Obama apologizes to Kamala Harris

[Freddie Stubbs]

Source: Politico

President Obama called California Attorney General Kamala Harris on Thursday to apologize for his comments about her appearance that have drawn a storm of criticism.

"He called her to apologize for the distraction created by his comments," White House press secretary Jay Carney said during his briefing Friday, later adding that the president had also "apologized for the remark."

Obama "did not want in any way to diminish the attorney general's professional accomplishments and her capabilities," Carney said. "He fully recognizes the challenges women continue to face in the workplace and that they should not be judged based on appearance."

At a fundraiser in Northern California on Thursday, Obama said that Harris "happens to be by far the best-looking attorney general in the country."

Read more: http://www.politico.com/politico44/2013/04/obama-apologizes-to-kamala-harris-160956.html?hp=t3_3

[Brickbat]

1. Good.

[darkangel218]

2. Im glad he apologized. he needed to. nt

[Blasphemer]

44. I agree. I was quite disappointed by the comment. nt

[WeekendWarrior]

64. No, he did not

This is ridiculous bullshit.

Distraction is correct.

[darkangel218]

66. Apparently, even POTUS thought he needed to apologize

Since he did apologize.
So you're wrong.

[WeekendWarrior]

67. No, I'm not wrong

He was wrong to apologize. But he did it to satisfy people like you.

[darkangel218]

68. Oh please!!

[Solindsey]

3. What a non-issue.

...

Moving on.

[darkangel218]

4. Yah whatever.

[RBInMaine]

31. Afghanistan, North Korea, the budget, gun control...and we are actually talking about THIS????

[BeyondGeography]

5. It wasn't presidential

Obama was just another clumsy guy for a moment there. Beautiful women have that effect on men.

[WeekendWarrior]

65. No, it was human

God forbid he be a man who recognizes a beautiful woman.

The horror.

[alp227]

6. Thank you, Mr. President.

I hope he learned something very valuable here. When I posted on LBN a San Francisco Chronicle story about the incident last night by today it got near 100+ replies...as if it was about NDAA or drones or Social Security!

[DrDan]

7. the right thing to do -

[closeupready]

8. So get this for laughs -

Ms. Brzezinski:

>>"I'm sure he meant to pay her a compliment... but quite frankly, it just divides women and it just divides people up to separate them by looks and probably was a little hand-fisted. I just think the whole thing, the whole dynamic about women and their looks puts women under a lot of stress that they don't need. and they should be sort of talked about by their qualities at work, especially when he is introducing someone because she is the attorney general. I actually think, you know, he meant to do -- say something nice. I think he made a mistake." <<

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/04/05/mika-brzezinski-obama-kamala-harris_n_3020174.html

[RBInMaine]

34. Is Joe thinking what most men (and some women) would be thinking here? :-)

[Hassin Bin Sober]

52. Lol

[RILib]

9. Michelle must be thrilled by this

Think before you speak. A good rule.

[Beacool]

16. She probably smacked him upside down the head ala Cher in Moonstruck.

"Snap out of it".

[RBInMaine]

30. Oh shit. Do you think she is that insecure and petty? This is next to NOTHING. Now let's move on.

[geek tragedy]

32. From the department of "Not Getting It"

The suggestion is not that Michelle Obama is jealous of Ms. Harris, but rather that she perceived the President's remarks as tacky, bone-headed, ill-advised, and/or benevolently sexist.

[darkangel218]

69. So if it was you in that position and not PBO, you would have not apologized?

[Spitfire of ATJ]

10. He appologized for the reaction....

It's like, "Sorry I inadvertently involved you in the game the Republicans are playing to attack everything I do and everyone I know."

[frylock]

11. be honest here. if romney or any other republican had made that remark..

what would your response be?

[Spitfire of ATJ]

12. I would have looked to see if she had that glassy eyed look Republicans like.

[geek tragedy]

33. Hey, Fox & Friends had his back on this one.

Which shows you he was right to apologize.

[Spitfire of ATJ]

41. Yeah,...because they represent the pulse of anemia.

[Peregrine Took]

13. And what was the possible upside to his remarks?

What was he thinking? There are several female AG's - how do they feel?

Very insensitive and cruel.

[JI7]

18. they are friends, he was kind of having fun with it which is why i don't have a problem

with it in itself other than when there is a larger audience it takes away from the positives about her accomplishments.

[RBInMaine]

29. Oh what hypersensitive hogwash. Please. Being blown WAY out of proportion. Move on.

[Yavin4]

14. And this will be the last we'll ever hear of this issue

We will proceed to discussing more important matters.

