Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Camps spar over Romney word choice [Hillary tries to alter English]
Boston Globe ^ | 10/31/2002 | Stephanie Ebbert and Yvonne Abraham

Posted on 10/31/2002 9:39:30 AM PST by syriacus

Camps spar over Romney word choice

Gender issue raised on 'unbecoming'

It means unsuitable, indecorous, and it's viewed by many as an archaic, ill-fitting corset of a word. When Mitt Romney described Shannon O'Brien's attacks on him in Tuesday night's debate as ''unbecoming,'' he raised the ire of her female supporters, who used the description to rally their cause yesterday.

Teresa Heinz, a philanthropist and wife of US Senator John F. Kerry, told a crowd of some 750 women at an O'Brien fund-raiser yesterday that Romney would be surprised at how many ''unbecoming women'' were gathered for the event at the Fairmont Copley Plaza hotel.

US Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton, a New York Democrat, told the crowd that years ago the ambitions of women who wanted to vote or run for public office were described as ''unbecoming.'' Clinton drew roaring applause when she said she found Romney's comments ''unbecoming.''

That single word opened a new front in the campaign as O'Brien's supporters seized upon it to reintroduce the question of gender in the final days of the race. Romney, campaigning with US Senator John McCain, defended his word choice as gender-neutral.

(Excerpt) Read more at boston.com ...


TOPICS: Culture/Society; News/Current Events; Politics/Elections; US: Massachusetts; Your Opinion/Questions
KEYWORDS: hillary; romney; shannonobrien
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-4041-45 next last
Hillary is currently trying to transform the negative word "UNBECOMING" into a positive character trait.

Will Hillary succeed in changing this "Scarlet U" into a "Red Badge of Courage"?

Here are just a few of the many examples of the Clintons' behavior being labelled "unbecoming" in the Press.

High Court Disbars Clinton

"Whenever a member of the bar of this court has been disbarred or suspended from practice of any court of record, or has engaged in conduct unbecoming a member of the bar of this court, the court will enter an order suspending that member from practice before this court," Supreme Court rules say.

Filibustered again: Senate should pass campaign finance bill

While most of the buzz in Washington, D.C., focuses on President Bill Clinton's unbecoming behavior, others on Capitol Hill continue to take care of day-to-day business. Last week, campaign finance reform legislation was once again blocked in the Senate.

Clinton, Netanyahu meeting in the works, By HILLEL KUTTLER

WASHINGTON (November 27) - Netanyahu yesterday criticized as "unbecoming"Clinton's refusal to meet with him during his recent US trip and suggested he was insulted.

"My own view is that leaders should avoid these kinds of tactics," he said in an interview with Cable News Network.

"It's unbecoming, it doesn't befit nations who are allies, and even doesn't befit nations who are not allies.

This article appeared in Reason on November 1998.

Bull Clinton,By Thomas W. Hazlett

America must now decide how egregious an offense it is to turn the White House into Animal House and reach a consensus as to which felonies constitute behavior unbecoming a president. High crime? Misdemeanor? Oh, how masterfully Clinton has set the national agenda in the year of our lord, 1998.

Area reacts to Clinton, By Patrik Jonsson 9/22/98

"Americans are a hell of a lot better off than when the Republicans were running the country," Spirou, a confirmed Friend of Bill, said yesterday. "I'm just wondering, after Clinton admitted to conduct unbecoming to his office, his family and the country, whether political capital punishment should be the order of the day."

ALL PRESENTS WERE ACCOUNTED FOR, SHE SAYSBy BRIAN BLOMQUIST and DEBORAH ORIN Friday,January 26,2001

"It does sound like there were deliberate efforts to circumvent the laws . . . I can't think of a time when a U.S. president and first lady have left in a more undistinguished and unbecoming way," said Chuck Lewis, head of the Center for Public Integrity.

Hillary Clinton in Crisis, by Michelle Malkin (9/26/01)

James Gale of Silver Spring, Md., wrote to The Washington Post: "She at times seemed bored and uninterested, clapping perfunctorily, and at other times she was talking during the speech.[Bush's address to Congress] I thought her actions were unbecoming a senator at this difficult time."

PAT BUCHANAN SLAMS HILLARY

Likely Reform Party presidential nominee Pat Buchanan had some choice words for Hillary Clinton after the First Lady and Rudy Guiliani spoke at a meeting of the New York Independence (Reform) Party. While all three candidates are seeking the party’s nomination in their respective races, Hillary denounced the idea of sharing the same party ticket as Buchanan. In response, Mr. Buchanan said Hillary was unbecoming of a First Lady and added: "Who's she to be setting conditions? She could be indicted in the middle of a campaign. She could embarrass all of us."

