A world gone mad

[Gob]

President Barack Obama has apologised to the California attorney general for remarking on her appearance at a fundraising event on Thursday.

Mr Obama described Kamala Harris, a long-time friend, as "the best-looking attorney general in the country".

Ms Harris's spokesman said she strongly supported Mr Obama but would not say whether she had accepted his apology.

Critics have cited the remark as an example of the ongoing hurdles women face in the workplace.

Speaking after Ms Harris at the fundraising event in California on Thursday, Mr Obama said she was "brilliant and she is dedicated and she is tough, and she is exactly what you'd want in anybody who is administering the law and making sure that everybody is getting a fair shake".

Then he added: "She also happens to be by far the best-looking attorney general in the country... It's true. Come on. And she is a great friend and has just been a great supporter for many, many years."

On Friday, the White House said the president had spoken to the attorney general to apologise for the "distraction" created by his comments.

"He did not want in any way to diminish the attorney general's professional accomplishments and her capabilities," press secretary Jay Carney said.

He added that the president "fully recognises the challenge women continue to face in the workplace and that they should not be judged based on appearance".

Writers and bloggers have commented that although the president is a personal friend of Ms Harris and a strong supporter of women's rights, his remarks were inappropriate.

Saying a woman is good looking is now deemed at best "inappropriate" or even "an example of the ongoing hurdles women face in the workplace."

Should have said she was; "a good attorney general, but a bit of a hound" then...

[Scooter]

Would it have sounded perfectly natural if he had said it about a man, or would it have come across as pretty creepy?

So then why say it about a woman?

[Lord Jim]

Would it have sounded perfectly natural if he had said it about a man, or would it have come across as pretty creepy?

In fact, Obama has made comments about men being good looking a number of times:

Introducing HUD secretary Shaun Donovan last February, Obama declared, "There he is, the good-looking guy in the front here."

At a speech last March, Obama pointed out his secretary of the Interior, Ken Salazar, by calling him "a good-looking guy.”

A couple of months ago, Obama gave a shout-out to the "outstanding Secretary of the Navy," Ray Mabus. "There he is right there — the good-looking guy over at the end."

Obama even extended his favorite compliment to the Stanley Cup champion Pittsburgh Penguins. "I have to say all of you look pretty good without your playoff beards," Obama said during a White House ceremony. "They're pretty good-looking guys without all that.”

http://nymag.com/daily/intelligencer/20 ... exist.html

Mr Obama said she was "brilliant and she is dedicated and she is tough, and she is exactly what you'd want in anybody who is administering the law and making sure that everybody is getting a fair shake".

Then he added: "She also happens to be by far the best-looking attorney general in the country... It's true. Come on. And she is a great friend and has just been a great supporter for many, many years."

Geezus, this is even lower than fart in a fish bowl.....

If we have reached a point as a society, where even in the context of having given effusive praise for a person's professional abilities, (personally I disagree with Obama on some of those points about Harris, but that's neither here nor there) that it has become unacceptable to make personal compliments, then we have become an uncivil society, and it's not surprising that our political discourse is what it has become...

When making a simple compliment can be interpreted as an "insult", and occasion for controversy, (and on this occasion, the "controversy" arises not from the Right, but from Obama's supposed allies on the Left) we have reached a very sorry pass...

For God's sake....

We have an economy in the tank, (another 500,000 gave up looking for work last month) the North Koreans threatening nuclear war, the Mid East roiling in turmoil, a government that has become largely dysfunctional....

And some people have nothing better to do than try to make a big deal (or any deal) out of the President making a compliment to a friend?

Are you kidding?

The subject line says it well....

[Lord Jim]

BTW, Obama did not apologize for what he said, (nor should he) :

On Friday, the White House said the president had spoken to the attorney general to apologise for the "distraction" created by his comments.

He might have added "a distraction created by mindless idiots in bad need of a hobby"...

[Gob]

[Joe Guy]

Would it have sounded perfectly natural if he had said it about a man, or would it have come across as pretty creepy?

There's nothing creepy about complimenting either a male or female on their looks

So then why say it about a woman?

Because he was talking about a woman.

[Long Run]

This is clearly political correctness run out to the extreme.

On the other hand, there are still too many women who are subjected to sexist treatment in the work place, so it is at least understandable why it is a sensitive subject. However, Obama was referring to a top elected official in the largest state (who is also a friend) so the general concern is misplaced with respect to this example, and just makes it less likely that real sexist behavior will be taken less seriously when it arises.

[MajGenl.Meade]

makes it less likely that real sexist behavior will be taken less seriously when it arises

Well I suppose less of us should all be less glad about that then

[Long Run]

makes it less likely that real sexist behavior will be taken less seriously when it arises

Well I suppose less of us should all be less glad about that then

Let that be a lesson to you!

[oldr_n_wsr]

MAybe instead, the press should bring up 9/11/2012. This is but mere powderpuff, something to occupy the papers while the rest of the world goes into a tailspin. Good looking AG's?!?!?!? ackowledged by the annointed one?????? Damn, that is front page newsworthy. Glad I have nothing else to worry about.

When's my next tee-off with Tiger?

[rubato]

This is what happens when a teapot, the press, decides what constitutes a tempest. Don't look and they don't matter.




yrs,
rubato