A Timely Reminder That Republicans Aren’t Immune To Misspeak-arrhea
Now that I’ve coined the term misspeak-arrhea, let’s look at another prime example. This time, the verbal diarrhea spews forth from a Republican pie hole. From Pol Watchers, a blog of Kentucky.com (Lexington Herald-Leader):
U.S. Rep Geoff Davis apologized Monday for calling presidential contender and U.S. Sen. Barack Obama “boy” during a Northern Kentucky dinner over the weekend.
“My poor choice of words is regrettable and was in no way meant to impugn you or your integrity,” Davis wrote in a letter that staffers said was hand-delivered to Obama’s U.S. Senate office. “I offer my sincere apology to you and ask for your forgiveness.”
Davis continued: “Though we may disagree on many issues, I know that we share the goal of a prosperous, secure future for our nation. My comment has detracted from the dialogue that we should all be having on legitimate policy differences and in no way reflects the personal and professional respect I have for you.”
The word “boy” is considered extremely offensive by many African-Americans, as it was used by Southern whites in the Jim Crow South to assert racial superiority.
[…]
Davis spoke at the Northern Kentucky 4th Congressional District Lincoln Day Dinner, also attended by Republican Senators Mitch McConnell and Jim Bunning.
Davis compared Obama, a Democratic contender for president, and his message to a “snake oil salesman.”
He said in his remarks at the GOP dinner that he also recently participated in a “highly classified, national security simulation” with Obama.
“I’m going to tell you something: That boy’s finger does not need to be on the button,” Davis said. “He could not make a decision in that simulation that related to a nuclear threat to this country.”
Monday, Obama spokesman Bill Burton told NBC News: “It’s hard to tell what is more outrageous — Representative Davis’ condescending and personal attack, or his absurd and offensive claim that Barack Obama is not prepared to defend America.”
Well, it’s bad enough that a Republican was stupid enough to refer to the African-American Democratic candidate as “boy”. It’s even worse when that Republican candidate comes from a southern state.
Sadly, Davis’s idiotic choice of words served to totally obscure the real point he was trying to make: That Obama’s inexperience led to indecisiveness in a recent “highly classified, national security simulation”. (Personally, I’d like to learn more about the simulation in question. Did it really happen? Where? Did Obama really do as poorly as Davis asserts? These are big questions to which we’ll probably never get an answer.)
As for Bill Burton’s assertion:
What a simp! Yes, Davis’s condescending and personal attack—the use of the word “boy”—was, indeed, outrageous. But his claim that “Barack is not prepared to defend America” is in no way outrageous. That claim, Mr. Burton, would be a statement of fact.
And I DO agree with Davis’s characterization of Obama as a snake oil salesman. (During the present campaign season, I had been using the term “snake oil salesman” exclusively to describe Mitt Romney, but now that Romney’s gone….)
Anyway, Representative Davis, time for you to take your medicine.
Open wide! One giant tablespoonful of bismuth subsalicylate coming up!
Go here to read Jules Crittenden’s coverage of the Davis gaffe:
On the racism issue, there’s the argument that this gaffe couldn’t have come at a better time for the Obama camp in the running gaffapalooza that is the Democratic campaign, given Obama’s own recent regrettable remarks re race/religion/creed and those of his spiritual counselor.
Yep. Couldn’t have come at a better time.
Technorati Tags: misspeak-arrhea, verbal diarrhea, spews forth, pie hole, Pol Watchers, Kentucky.com, Lexington Herald-Leader, U.S. Rep, Geoff Davis, presidential contender, Barack Obama, Northern Kentucky, poor choice of words, impugn, hand-delivered, sincere apology, ask for your forgiveness, legitimate policy differences, African-Americans, Southern whites, Jim Crow South, racial superiority, 4th Congressional District, Lincoln Day Dinner, Republican Senators, Mitch McConnell, Jim Bunning, snake oil salesman, GOP dinner, highly classified, national security simulation, on the button, could not make a decision, Obama spokesman, Bill Burton, NBC News, condescending and personal attack, absurd and offensive claim, not prepared to defend America, Democratic candidate, southern state, idiotic choice of words, inexperience, indecisiveness, statement of fact, take your medicine, bismuth subsalicylate