Trading Places (GeoInvestor.com), by William P. Kucewicz

Had the Democrats opted to cast off Clinton's unbecoming ethical legacy by rejecting Vice President Al Gore as the party's next standard-bearer in favor of Bill Bradley or some other untainted choice, they might have expected to retain the Oval Office. Voters, pleased with the economy's performance, are wary of rocking the boat.

1 posted on 10/31/2002 9:39:30 AM PST by syriacus
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

To: syriacus
Clinton drew roaring applause when she said she found Romney's comments ''unbecoming.''

She really is the smartest woman on the planet. Her retort is not at all like a 6-year-old saying, "I'm not a doody-head -- you're a doody-head!"

She has such wit.

2 posted on 10/31/2002 9:44:37 AM PST by ClearCase_guy
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: syriacus
If Hillary can change the meaning of the word "unbecoming" she is one step closer to her goal of redeeming Bill's legacy.
3 posted on 10/31/2002 9:48:31 AM PST by syriacus
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: ClearCase_guy
I hope this moally bankrupt old, lying, ugly pants suit witch run for President.

Then she will get totally crushed and be out of office forever.

4 posted on 10/31/2002 9:49:05 AM PST by chiefqc
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: syriacus
This is the face and the voice of the feminist left: always on patrol, looking for anything they can jump and and proclaim themselves "deeply offended", blah, blah, blah.

What a grim, humorless bunch.


5 posted on 10/31/2002 9:51:07 AM PST by governsleastgovernsbest
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: syriacus
Destorying gender roles ussually causes great strife in a society and the left has largely succeeded in America.
6 posted on 10/31/2002 9:52:30 AM PST by weikel
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: syriacus
This, coming from the same family that cannot figure out what the meaning of "is" is? And they are suppose to be able to figure out what a $5 word like "unbecoming" means????
7 posted on 10/31/2002 9:53:40 AM PST by TheBattman
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3 | View Replies]

To: ClearCase_guy
She has such wit.

or

she is such a witch
8 posted on 10/31/2002 9:55:38 AM PST by widgysoft
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: syriacus
"Hillary is currently trying to transform the negative word "UNBECOMING" into a positive character trait."

...and after that she can work on the word "DYKE"!
9 posted on 10/31/2002 9:56:08 AM PST by apillar
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

IN 5 DAYS, THEY'LL BE VOTING DEMOCRAT

WHAT ARE YOU DOING TODAY TO HELP TAKE BACK THE SENATE?

TakeBackCongress.org

A resource for conservatives who want a Republican majority in the Senate

10 posted on 10/31/2002 9:57:46 AM PST by ffrancone
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: syriacus
See definitive commentary here: www.sillyglobe.com
11 posted on 10/31/2002 10:07:56 AM PST by catch
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: governsleastgovernsbest
This is the face and the voice of the feminist left: always on patrol, looking for anything they can jump and and proclaim themselves "deeply offended", blah, blah, blah. What a grim, humorless bunch.

Hillary must be paranoid.


12 posted on 10/31/2002 10:08:24 AM PST by syriacus
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 5 | View Replies]

To: governsleastgovernsbest
What a grim, humorless bunch.

Except when they are burying one of their own. Then it's a great big party.

I side with Hillary on this one. If anybody ought to know the proper use of the word "unbecoming" it's Hillary Clinton. "Unbecoming" is her personal mantra.

13 posted on 10/31/2002 10:09:15 AM PST by WaveThatFlag
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 5 | View Replies]

To: syriacus
'Well Done' BUMP!!!
14 posted on 10/31/2002 11:16:27 AM PST by Pagey
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: syriacus
US Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton, a New York Democrat, told the crowd that years ago the ambitions of women who wanted to vote or run for public office were described as ''unbecoming.'' Clinton drew roaring applause when she said she found Romney's comments ''unbecoming.''

Hillary Rodham Izetbegovic Khomeini's support for muslim supremacists and terrorist savages all around the globe is MOST UNBECOMING!!!!!

When muslim shill Rodham-clinton was on a junket of islamic countries with witch-in-training Chelsea in 1999, and she called Bill about the Serbs and told him to "bomb the bastards", that was MOST UNBECOMING!!!!

The clintons and all their poobahs of the politically-correct who think that they have the right to twist the language and "morality" to their own ends are MOST UNBECOMING!!!! Remember, it was the New World Order press that twisted Lazio's coming up to Rodham-clinton duing a debate to get her to sign a campaign reform pledge into an "unbecoming attack" on a woman by a man. It is because of tactics like that that we have Sen. Khomeini (D, NY) today!! Now Hillary and her gang are using the same tactics again.

