something Levi Johnston says? And you have the audacity to question someone else's intelligence?

Don:

You are going to base your beliefs on something Levi Johnston says? And you have the audacity to question someone else's intelligence?

retard v. 1 make slow or late. 2 delay the progress or accomplishment of.  retardant adj. & n. retardation n. [Latin tardus slow].
I'm so tired of political correctness. Rahm's usage was proper, some may say a bit crass also. It's what the word means people!

the only places where people think this story is a big deal are sarah palin's facebook page and the white house. id suggest the white house lets the story blow over rather than highlight it with a delegation. it was an insensitive remark. dont do it again. lets move on.

The dark side to liberalism is that it has an intolerant, elitist side....they don't like people who "cling to their guns and their religion". They are too educated...too blue blood for those kind of people. They act like they are all about social reform and the underprivileged, when really the message is "you are too r*****ed to support yourself so we, who are so morally superior, so all-knowing will take care of everything." Please stop being so condecending! We can make our own intelligent decisions- including whether to purchase health insurance, own a gun, rights of conscience (e.g., pharamcists), and including whether to visit sin city!

Instead of expressing her outrage at Rahm for a stupid, heated comment, Palin should be apologizing to the campaign supporters for spending $150,000 on fashionable clothing for her joke of a political race.

Or maybe she should apologize to Katie Couric for being such an idiot during that infamous interview.

Or maybe she should apologize for shooting wolves out of a helicopter.

Or maybe she should apologize to all Americans for being such an idiot who convinced other idiots that she was a legitimate contender for the vice presidency?

Or maybe she should just shut the hell up and go away.

Oh and Mark, while you're on your high horse about FOX News today, please explain why a harmless little post with no foul language, nothing that was out of bounds in regard to the Swamp's alleged rules was censored???

Like I said in another post, before you cast stones at someone else's alleged objectivity problems, I strongly suggest a closer inspection of the objectivity problems closer to home, eh???

Posted by: Jim | February 3, 2010 8:20 PM

Wow, feeling guilty? There are more contradictions in this post than a barnyard full of pigs wearing lipstick.

People who are going to have a fit of self-righteous piety over a "fit of annoyance" because the self-righteous choose to be presumptuous in their self-righteousness by assigning their motives to others, are f****** r*******.

Cutting through all the crap and placing honesty above all else, they are f****** r*******.

Best get used to it now and save yourself the aggravation later.

Posted by: Lincoln would reject todays GOP | February 3, 2010 7:42 PM

And Jefferson would reject today's Democratic party, so they're even.

The PC police strike again. I hope Al Sharpton has been notified. Or is he only the guru on race? This whole situation is ret . . .I mean, stupid. Can I still say that?

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We've had several incidents like this in the past few years. The people who are actually insulted have a legitimate beef, and I don't mind their comments. But the rest of the people commenting with their mock outrage are just tying to play "gotcha" and score cheap political points and grandstand. I say the PC police can all take a flying leap into the SF Bay. I'll call things retarded if I want to, and I don't give a frog's fat ass what anyone says about it.

(I apologize for insulting any frogs, reptiles, lizards or amphibians that happen to have large posteriors. My comments were inappropriate and I deeply regret them. It is my understanding that Greedo from Star Wars is the guru on this issue as Al Sharpton is for race, and I have called and personally apologized to him. I hope we can put this behind us and move forward)

It's funny how the liberal media is trying to lay this on Rush Limbaugh. The majority of the voters meaning non-liberals know that if this had been a conservative that said when Emanuel said the liberal media would be calling for his resignation right now. But, seeing how it's a liberal talking head it's all fine to make fun of the handicapped. November is going to be fun.

He is just showing his true colors. No different than Bill Clinton, sooner or later their true personalities come out. What a great bunch of guys, but be careful they'll stab you in the back the first chance they get. They are the true meaning of a low life.

Not like he made fun of the people that participate in the Special Olympics like Barry did. worst president ever

The "R" Word
By Ethan Ellis
February 08, 2010, 11:00AM
Recently, Rahm Emanuel and Rush Limbaugh have focused attention on a campaign by people with developmental disabilities and their supporters to remove the words ‘mental retardation’ and its derivatives from the American lexicon and replace them with ‘cognitive’ or ‘intellectual’ disabilities.
Both Rahm and Rush, unlikely collaborators from opposite ends of America’s political spectrum, unwittingly boosted the campaign to national prominence by using its most pejorative form, ‘retards’ in the same week. Typical of their individual political styles, Rahm invited some of Washington’s disability elite to the White House to witness his signing of the Special Olympians’ pledge to eradicate the word, while Rush tried to bluster his way though his faux pas by repeating it over and over again on his next show.
I support the campaign wholeheartedly. It brings back memories of being stared at by strangers because of my spastic walk and hearing mothers shush their kids when they asked; “What’s wrong with that man.” I can only imagines what it’s like to b called ‘retard’ everywhere you go.
There’s another reason, though. I strongly believe that every oppressed group has the right to define themselves, not be labeled by those who oppress or study them, often the same people. It’s s lesson I learned in the mid-1960s when I worked in the poverty program on Manhattan’s Lower East Side and lived in a predominately African-American working-class high-rise condo on East 110th Street and Second Avenue at the beginning of the “Black is beautiful” awakening.
We had a bunch of people from the building over to party one night. Doris, our next-door neighbor, made a dramatic entrance, wearing a stunning black dress that perfectly complimented her natural beauty. We were busy praising both, when a voice boomed out from the easy chair in the corner: “She can’t be beautiful; she’s too black!”
It was Mr. Boogaloo, one of our least-favorite neighbors, a guy who could smell a party anywhere in the building and invited himself in, welcome or not. We called him Mr. Boogaloo, after the flashy but shallow dance briefly popular at the time. He fit the image perfectly, dressed in a tan plaid bell-bottomed polyester suit that matched his light skin.
We all fell silent as Doris began to sob. Then the women rushed to comfort her as Mr. Boogaloo slid out the door.
Names hurt. I learned that lesson that night and never forgot it or Mr. Boogaloo who taught it so callously.
The ‘R’ word campaign is not new. Bill Byrne introduced me to it in the 1980s. At the time he led a one-man campaign to change the Association of Retarded Citizens to the Arc. He showed up at every meeting and conference around the state with his sandwich-board sign and leaflets and buttons and buttonholed everyone with his message, whether they wanted to hear it or not. Enough did so that, one by one, local chapters began to change their names. Soon, he became the state’s most famous self-advocate and converts provided him with a national platform and within a few years the countrywide association became Arc/USA.
I have no doubt that Bill’s successors will win this battle. The stars are aligned and the time has come. The time has also come to convert the energy that it will take to win this important symbolic battle into a permanent political presence. Brothers and sisters with cognitive disabilities, I solute you, I support you and I look forward to joining you in our ongoing struggle to live with pride as equals in this society.