Rep. Grayson apologizes for 'whore' remark

[Freddie Stubbs]

Source: UPI

WASHINGTON, Oct. 28 (UPI) -- A Florida congressman issued a written apology Tuesday for a disparaging remark he made about an aide to the chairman of the Federal Reserve.

Rep. Alan Grayson, D-Fla., said he did not mean to refer to Linda Robertson as a "K Street whore" during a heated September radio interview.

"This characterization of Ms. Robertson, made during a radio interview last month in the context of the debate over whether the Federal Reserve should be independently audited, was inappropriate, and I apologize," Grayson said. "I did not intend to use a term that is often, and correctly, seen as disrespectful of women."

Grayson, a freshman in the House, had directed his ire at Robertson, an aide to Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke, due to her background as a former lobbyist for Enron.

Read more: http://www.upi.com/Top_News/International/2009/10/28/Rep-Grayson-apologizes-for-whore-remark/UPI-27391256704322/

[vaberella]

1. I understand what he means.

Unfortunately it's okay to say to men, but not too women who do the same thing. It happens all the time.

[pattmarty]

16. And why not? It's pretty obvious what he meant by the "term".............

...............If he called her a "whore" completely out of the blue JUST because she was a woman I agree. The remark had to do with her "whoring" as a lobbyist. It's all context and any moron would realize the context. My opinion in this case he shouldn't have apologized.

[vaberella]

22. The problem is that they're going to cut to make it seem like something else.

You know it as well as I do. I see what you're saying but politically it could hurt him too...

[pattmarty]

32. What are you talking about, "cut"?????? Do you mean the so called................

................."editing" on TV? This is a guy that is finally speaking up. If you recall, the Republicans have been calling us all sort of fucking names over oh, how many years is it now? So I say, "go get 'em, Representative Grayson"!!!

[knixphan]

46. agreed.

[Iowa]

57. I agree.

[wordpix]

67. +1 and there are plenty of male lobbyist whores, too.. Don't apologize

[happygoluckytoyou]

30. to call that K Street Slut a Whore ? ? ? BEYOND CONTEMPT ! ! ! Whores of the world rise up !!!!

[midnight]

2. I wish I cared, but I don't. Our tax dollars have been swindled in the most

illegal ways.

[leanderj]

3. He could have called them harlots instead

[rfranklin]

5. Yes, "harlots" has a nice biblical tone to it...

Grayson is doing God's work.

[patrice]

24. !

[AndyA]

4. In the big scheme of things, his comment wasn't as offensive as what has been going on in that

sector of the economy. But technically he was correct as "whore" is defined as "A person considered as having compromised principles for personal gain."

I would guess the woman probably fit that description, but so many don't consider all the definitions of a word when they hear it.

We have criminals running our country into the ground, and they have helpers assisting them in doing it. A lot of people have been hurt and lost everything. Showing respect to those people is the least of our concerns right now. They surely aren't respecting us, are they?

[Warren Stupidity]

6. I assume he was apologizing to whores for insulting their good standing.

[iamjoy]

9. OK

:spray:

It reminds of Pat Schroeder (the former Congresswoman from Colorado) and how is supposed to have said: "Please don't tell my mother I am in Congress; she thinks I am a prostitute and I would hate to disappoint her"

[pattmarty]

17. Bravo!!!!!!!!!!

[amyrose2712]

19. +1

[MannyGoldstein]

28. I Too Had To Check On Which Party He Was Apologizing To nt.

[Scruffy1]

33. Exactly

Sex workers at least provide services for their money. Banksters just rob us with a pen.

[Hepburn]

35. +1...n/t

[paparush]

47. Cha Ching!! +1

[Jeff In Milwaukee]

51. Prostitutes serve a useful purpose

Lobbyists just fuck things up for everybody.

[Rosa Luxemburg]

68. LOL!

[ChicagoSuz219]

7. Keith Olbermann said...

something like Lieberman was whoring for the health insurance companies.

Don't expect any apologizes forthcoming... ;-)

[Freddie Stubbs]

10. Olbermann doesn't have to face voters in a swing district in 12 months

[vaberella]

23. Exactly. n/t

[iamjoy]

12. Yeah, But Lieberman is a Man

as Vaberella pointed out in the first reply, it's different when you call a woman that. There's not as much behind the epithet. It's kind of like we used to call Dubya a "chimp." It may have been insulting to our President (or to chimpanzees ;)) but if a Conswervative refers to President Obama as a member of the aped family it would be considered racist.

