Posted on 10/27/2009 9:31:41 AM PDT by markomalley
A spokesman for Rep. Alan Grayson is defending the Florida Democrat’s use of the word “whore” to describe a female official at the Federal Reserve, pointing to a secondary dictionary definition to argue that Grayson meant only that the woman had sold her soul for financial gain.
“The attack was on her professional career, not her personal life,” Grayson spokesman Todd Jurkowski wrote in an e-mail to POLITICO. “The second definition of ‘whore’ in the American Heritage Dictionary is 'A person considered as having compromised principles for personal gain.’
“I think a reasonable person could believe that a person who was paid to promote and defend Enron has 'compromised principles for personal gain.'”
Jurkowski was responding to the outrage – from both sides of the aisle – that came after Republicans circulated a clip Monday of Grayson calling Linda Robertson, an aide to Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke, a “K Street whore” in a radio interview last month.
Robertson lobbied for Enron, the Clinton Treasury Department and Johns Hopkins University before going to work for Bernanke; Jurkowski said his boss was simply making a point about Robertson’s prior work.
"She had the audacity to attack a congressman who used to be an economist. She's a career lobbyist who used to work for Enron and advocates for whatever she gets paid to promote," Jurkowski said.
The online version of the American Heritage Dictionary actually lists three definitions for the word “whore”: “1. A prostitute. 2. A person considered sexually promiscuous. 3. A person considered as having compromised principles for personal gain.”
It's the second time in recent weeks that a Grayson aide has cited a less-incendiary meaning for a word to try to put out a political fire Grayson lit by using strong language.
In a House floor speech earlier this month, Grayson blamed Republicans for the current state of the health care system, which he referred to as a "holocaust in America."
He was rebuked by the Anti-Defamation League and offered an apology for his remarks, but staff for Grayson, who is Jewish, insisted he was using the small-h "holocaust" rather than the capital-h "Holocaust" that refers to the Nazis’ murder of 6 million Jews.
Several of Grayson's colleagues, including House Majority Leader Steny H. Hoyer (D-Md.) have said his comments about Robertson were uncalled for.
Rep. Dina Titus (D-Nev.) called them "a bit extreme and rather sexist."
Rep. Anthony Weiner (D-N.Y.) said Monday night that Grayson is "one fry short of a Happy Meal," but changed his tune a bit after speaking to his Florida colleague about the matter.
"Alan Grayson is a friend and an extraordinary member of Congress. No obviously playful comment from me should distract from the important role Rep. Grayson has played in focusing on the true and tragic costs of our broken health care system," Weiner said in a statement e-mailed to POLITICO. "He is a leader and a patriot."
Oh my! You never ever ever use that word in connection with a women unless that is what you mean. Time for the left to open their eyes and see this fruitloop for what he is a bully and one very nasty towards women!
One has to believe the Orlando, Fl voters will get rid of this guy. He is an embarrassing jack ass.
Hmm I remember back in high school the girls fighting & calling each other whores. I used to think it takes one to know one.
Typing out “puh-leeze” is one of the gayest by-products of the internet age.
He should be sharing a padded cell with every idiot that voted for him.
A lobbyist is no worse than anyone else in the service industry.
Todd Long, local attorney and talk show host announced that he will run against Grayson.
Long is a solid conservative who is not the bombastic type, but a very solid individual.
Here is his FB page:
http://www.facebook.com/ljrmommy?ref=nf#/wtoddlong?ref=nf
Tom Tancredo has endorsed him and waiting on more.
He could use our backing.
So if the left isn’t going to apologize and basically accept his explanation of the word “whore”, why not use the same argument and refer to Madam Speaker in the same kind.
At least in her case the epithet would be accurate...
Of course steve-b would never condon a lefty tool like Grayson because his disdain is reserved for FR posters.
Just take a look at his responses !
LOL
If the Pubs do not recruit a winnable candidate to unseat this nutter, they are the real nuts. Grayson is not a rep. , he is a candidate for a lobotomy. The Dems on the blogs, Kos, Moveon et al sound just like this dope. Orange Co. Fla. should be ashamed to have elected this un-American smear job. Perhaps he is Keith O cloned.
Thats normally a GOP district too
Note to Dems: keep this guy out there front and center...don’t stop speaking out Mr Grayson!
He could be in a safe seat to the point that he can't be harmed by what he says. Just like Barnie Franke who has been in congress for three decades!
Not very comforting but I have my own battles to fight here in New Jersey. The DEM Incumbent for Governor is about to be reelected despite what DickMorris.com thinks!
Just another Whore that's all. Personally I have been called worse and by a better class of people than Grayson I might add!
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