[Comrade_McKenzie]

15. I'm sick of this President having to defend himself from kooks...

But now maybe people will shut the hell up.

[Beacool]

17. During the 2008 campaign Obama called a female reporter "Sweetie".

She didn't seem too amused.

The president of Uruguay was heard calling the female president of Argentina an "old hag". Repeating a McConnell moment, since the object of his scorn is 17 years younger than he is.

What is it about men, many of them intelligent and decent, that propels them to say some of the most sexist and idiotic remarks about women?

[RILib]

25. On some fundamental level

they have no clue. Maybe in a few more generations, if the planet is still habitable, they'll get it.

[Beacool]

39. I guess so.

It must be ingrained into them since birth by society. On the flip side, women from early childhood are encouraged to play with dolls and be "pretty". Most little girls rooms and belongings are a plethora of pink. We are in the 21st century and how many little girls dream of being a princess?

[RBInMaine]

28. How many women have called men assholes, bastards, dick heads, pricks, ...?? Enough of this shit.

Also throw in old fart, fuddy duddy, old coot, and old geezer, and on and on. And plenty of women are well known to call men "handome", "stud", "hot stuff," "hot," "hottie," "babe," "hot babe," and "cutie" with honking when they see guys running or biking, and on and on. Happens all the time. So enough of this gender card shit and hypersensitivity. This was much ado about little to nothing. It was a quick side comment meant to try to say something nice. Maybe shouldn't have said it because of the reaction he should have known would come in this day and age, but it is being blown way out of proportion. To insinuate this man or any man who would say this is sexist is just a load of complete horseshit. So he said sorry, now let's all move on. THIS is not a big issue.

[Beacool]

38. You don't really get it, do you?

All those remarks that you claim women make are not said within a professional setting. There is nothing wrong with compliments, but at work people must be very careful of what they say. I work for a Fortune 100. I have never heard a top executive address a woman employee as the "best looking" xxxxx (insert title). It would be considered inappropriate at various levels.

I think that we can all agree that Obama didn't mean anything by it, but it was not the proper thing to say.

[RILib]

58. when was the last time

you heard Hillary call someone an "old fart, fuddy duddy, old coot, and old geezer"? Or "handome", "stud", "hot stuff," "hot," "hottie," "babe," "hot babe," and "cutie"?

[DollarBillHines]

19. Remember the Boosh/Merkel episode?

Do you recall all of the furor?

Yeah, neither do I.

We were all laughing.

[Beacool]

61. Bush's behavior was inappropriate too.

I supervised one woman once who was quite shy. Apparently one guy would find ways to rub her shoulders. It made her very uncomfortable, but she had never said anything to me. We only found out months later that he was doing this. He received a warning and was moved to a different area.

Rubbing someone's shoulders in a professional setting is a no-no.

[UBEEDelusional]

20. Thank-You Mr President

[bamacrat]

21. Dumb. Makes him look weak.

You can pay someone a compliment. You look weak by backtracking and apologizing for something like that. Its not like he said she has the best set of boobs in the legal system. Time to apply your skin thickening cream and remove your pissy pants.

[geek tragedy]

35. He screwed up, and he recognized he screwed up, and he apologized.

There is NOTHING weak about that. It is not a sign of strength to be unable to admit a mistake.

[applegrove]

22. According to CNN Obama has been complimentary of many people's looks over the years.

But they were mostly men he was complimenting so it didn't become and issue.

[jaysunb]

23. Much ado about absolutely NOTHING !

Simply a crock of bullshit !

[RILib]

24. It's not nothing

Women at work have the right not to have their appearance commented on. Appearance has nothing to do with competence.

Those of us old enough to remember (I'm sure this still happens too) men leering at us when we worked in mostly male professions know how uncomfortable this is, even if you don't.

And what about the other women who hold that job? You think they feel happy that the President of the United States has said they're inferior in appearance?

How do you think Michelle feels about this? What kind of respect is that to show his wife and kids?

[RBInMaine]

27. It was a simple side comment just trying to say a nice thing. Totally hyped. Now let's move on.

[jaysunb]

45. Totally obvious.

Just a bunch of fake outrage that diminishes the outraged and their latest target.

[RILib]

59. jaysunb = totally clueless.

[marshall]

57. We are told at my workplace not to comment on each other's looks

We have yearly sexual harassment awareness training and that point is hammered home every time.

It gives the impression that looks are overly important, it is too easy to be misconstrue, and also it is unfair to those who are not complimented.