It was okay when PJ O'Rourke characterized government as "Parliament of Whores" because he was talking about the system. Besides, he's a humorist and has wider latitude. Of course, most of us probably disagree with O'Rourke's political philosophies, but that's beside the point.

[PassingFair]

8. He's gonna flame out if he's not careful...

I love that he is standing up to the Republicans
and putting them in the spotlight, but even if
they ARE (and the ARE) "knuckle-dragging neanderthals",
you can't say that out loud when you are a Congressman.

[JohnnyLib2]

14. I agree. He's pushing the limits.

[Zavulon]

11. I didn't find his remark offensive at all, but

I had to ask myself if I'd have tolerated the same from a Republican and the answer is "hell, no."

[rayofreason]

61. An intellectually honest assessment.

Good for you. I always try to ask myself the same question to make sure I don't loose perspective and embrace hypocrisy.

[Zavulon]

63. Thanks :) (NT)

[robcon]

13. Sounds right.

good for the soul.

[DRoseDARs]

15. Merriam-Webster calls bullshit on this apology - whore: 3 : a venal or unscrupulous person

venal: 1 : capable of being bought or obtained for money or other valuable consideration : purchasable; especially : open to corrupt influence and especially bribery : mercenary <a venal legislator>
2 : originating in, characterized by, or associated with corrupt bribery <a venal arrangement with the police>

unscrupulous: not scrupulous : unprincipled



Rep. Grayson has zero need to apologize. He used the word correctly and if the K Street whore doesn't like it, she should stop being a K Street whore. Boo-hoo, she was called a mean (but accurate and proper) word. How many lives did she help destroy while lobbying for Enron?

[Freddie Stubbs]

18. Are you suggesting that Mr. Grayson does not have access to a dictionary?

:shrug:

[Kingofalldems]

25. Looks like someone doesn't like Grayson---I am shocked --

not. :shrug:

[Freddie Stubbs]

26. Who doesn't like Grayson?

:shrug:

[Kingofalldems]

29. He dared to criticize republicans

That seems to put him on the repub enemy list.:shrug: And will run to the mods if called out.

[Freddie Stubbs]

42. Why did he apologize?

:shrug:

[Kingofalldems]

43. I'm waiting for Joe Lieberman to apologize

When do you think that will happen? :shrug:

[Freddie Stubbs]

45. He probably won't. Which is why he may face a very tough reelection campaign

Grayson is smart enough to know that the he screwed up, and man enough to admit it.

[sabrina 1]

53. Why do you think he apologized?

[Freddie Stubbs]

55. He probably realized that the language which he used was likely to offend some voters who

would otherwise be inclined to support him.

[sabrina 1]

56. Could be, or he wants the focus to be on

his work to get oversight of the Federal Reserve for which he was getting support in Congress. He probably didn't want to give them any reason to distract from that. They probably expected him to refuse to apologize. Now it's over. He can get back to why they went after him and will continue to do so the more successful he is at getting support for oversight from Congress.

He's learning about the whiners who pretend to care about women in order to distract. He will have to keep a list of words they pretend offends them around so he doesn't give them ammunition. But it's fake, and I'm sure he knows it, and we know it.

Still, I just wish he had used a stronger word, as whore really doesn't come close to describing this evil woman. He was far too kind.

[Guy Whitey Corngood]

31. I'm sure many would prefer him to be more accommodating of repukes. More like

Joe Lieberman.

[Kingofalldems]

34. A big +1

[DRoseDARs]

58. Er, what? Did NONE of you read my post past the subject line?

:shrug: Indeed...

[Freddie Stubbs]

64. Yes, I did

[DRoseDARs]

65. Then how did u 2 get think I don't like Grayson from, "Rep. Grayson has zero need to apologize." ?

Or are the smilies confusing me? :shrug:

[Freddie Stubbs]

66. I never said that you did not like Grayson

[Odin2005]

20. meanwhile on a supposedly "progressive" message board "bitch" and "whore" are used constantly.

[mopinko]

21. they are frequently taken down, tho.

there is what gets posted, and what is allowed to stay posted. we have our fair share of knuckle draggers. it is the community standards that say things cannot stand that makes this a civilized little society.
i am compelled to admit, tho, that this remark would likely have been allowed to stand.

