Obama aide Rahm Emanuel in trouble not for #$%^&* comment but for saying 'retarded'

Nobody ever accused Windy City politicians of playing schoolyard games. Or speaking softly. Even politely, especially among themselves.

Remember those wiretap tapes about a year ago of then-Gov. Rod Blagojevich?

Well, the fellow who took over Blago's North Side Chicago seat in the House of Representatives is Rahm Emanuel, former Democratic machine go-fer, Clinton aide, congressman and now Obama Chief of Staff.

Emanuel is rightly famed for his salty -- no, make that sulfuric -- language.

In fact, then-Sen. Obama once fondly referred to Emanuel's profanity habit during his speech at a Washington roast.

Emanuel's in trouble now, not for saying ^%$&*) or even &@#$*& you.

Obama's top aide was apparently accurately quoted in a recent Wall Street Journal story as saying some plan to run advertising was "$%^&*#+ retarded."

The R word is one that groups like Special Olympics and Republican ex-Gov. Sarah Palin are seeking to banish from common American usage as derogatory to those like Palin's infant son with mental disabilities.

So, Timothy Shriver, Special Olympics chair (and brother to California First Lady Maria Shriver) wrote Emanuel a gentle note:

"I can only imagine how difficult it must be to serve the country in this time. But what did trouble me was the quote attributed to you describing a plan to air certain ads as 'f-----g retarded.' "

Special Olympics supporters will remember that Obama himself got into some trouble a while back for referring to the event in a disparaging manner during an appearance on a late-night talk show. He too called Shriver to apologize.

Just to underline the point of regret, Emanuel met this afternoon at the White House with Shriver and a committee delegation, to re-apologize, to promise not to use the term and to agree to sign an online pledge to refrain from such a word.

Meanwhile, famed radio talker and noted civil libertarian Rush Limbaugh used the word repeatedly in a broadcast. Some people would call that, uh, defiant.

-- Andrew Malcolm

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Photo: Charles Arbogast / Associated Press

Comments

[Oh, bother]

Again? But that trick never works!

[Anna Aymas]

It's one thing for politicians to lie, that's acceptable.
Come close to the truth, AND use proprietary
republican words: the P C police will get you!

[SH]

This whole ordeal is entirely unnecessary and effing retarded. These people really ought to look up the meaning of the word in the dictionary. When did the American society become so touchy?

[Mark in Texas]

Let me get this straight -- first Rahm Emanuel called Democrats f***ing retarded and then he apologized to people with mental difficulties for comparing them to Democrats.

OK. I can see why the folks at the Special Olympics are upset.

[Judy Strickland]

We all need some Federal Standard by which to speak: Is the R word as bad as the N word? Are the words off limits to ALL Americans, or just those to which it doesn't personally apply? If one is of Mixed Race, could they use the N word without condemnation; if one is only slightly mentally challenged, could they use the R word without condemnation?
. . . Just call me Alice. . . or Dorothy. I think I fell down a rabbit hole - at least I know for sure I'm not in Kansas anymore. . . or America.

[Borgia]

You goota wonder what sort of home this guy grew up in, his Dad drives a car with "shitzpa" on the plate. It's the eponomy, stupid.

[Orlando personal injury lawyer]

Sad to say, but people of that status do have to think twice about what comes out of their mouths. Though, we're all human and make mistakes. I forgive Obama for calling Kanye a "jackass." Partially because we all know that fact is true.

[Jim haynes]

Its obscene and criminal that banks continue to be awarded billions of dollars for their non-performance resulting in the real estate bubble which has yet to be addressed in the peoples court. Millions of home owners and their families have suffered and have yet to recover from the results of planned negligence and obfuscation by the banking industry.

This on going blatant display of arrogance and complicity by our elected officials has shown America that international banking money takes priority over the lives of honest hard working citizens. If the people can't see by now who and what is controlling our nation they never will and deserve the painful experience of disappointment and hopelessness initiated by this rogue government with more to come.

Jim, the old patriot