Palin's campaign against the "R-word" hits snag with Limbaugh

Yahoo! News ^ | Feb 5, 2010 | Brett Michael Dykes

[presidio9]

Sarah Palin's campaign against the derogatory usage of the word "retard" collided with her campaign to maintain her popularity with conservatives today, with confusing results.

A Palin spokeswoman seemed to back away from earlier criticism of conservative radio host Rush Limbaugh. Yesterday, when asked for comment on Limbaugh's use of the "r" word in a recent broadcast, Palin spokeswoman told Greg Sargent of the Washington Post, "Governor Palin believes crude and demeaning name-calling at the expense of others is disrespectful." Today, Stapleton claims the statement was meant generally and she was not specifically referring to Limbaugh. Still, she declined to say that Palin believes Limbaugh's statements were acceptable. Sargent reprinted the email he sent Stapleton in which he specifically asked about Limbaugh's statement.

Palin's non-rebuke rebuke of Limbaugh comes after she called on President Obama, earlier in the week, to fire his chief of staff after using the word. According to the Wall Street Journal, Rahm Emanuel called liberal activists who wanted to run ads against conservative Democrats "f------ retarded" in a closed-door meeting at the White House. On her Facebook page, Palin likened Emanuel's "slur on all God's children with cognitive and developmental disabilities" to using the "N-word," something she deemed "unacceptable" and "heartbreaking." Emanuel later issued an apology to Special Olympics chairman and CEO Tim Shriver.

However, Palin's conservative cohort Rush Limbaugh took offense to people, presumably including Palin, protesting Emanuel's remark. On his radio show, Limbaugh lamented that "our political correct society is acting like some giant insult's taken place by calling a bunch of people who are retards, retards." That comment caused Greg Sargent to request a reaction from Palin's spokeswoman. It also caused confusion over whether Palin believes Limbaugh's public statements -

[posterchild]

Amen. It’s a waste of time and a useless cluttering of the already heavily diluted news.

[Vn_survivor_67-68]

Looks to me like Sarah needs to consider opportunism and impulsiveness in the context of the way this turned out....I don’t mind a bit that she called for RE to be fired, but why do it in connection with a rather widely used term as retarded? I doubt that so much as 1% of Americans don’t use this word from time to time in a non-disability context.

[ChrisInAR]

What’s the point in getting upset over the use of the words “retard” or “retarded”? It’s been used for decades & no one has complained about it until now. I agree w/ Bernard Goldberg that this is a petty/politically correct issue.

What I find strange is that NO ONE got upset over Rahm using the F-word right before it...but THIS is what they gripe about? Are we going to say “F-word R-word” on TV from now on?

[nhwingut]

But he is on the same tape saying how they WILL take it all out of context BEFORE IT HAPPENED.

Right. But it does not matter to the leftwing lying media. Now it is Rush who said it. And Deadfish is a footnote.

[ReneeLynn]

They can’t get more wrong. Rush said today that Palin’s spokeswoman called personally and said that there was never a complaint about Rush from Sarah or her people.

They didn’t listen to the show today? Or, yeah they probably did they just don’t care to report that.

[kcvl]

Brett Michael Dykes, a blogger notorious for fake listings on Craigslist

Brett Michael Dykes - Writer/Co-Creator is a 35 year old writer and actor based in New York City. He is the co-creator of The Mod Couple, a television show in development at Warner Brothers prior to the recent WGA strike.

Born in Thibodaux, LA and raised in the small Cajun community of Chauvin, LA, Brett moved to New York in the summer of 2002 to pursue a life in the arts.

He has written for numerous print and web publications and is the author of the popular blog, Cajun Boy In The City, which has been featured in The New York Times, Gawker.com, Wonkette.com, Jossip.com, Deadspin.com, Pink is the New Blog, DailyKos and many others. He has also acted in numerous off-Broadway productions in both lead and supporting roles. Brett spends most of his free time contemplating infinity as he goes careening through the universe, his axis on a tilt.