[joeycola]

27. yes. that is sad.

[Hepburn]

36. I have absolutely no problem with the use of the word "whore."

To me, it means anyone ~~ male or female ~~ who sells his/her worth and soul for money. A great example of being a whore is Joe Lieberasshole.

BTW: I do not consider most prostitutes as whores. It's selling your soul that is the difference. To many, it is just a business decision that pays better than most minimum wage jobs.

JMHO

[dflprincess]

54. Agreed

"whore" is not a gender specific term nor does it apply to someone who is only trying to survive. A politician who sells his or her vote for "campaign donations" or the promise of a lucrative job when they leave office is the very definition of the word.

[la_chupa]

37. the truth shall set you free

well? Is she one?

maybe the shoe fits

[Bette Noir]

38. Grayson was right to apologize.

He could have been sued for slander, if he hadn't. While none of us here respect lobbying, anyone who publicly calls a woman a prostitute will be held accountable. For all y'all who defend him by saying that the dictionary defines "whore" as "unscrupulous person," the first three meanings listed in my dictionary all have to do with the sex-for-money business, and the fourth refers to idolatry.

[polmaven]

40. Thank you, Bette...

It is a word that is generally understood to refer to a prostitute, and is, or should be, offensive. I don't care what "definition" someone can pull out, the general public does not carry a dictionary around, and will hear what the "usual" meaning is.

[peacetalksforall]

39. So what it the alternative word? This country protests the word because it is

immediately associated with sex. Someone suggested harlot, I think the same association is made.

Can we say pimp? pimping? There seems to be a difference in intention when ing is added.

Is there a good word in another language that separates sex from getting paid for favoritism in a political-monetary setting - that can be interpreted or that we can use - as is?

[abelenkpe]

41. As a woman

I was not offended by Rep. Grayson's remark. I actually thought it was quite appropriate.

[zonkers]

44. Funny how "Pimp" is acceptable these days but "whore" is off limits.

[Freddie Stubbs]

49. Are you suggesting that society may have some sort of 'double standard' in regards to gender?

[zonkers]

50. Yes sir.

[knixphan]

48. I say push the limits.

They have been for the last 30 years.

[sabrina 1]

52. The word doesn't come close to describing this particular

woman. I'm sure he thought about it and realized it was an insult to whores everywhere. But It's interesting that the remark was made over one month ago and it's only now that those who dislike Grayson decided it was offensive.

That is because they've been searching for some way to stop him. When he joined Ron Paul and demanded oversight of the Federal Reserve, he definitely became enemy #1 not only to Republicans, but to people like Rubin, Summers and the rest of the gang who use the federal reserve like their own personal banking system and believe that no one has a right to know what they are up to. These are the same people who viciously went after Brooksley Born when she tried to warn them about the fraud that would bring the economy down. They knew about it, she told them, but as Greenspan said 'we don't regulate fraud'.



As soon as Grayson began to get support from other members of Congress to finally take a look at what they've up to with our money, they pulled out the only 'weapon' they had, knowing the cry babies in both parties would be immediately distracted from the real issue. So, good for him for not letting them do so.

The woman is evil. She takes money to cover the crimes of people like Kenny Lay. She didn't sell her soul for K Street, she never had one to begin with.

Grayson, Brooksley Born and anyone else who stands up to them, will be demonized. But only if we allow it. We didn't know about Born, so we couldn't help her. We do know what Grayson is trying to do. The choice is ours, whether we allow them to do to Grayson what they did to her. And if we allow their fake outrage over a word to distract from the issue they really care about, then we deserve what will happen if they get their way.

Being free to continue to rob the Treasury for them and their friends is what their real concern is, not the welfare of women. Anyone who knows Summers' background, knows that. But foolish people will allow themselves to be distracted by wedge issues. So far, they seen to be in the minority. Let's hope it stays that way, or we can look forward to another Wall St. collapse and we better be ready to pay for their thievery once again.

[No Elephants]

59. Breaking News: Whores, Insulted by Lobbyist Metaphor, Threaten Not to Vote for Grayson..

[Guy Whitey Corngood]

60. .

:spray:

[704wipes]

62. but if the shoe fits...

...?

[Fire_Medic_Dave]

69. Nutless bastard!