Susan Estrich: Year of the Sweetie?

FOXNews.com ^ | May 18, 2008 | Susan Estrich

[Hildy]

I know this won’t be popular, but I think people who use endearments to strangers tend to be very nice people, comfortable in their own skin.

[Red Badger]

Some “endearments” can be very condescending.........

[y6162]

I agree, Saying just a minute sweetie is much more pleasant than just a minute whoever you are

[mthom]

This is not a big issue really. However I dont think it was really sweetie that was the problem. It was the dismissive tone. A tone Obama seems to take whenever he is not in a highly prepped photo op situation. He even used the same tone in the “apology” call.

[Mr. Jeeves]

Susan, honey, that’s a cute little article. Now could you run and get us some coffee? ;)

[Tax-chick]

Susan seems to have had her face totally redone again.

If Obama had said to the reporter, “Sweetie, it’s not the President’s job to do a d*mn thing for America’s auto workers,” I’d vote for him.

[IMissPresidentReagan]

Why do feminists have such chips on their shoulders? I always take it as a compliment whenever I’m called sweetie or as it the practice down here “hun”. Yes I get that some people can be condenscending, but not everyone is looking to hold us down women! Maybe if the feminist threw that heavy chip off their shoulders, they’d be able to rise a little further.

[raptor29]

Hey Susan, you ran the least likeable woman in America in this election, who also happens to have a litany of corruption filling her resume. Don’t complain to us that people didn’t embrace her.

[WhyisaTexasgirlinPA]

I grew up hearing "sweetie" and "honey" and "sugar" - and yes, it can be used in a condescending manner, but the inflection of your voice indicates that.

I am guilty of using these terms myself - usually in a nice way - and rarely to offend, but occasionally a "Bless your heart Sugar" does sneak in there.

[Jim Noble]

Why do feminists have such chips on their shoulders?

How much time do you have?

[Graybeard58]

I think people who use endearments to strangers tend to be very nice people

I agree snookums.

[WhyisaTexasgirlinPA]

Maybe if the feminist threw that heavy chip off their shoulders, they’d be able to rise a little further

Nicely done -

[AppyPappy]

The first real woman candidate for President is sinking fast and the man leading the race is calling women “sweetie”.

Delicious.

[jennyjenny]

Exactly. Throw “sweetie” on top of it and it is not only dismissive but condescending as well.

[evets]

[rawhide]

I seem to remember George W Bush said something similar to a female and got racked over the coals for it? And nobody came to his defense

With that being said, there is no excuse for what he said. It was wrong and it was definitely condescending, imo. Obama, as a man, was talking down to her.

[Rummyfan]

Hey Susan, you ran the least likeable woman in America in this election, who also happens to have a litany of corruption filling her resume. Don’t complain to us that people didn’t embrace her.

The situation in a nutshell, but Hillary Clinton must have been defeated by sexism.

After all if you vote for B Hussein Obama you're a chauvinist pig. And if you vote for Hillary Clinton you're a racist.

[rawhide]

You are right. I notice that about Obama, when he speaks sometimes. He dismisses people. I remember the flap over his pancakes, “Can I finish my pancakes?”. If Obama wanted to eat his pancakes in peace, he should have stayed on the bus or in the hotel room, instead of venturing out in the public.

[jennyjenny]

Trust me, I’m no feminist and I found it offensive. It was calling her “sweetie” coupled with brushing off her question. Not once, but twice. Even when he apologized to her later he never answered her question. I realize he had no answer to her question but he tried to use his smooth talk to get around doing so. And, as usual, he succeeded.