[jzodda]

70. lighten up

This was the president making a light hearted joke about his friend. If you haven't been paying attention the president does this ALL THE TIME. Mostly to men when he is making remarks about them. Its true. Now, because this one is actually a good looking woman all this outrage comes out? Please.

PC gone wild is what this is all about and you are helping it.

[RILib]

71. lighten up - you don't really want to sit at that lunch counter, do you Black dude?

It's a a joke, equal rights, pc gone wild.

[RBInMaine]

26. He was just trying to say a nice thing. All this hypersensitivity. He said sorry, now just move on.

[RBInMaine]

36. Gotta say, having seen pics, she is indeed good looking. And that's good. But also, and more

importantly perhaps, very accomplished professionally which is great. Nothing wrong with being both.

Gee, how women used to fawn over JFK Jr. Hmmmm...

[coldmountain]

37. Teaching moment

[greiner3]

40. HOly Crap Batman;

"...happens to be by far the best-looking attorney general in the country."

Sexual Harassment by any other name!

I never thought that LIBERAL trolls need to be on this site, 'rallying the troops'.

ANY Republican who said something similar would be 'Dean Martin' roasted (and there would be nothing funny about that version) in all the media.

Shame on all of us who think sexual harassment is ok.

[ucrdem]

46. I don't think it rises to the level of sexual harassment.

Having clicked through a few employer-required sexual harassment awareness programs, I gather that such a remark would warrant a suggestion from Obama's supervisor that gender-specific compliments are not appropriate in the workplace. But it wouldn't merit mandatory reporting to a Human Resources dept unless it was either persistent or clearly unwelcome, in which case, HR would be required to initiate an investigation upon receipt of a report from a supervisor or witnessing employee.

[msanthrope]

63. How, precisely, is this 'sexual harassment?' nt

[ucrdem]

42. I hope it was JUST to apologize

Yes KH is a very attractive AG and as many have pointed out an accomplished and outspoken one. I hope BO isn't getting a wandering eye. He wouldn't be the first and even the strongest have moments of weakness. . . .

Be strong, Mr President.

[ButterflyBlood]

43. What did he have to apologize for? He gave her a compliment.

How absurd.

[Alamuti Lotus]

47. Will he apologize for children killed by drone attacks in Pakistan?

No, of course not. But at least some attractive politician has received contrition for that big compliment. Priorities? Check!!

[reorg]

49. If the telephone call actually occurred

I'm sure both Kamala Harris and Obama had a good laugh together over this.

[appacom]

50. This is such MSM created BS

The president just said what was on the minds of everybody in the room - brains and beauty, day-um.

If anybody has a bone to pick, it was or is Michelle. Other than that, what's the harm? It wasn''t like he was trying to jump her bones.

I'm a grassroots, Lesbian feminist activist who was doing this shit before most folks on here were born, and I'm not getting bogged down by a man casting an admiring look at a woman, particularly one who has, time after time (Lilly Ledbetter, anyone?) proven himself to be my friend.

[spedtr90]

51. If he'd called her COWmala....

he'd have something to apologize for.

This country can't get any weirder.

Limbaugh and company call Michelle "Moochelle", fat, racist, etc and no apology is expected or demanded. The President calls a friend good-looking and it's a big deal and he apologizes.

[Third Doctor]

53. Uh Oh!

POTUS may be sleeping on the couch for the foreseeable future.

[bemildred]

54. Yeah, he should. Although I expect Ms Harris can handle it. nt

[John2]

55. So am I suppose

to believe people got upset because he called her good looking? So the President of the United States is not supposed to give women a compliment on their looks. He is a man, not a robot. I hear people complimenting Michelle all the time about her looks. It is a non issue.

[RILib]

60. So your boss or coworker

that's fine if they talk about your looks in the office.

I think not. Have a little chat with your hr department and see what they think about this.

[Beacool]

62. Yes, in the work place it's considered inappropriate.

Imagine the CEO of a company saying to a group at large that so and so is the best looking (choose a title) in the company. The comment would be considered out of bounds and sexist.

[Socal31]

56. This is PC gone waaaaay too far.

He didn't make an inappropriate comment about a body part.

I think "ugly" women were the only offended people. And trust me, I am no Adonis over here. I take that back, nobody was offended, except maybe his wife, who has a right to be. Not because she is naïve enough to believe that men have blinders on, but because they were public remarks.


If he reduced her to only a piece of meat, that would be BS. I took it as a remark in passing more than anything.

There is no reason to deny that people who have above-average beauty have an advantage in life, as do people with above-average IQs. As they are not mutually exclusive, having both is nothing to be ashamed of.