Should Cardboard-Groping Speechwriter Guy have a job in the Obama administration?

[Occam Bandage]

http://voices.washingtonpost.com/the-trail/2008/12/04/one_more_question.html

[EFerrari]

1. No. Having fun doing something stupid should immediately disqualify people

from public service.

:wtf:

[NightWatcher]

2. oh noes, silliness erupts with alcohol at a party, call congress right now

reminder to all, confiscate all digital cameras upon entry to your party from now on

[Occam Bandage]

4. That reminder should be taken more seriously, actually.

The current generation is going to have to start learning the art of discretion. When any photo taken is a photo shared with your parents, your supervisors, your potential employers, and your potential in-laws, from the date it's taken until eternity, photographing Drunken Hijinx can lead to unwanted attention.

[LynneSin]

5. I've done tons of stupid shit when I was drunk, some probably photographed too...

but I'm not looking for a job in the Obama White House.

I think it was pretty damn sexist what they did but hell, I can't stop people doing stupid shit when they drink. But the stupidity of it was this got out into the public.

If they were dumb enough to allow that to happen then what other dumbass shit will they do.

[yardwork]

7. I tend to agree.

[mwei924]

3. Right like no one else in government has ever gotten drunk at a party.

..at least this guy's like 26. Other people do dumber things at 60.

[LynneSin]

9. The difference is they allowed this to get photographed and the picture got out.

As I said in another post - we all do stupid shit, especially when we're drinking. The flaw here is these guys allowed proof that they did this stuff and it went public. How could we trust them to not have this happen again?

It's the same thing when men screw around on their wives. You're leaving tangible evidence (Ie - another person) who is holding something over your head.

I'm sure these guys are talented and will find good careers elsewhere. But Obama doesn't need this in his administration. There are plenty of other people who would love a job in his adminstration too.

[mwei924]

15. So no partiers or adulterers allowed in government ever?

..so anyone who might have a picture anywhere in the past that's embarrassing has to be kicked out?

[TheWraith]

6. The speechwriter is the one offering her the beer, actually. nt

[Occam Bandage]

8. Not what the article says, not that it makes much of a difference.

For a while there this afternoon, President-elect Barack Obama's immensely talented chief speechwriter, 27-year-old Jon Favreau, might have been pondering how to address that question.

That's when some interesting photos of a recent party he attended -- including one where he's dancing with a life-sized cardboard cut-out of secretary of state-designate Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, and another where he's placed his hand on the cardboard former first lady's chest while a friend is offering her lips a beer -- popped up on Facebook for about two hours.

[TheWraith]

10. Upon Googling, you're right.

The guy on the left is Favreau. The first article I read about this had it the other way.

I still really don't care.

[tekisui]

11. Only if the cardboard cutout files charges should he be fired.

[Ian David]

12. I think that having to look Hillary in the eye every day at the office after this...

... might teach the guy a little respect.




"The Secretary of State has some problems with the speech Cardboard-groper wrote for her. She wants to know if Cardboard-groper can come discuss some revisions. Cardboard-groper, Madame Secretary of State says she wants to go over it right now... if you're not too drunk, Cardboard-groper."

[polmaven]

13. I don't think

this one incident should be a reason to fire him, but he needs to understand that this type of thing is not acceptable.

If this kind of behavior becomes a habit, however, them I might say his employment may be questioned.

This is childish and offensive. I hope he has learned from it, and that his apology was real.

[MNDemNY]

14. Fuck sakes. Did the cardboard lodge a compaint?

[Saturday]

16. How would you feel if if was a cardboard Michelle?

He should be fired for being stupid.

[ProSense]

17. Pretty certain most people wouldn't give a damn.

Most people can tell the difference between cardboard and a real person. n/t

Are you upset because the cardboard is an image of Hillary?

[Saturday]

26. I think it is implied that Hillary is somehow their play thing.

It totally matters who the cardboard is and I highly doubt it would be considered frat boy fun and dismissed if it was Michelle.

[JonLP24]

20. It shouldn't make a difference

It's just cardboard, to me it wouldn't matter if Clinton, Obama, or Reggie Bush. That's the way I look at it, what if it was Reggie Bush? How would you feel then? Bottom line to me it's cardboard and he appears to be drunk.

[JonLP24]

18. Obama's speeches

Were one of the greatest speeches I ever heard. The greatest in recent times. This guy has a talent that certainly can't be easily replaced. I say yes for two reasons. He was drunk so I would be a hypocrite because I've done a number of things that were stupid while drunk. Probaly the dumbest is when I was in the barracks day after we returned from deployment and since alcohol is strickly prohibited in Kuwait and Iraq my tolerance was low. I took a shower to sober in someone else's shower with all my clothes on. Took my clothes off because I was wet then I ended up losing my clothes and I was walking around the barracks with nothing but a towell. Second, I believe in second chances and I do admit this looks bad but it's only cardboard and therefore deseverse a warning. Third, this guy has a unique talent.

[rvablue]

19. From a primary Hillary voter....of course he should.....what I find abhorrent about this

is first, that the WP reported this peice of tabloid crap

and second, that multiple posters on DU feel the need to slap it up here again, again and again.

Isn't this like the 4th post today.

Let it die.

[Liquorice]

21. Let's see... Obama's speechwriter is pretending to grope

an image of Hillary and appears to be trying to humiliate her in a "humorous" way. The DU joins in on the joke and thinks it's hilarious, or at the least, it's just harmless fun by some youngish guys getting drunk. Yep, this all sounds about right. Progressives have a long way to go in realizing what sexism is, and in not tolerating it in any form (the way they treat racism). Young men are particularly vulnerable to this type of biased thought and behavior.

IMO, Obama will have ongoing troubles within his administration related to sexism and his staff's boorish, frat boy behavior. Obama should put a stop to it now because this kind of mentality surrounding him could cause serious problems for his administration.

[ProSense]

23. This guy is running for

Governor of VA

Sexism and cardboard, what utter crap.

[Liquorice]

24. How these men are acting is what's utter crap. They're pigs. nt

[ProSense]

25. Hillary made that "pig" her campaign manager.

Take it up with her.

I can't stand Terry McAwful, but the nutcracker has nothing to do with my opinion.

[Uzybone]

27. Way to go over the top

"Obama will have ongoing troubles within his administration related to sexism and his staff's boorish, frat boy behavior. "

That line would fit perfectly coming from a repuke. What evidence do you have to make this statement? Especially the "ongoing troubles" part.

[ieoeja]

22. I don't even understand why people keep calling this "stupid". n/t