[Bigtigermike]

Rush said this morning that yesterday Palin spokesperson called Rush and warned him that Politico was trying to make things up between the two of them, she said that they were making generic rebuke of anyone using “retarded” and that Politico were trying to goad her into condemning Rush, media is actually making up things!!!! WOW!!

[longtermmemmory]

I think Rush explained it well today. This was an intentionally manufactured fake controversy by Politico as a political operative of the Socialist Democrats.

[GeronL]

The point is the media is bashing Palin/Limbaugh for something a top Democrat said. This is what “journalism” has come down to.

[humblegunner]

Well, isn’t a retard a retard?

A brick is a brick, a cow is a cow and a truck is a truck.

Are retards some kind of holy protected group now?

[a fool in paradise]

The “cabal networks” spin their lies but they need to realize that Rush has a bigger audience and they know what he really said.

If they want to persist in fabricating news items, they only cheapen their own product and tarnish their industry.

[Deb]

Hey, two can play the Selective Outrage Game! Funny how no one is talking about the “f_____g” before the “retarded”. Doesn’t that make it sorta worse?

[9YearLurker]

I agree with you. I understand the point Rush keeps supposedly making, but he continually makes himself the story and takes away the focus we want. Quite as he himself says, he knows exactly what he’s doing and how the MSM are going to react each time—and still he goes for it and the limelight and, I suppose, the ratings. It’s just sometimes a hindering distraction rather than helpful.

[Bigtigermike]

But it’s nothing strange if the media is not trying to create news that’s not there, the majority of media doesn’t like Palin, in fact they hate her, so they are trying to confuse people and stir up controversy...this is a non-story except the media is lying about Palin and Rush!!!

[presidio9]

The ironic thing is that any new term the PC police come up with will eventually morph into a new pejorative for someone who acts dumb but isn’t actually retarded.

People (especially women) who had mood swings used to be referred to as “manic depressive” back in the 80’s (especially by their boyfriends), then the psychiatric community changed the term, and now those same boyfriends are “bi-polar.”

[TexasCajun]

This lib writes for KOS!

Sorry, we won't fall for your crap.

We love Rush & Sarah!

Rush Loves Sarah!

Sarah Loves Rush!

We ALL Hate Liberalism!

[aruanan]

A Palin spokeswoman seemed to back away from earlier criticism of conservative radio host Rush Limbaugh. Yesterday, when asked for comment on Limbaugh's use of the "r" word in a recent broadcast, Palin spokeswoman told Greg Sargent of the Washington Post, "Governor Palin believes crude and demeaning name-calling at the expense of others is disrespectful."

Brett Dykes, you poor dumb bigoted schlub. There was no earlier criticism by Palin of Rush. Palin was not asked yesterday for comment on Limbaugh's use of "retard" on a recent broadcast. The Palin spokeswoman had to clarify things today because the media, as seen in the person of Greg Sargent of the WaPo, and now you, were unable to keep from getting things screwed up in a way that benefitted your own biased view. She spoke again because you guys needed to be straightened out.

[ilovesarah2012]

Agreed.

[Vermont Lt]

The whole thing is beginning to piss me off.

I once was named “Employer of the Year” by the Association for the Mentally Retarded in New Hampshire. It was years and years ago. They have since changed their name. But the plaque that I had on the wall was worded that way. Does it mean that the award has less meaning today?

Are the people I helped still Mentally Retarded? Well, today they are “challenged” or “handicapped.” A rose is a rose.

Retarded is a word that means developed at a slower rate, or “retarded” rate. It is not a derogatory word. The “N” word was derogatory.

Now the Midgets and Dwarfs want to be “little people.” Midget and Dwarf are specific terms that mean something. They are not derogatory.

Once I was at weight watchers meeting. One of the women was pissed because the Dr put “obese” on her chart during a check up. Not only was this woman obese, she was morbidly obese. But it he hurt her feelings, so he should have used different terms.

We really need to get back to the use or words in their proper context. And relax a little bit.

And no, I am not a retarded obese midget.

[TexasCajun]

Writes for KOS as well.

Only a Butt-licker would move from Acadiana to New York City!