Palin: Limbaugh's "retard" comments constitute "crude and demeaning name calling"
February 04, 2010 4:22 pm ET by Media Matters staff
From a February 4 post by Washington Post Co.'s Greg Sargent:
Palin believes Limbaugh's repeated use of the word "retard" yesterday was "crude and demeaning," her spokesperson emails.
In the wake of Palin's demand that Rahm Emanuel be fired for calling a bunch of liberal activists "f-king retards," a bunch of people have been asking how she'd react to Limbaugh's tirade on the air yesterday.
"Our political correct society is acting like some giant insult's taken place by calling a bunch of people who are retards, retards," Rush said, adding that Rahm's meeting yesterday with advocates for the mentally handicapped was a "retard summit at the White House."
I asked Palin spokesperson Meghan Stapleton for comment on Rush's rant, and she emailed me this:
"Governor Palin believes crude and demeaning name calling at the expense of others is disrespectful."
Responding to Palin-Emanuel controversy, Limbaugh says liberals who complained about health care reform "are retards"
Limbaugh claims he used the word "retard" only in "quoting Emanuel"
Then we could truly say she is full of it.
I don't think anyone would come on National TV and say a Mother called her baby a retard without it being true.
Sarah Palin also said the book "Game Change" was total B.S.
Don't you find it kinda odd that Game Change was dead-on about Senator Reid, The Clintons, John & Elizabeth Edwards but got it all wrong on Sarah Palin?
Mr. News
All she wrote was, "Governor Palin believes crude and demeaning name calling at the expense of others is disrespectful."
Please note:
1) She does not identify Limbaugh.
2) She also does not state that Limbaugh had in any way engaged in "crude and demeaning name calling."
Hmmm...on second thought, that is selective outrage. Good point bintx.
After Tripp was born, Sarah would pay more attention to our son than she would to her own baby, Trig. Sarah has a weird sense of humor. When she came home from work, Bristol and I would be holding Trig and Tripp. Sarah would call Trig--who was born with Down syndrome--"my little Down's baby." But I couldn't believe it when she would come over and sometimes say, playing around, "No, I don't want the retarded baby--I want the other one," and pick up Tripp. That was just her--even her kids were used to it."
http://www.vanityfair.com/online/wolcott/2009/09/who-knew-sarah-palin-was.html
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Need I say more?
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But I really have no reason to trust an advantageous Levi Johnston who pretty much needs to spew crazy stuff about her to continue to get a spotlight. The only reason I think it might have any validity is that he doesn't seem bright enough to invent this stuff on his own.
So, I really don't think it can be cited as fact.
In this case, it's people on both sides of the political fence using the same term.
2) That statement doesn't mention Limbaugh at all.
It strikes me as a statement designed to be interpreted in different ways, depending on what you want it to mean. For folks on the left, they will interpret it as above. For folks on the right, they will claim that Limbaugh wasn't mentioned so it doesn't apply to his comments.
Also, this was a statement by a Palin's spokesperson in response to a question about Limbaugh's behavior. Unless you believe that Sargent or Stapleton are lying, this is Palin's reaction to Limbaugh's repeated use of the word "retard." It's pretty milquetoast in comparison to her criticism of Emmanuel.
She must be ticked at Limbaugh for having put her on the spot like this.
I go by what is generally verifyable, and try not to stray into "Oh we KNOW what s/he means" or "Well EVERYONE knows" territory.
I have no reason to doubt the statement attributed to Stapelton by Sargent is untrue. I simply am not attributing more to that statement than is evident.
Nobody else cares about this story other than you MMFA readers.
She's using Rahm's statement as an example of the views of the Democratic party. Which just doesn't connect.
Let's just say she NEVER would have been offended if she didn't have a mentally handicapped child herself.
It's just so....weird?...that these self-proclaimed "conservatives" can go on tv and claim the President of our COUNTRY is a racist, is a communist, is destroying the "fabric of America," yet Emmanual says "retard," 6 months ago, which, as far as most are concerned, isn't a derogatory term, and Palin wants him to RESIGN???
So first amendments rights only apply to people Palin AGREES with...as goes the entire GOP and Fox "news" with it.
BTW, watch the FULL UNEDITED interview of Jon Stewart w/ Bill O'Reilly. The maturity and just pure intellect of Stewart makes O'Reilly seem like a student in lecture...
Rush and Sarah are great Americans!
Actually I'm not seeking a rebuke of Limbaugh here, as the header implied. I'm seeing an artful dodge on the part of Palin.
This reflects very badly on her. It shows she has no principles and it shows she has no spine. Seeing as how she's dumb as hammer, what exactly DOES she have?
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She's a joke.
Actually I'm not seeing a rebuke of Limbaugh here, as the header implied. I'm seeing an artful dodge on the part of Palin.
This reflects very badly on her. It shows she has no principles and it shows she has no spine. Seeing as how she's dumb as hammer, what exactly DOES she have?
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She's a joke.