It's time to say "ENOUGH!!!!"

15 posted on 10/31/2002 11:30:02 AM PST by Honorary Serb
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: catch
Thanks for the link to NEGATIVITY PAYS

It's a great column.

[snip]... Ironically, the two politoco superstars that O'Brien recruited yesterday to trumpet her theme that Romney was a closet anti-feminist were Hillary Clinton and Teresa Heinz - both of whom, whatever their personal merits, rose to prominence through their marriages to successful politicians.[snip]

Wouldn't it be terrific if Globe reporters did a little work of their own instead of being spoon-fed anti-Romney gibberish from the O'Brien camp. Such as doing a Google search on the term? What they will find is that the word "unbecoming" is in widespread usage...[snip]

The word "unbecoming" has recently had quite a workout, from being publically applied to much of the Clintons' conduct.

And think of how "unbecoming" some of the rooms in the Clinton White House appeared, after Kaki Hockersmith helped Hillary decorate.

"Referred to in some of the more churlish circlesof the interiors world as 'Tacky Kaki,' Hockersmith has been criticized for her elaborate quasi-Victorian schemes in the Lincoln Sitting Room and the Treaty Room," the magazine adds.

It has one White House source saying that "Kaki's taste is horrible . . The new first family will have to change the Lincoln Sitting Room because you just couldn't sit in it." And Janet Felton Smith, a former aide to Jackie Kennedy, goes on the record as saying Hillary's decor is "just terrible."


16 posted on 10/31/2002 11:30:15 AM PST by syriacus
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 11 | View Replies]

To: Honorary Serb
Remember, it was the New World Order press that twisted Lazio's coming up to Rodham-clinton duing a debate to get her to sign a campaign reform pledge into an "unbecoming attack" on a woman by a man

You're right. Hillary twisted the story of that event to suit her aims.

Hillary first told Lazio to bring her the paper and she would sign it. Then he walked over to her to give the paper to her.

Lazio had her on the spot. She could not think of a way to come out on top, without resorting to underhanded methods. The lesson here is that Lazio should have been ungentlemanly and made Hillary walk over to him.

Hillary takes advantage of the polite actions of others. She is like an animal preying on others, who watches for their soft spots and goes in for the kill.

Romney could have chosen stronger words to criticize O'Brien. By chosing a gentler way to say O'Brien was acting incorrectly (was she lying?) he left himself open for the (Hillary) kill.

17 posted on 10/31/2002 11:44:28 AM PST by syriacus
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 15 | View Replies]

To: syriacus
http://abcnews.go.com/wire/Politics/ap20021031_852.html

O'Brien Backers Rip Rival Romney

In Mass. Gov. Race, Supporters of Shannon O'Brien Accuse Rival Mitt Romney of Gender-Stereotyping

The Associated Press
— Supporters of Shannon O'Brien, the Democratic candidate for Massachusetts governor, accused Republican opponent Mitt Romney of gender-stereotyping when he called her attacks during a debate "unbecoming."

U.S. Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton led the chorus of condemnation Wednesday at an O'Brien fund-raiser, saying that years ago women who wanted to run for office were called "unbecoming."

Romney, a businessman and former Salt Lake City Olympic chief, used the word Tuesday when O'Brien questioned his promise not to change the state's abortion laws.

"Your effort to continue to try and create fear and deception here is unbecoming," he said.
18 posted on 10/31/2002 11:52:29 AM PST by syriacus
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: syriacus
From

http://www.gazettenet.com/10312002/politics/1376.htm

Romney's campaign cited numerous other political references to the word, including one by former New York congresswoman Geraldine Ferraro, who in 1998 said it was ``unbecoming to see grown men whine'' after Republicans wanted her removed from CNN's ``Crossfire''
19 posted on 10/31/2002 11:56:11 AM PST by syriacus
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 18 | View Replies]

To: syriacus
Teresa Heinz, a philanthropist and wife of US Senator John F. Kerry, told a crowd of some 750 women at an O'Brien fund-raiser yesterday that Romney would be surprised at how many ''unbecoming women'' were gathered for the event at the Fairmont Copley Plaza hotel

This golddigging bitch really makes me sick. John Heinz was a loyal Republican in the Senate, and the Heinz family's roots have been solidly Conservative. Teresa "Heinz" is using her former husbands hundreds of millions to push causes he would never dream of supporting. She is nothing but a left-wing whore. She is disgraceful and revolting.

20 posted on 10/31/2002 11:59:59 AM PST by montag813
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-4041-45 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson