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Kilmeade says Boxer used same "condescending tone" with General that she uses "with almost everybody in the military"

June 18, 2009 8:26 am ET

From the June 18 edition of Fox News Channel's Fox & Friends:

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    • Author by goesto11 (June 18, 2009 8:40 am ET)
      3  
      Geez, that counts as a "reprimand"?

      The folks at Fox must think this is an awfully thin-skinned General.

      Report Abuse
    • Author by Johnny Carp (June 18, 2009 8:54 am ET)
      4  
      How did the general address the male Senators in the hearing? If it was "Senator" she has a legitimate reason to correct the General.....if it was sir then not so much of a problem.
      Report Abuse
    • Author by DAWUSS (June 18, 2009 9:15 am ET)
      4 1
      That General worked very hard to earn his title, too.
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      • Author by rkallen09 (June 18, 2009 10:16 am ET)
        4  
        And she refered to him as General when posing her question. I have read the personal bio on both of these two distinguished people and both of them have earned the rights to their titles. If she had refered to him as 'Mister' instead of General people would be calling for her resignation. The people posting at FoxNation already are.

        This was not some informal meet and greet. They were in a formal hearing and it was no different from a judge asking a person in their court to refer to him/her as "Your Honor." I am sure both would agree that she made no egregious breach of etiquette in her request, though maybe worded a little obnoxiously while interupting the Generals response.

        Both of them are professional people, and I am willing to bet dollars to donuts, that both would agree that in formal settings they BOTH have earned and deserve the respect of their positions and titles.
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        • Author by snoopy (June 18, 2009 11:26 am ET)
          5  
          You're right, but it won't sway the reichwingers. I was told yesterday that Medicare operating at 3% vs private industry operating at 10% - 15% means nothing because they are still inefficient. Once these clowns get a thought in their troubled little heads no amount of facts are gonna sway them.
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        • Author by neon desert (June 18, 2009 11:27 am ET)
          6  
          Points well-made. Also, years of training and practice result in members of the military habitually calling EVERYONE sir or ma'am, thereby diminishing the aura of respect that address might otherwise imply.

          The General wasn't intending to disrespect the Senator, but was simply concentrating on his answer too much to conciously address her as "Senator". I'm sure if you asked him, he'd admit that it was his error, one which he sincerely regrets (along with the feeling of resentment he feels for Boxer putting him on the spot like she did).
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          • Author by NdlovukaziThor (June 18, 2009 2:43 pm ET)
            4  
            Having a military background, it's really not always the case to call everyone "sir" or "ma'am", even if they're higher ranking - usually better to call them by their title, even if they're not a General/other commissioned officer. Some NCOs are more than happy to put you in line calling them "sir"/"ma'am" - "Do you see stars on my lapel?! You will address me as SERGEANT!" Some are uptight about it, some don't care, but one can be made to look and feel really silly for how they choose to address someone.

            "Sir" and "ma'am" are polite and respectful, but when it comes to anyone who has an official title that they have worked hard to get - General, Senator, Doctor, President, etc. - that's what should be used.
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    • Author by Victor Colorado (June 18, 2009 10:32 am ET)
      5 1
      Check out Anchorboy Kilmeade at the 2 minute mark of the clip. That's one angry stay-at-home-civilian.
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    • Author by worrierking (June 18, 2009 10:36 am ET)
      11 3
      If our generals are so sensitive, maybe we need better generals.

      But if our TV talking heads are assuming that our generals are as sensitive as the bedwetters at Fox, then maybe Fox needs better hosts.
      Report Abuse
      • Author by juliajayne (June 18, 2009 11:53 am ET)
        8 1
        Just because some bozos at Fox are offened doesn't mean Boxer did anything offensive. And it's actually dissing the general to assume he thought it was offensive in any way. He understands rank and priviledge. And I'll bet he was happy to accord that to Seneator Boxer.

        I have no idea why anyone would give you a thumbs down for the obvious WK. ;-)
        Report Abuse
        • Author by worrierking (June 18, 2009 11:58 am ET)
          8 1
          I have mixed feelings about the thumbs up/thumbs down option.

          I'd prefer that anyone who doesn't like a post of mine will offer a response instead of an anonymous thumbs down.

          But I've got to confess, sometimes it's a lot easier to use the thumbs down than to argue with a wingnut.
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          • Author by Slade (June 18, 2009 12:59 pm ET)
            8 1
            Thumbs up.

            Sorry, couldn't resist.
            Report Abuse
            • Author by worrierking (June 18, 2009 2:13 pm ET)
              8 1
              Thanks Slade.

              I seemed to have angered either three generals or three right wing bedwetters. My money's on the bedwetters.
              Report Abuse
    • Author by shaggles (June 18, 2009 11:22 am ET)
      5  
      Yeah. Republicans are never condescending. Bush, Cheney, Rummy...Never. Not to mention all those White House press secretaries. I remember well how kind and respectful they always were to Helen Thomas. Ever since St. Ronnie made the highly respectful "There you go again" comment to President Carter during a debate Republicans have been the very image of respect.
      Report Abuse
      • Author by Victor Colorado (June 18, 2009 12:45 pm ET)
        4  
        Republicans have been the very image of respect.


        Especially "That one!".
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        • Author by budrykzp9226 (June 18, 2009 12:56 pm ET)
          5  
          It's funny how for Repubs, the manchild within always shines brightest at the debates, i.e.the two above examples, 41 petulantly checking his watch, "Ya fergot Poland!", etc.
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        • Author by shaggles (June 18, 2009 2:19 pm ET)
          5  
          Exactly. Republican behavior, and especially Sen McCain's, is always above reproach. I remember well the good natured and respectfull joke he told about Chelsea Clinton. Absolutely charming, that man.
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      • Author by Easy to refute wingnuts (June 18, 2009 12:55 pm ET)
        5  
        Yeah. Republicans are never condescending. Bush, Cheney, Rummy...Never.
        ou're right. The General just called Boxer "Ma'am." It isn't as if he told a Senator, on the floor of the Senate chamber, to "go f*** [him]self," is it?
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        • Author by budrykzp9226 (June 18, 2009 12:59 pm ET)
          4  
          Senator Leahy may not be a veteran, but he has been threatened by the Joker, and he deserves our respect.
          Sorry, I just find that bit of trivia endlessly amusing.
          Report Abuse
    • Author by christian6121485 (June 18, 2009 11:49 am ET)
      1 9
      B.B is simply a PEON. How dare she give a condescending tone to a distinguished GENERAL. She is a mere politician, hardly a respectable figure.
      Report Abuse
      • Author by Easy to refute wingnuts (June 18, 2009 4:05 pm ET)
        2  
        Speaking of someone not worthy of respect...
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    • Author by John Paradox (June 18, 2009 1:14 pm ET)
      4 1
      I flashed back to the premiere episode of Stargate:SG-1, where Samantha Carter (Amanda Tapping) corrected O'Neil (Richard Dean Anderson) on proper etiquette for a Doctor/Captain (at the time, IIRC)
      Report Abuse
    • Author by robyn20094113 (June 18, 2009 1:40 pm ET)
      4  
      and we will just address this group as the Three Stooges
      Report Abuse
      • Author by jeffg (June 18, 2009 2:03 pm ET)
          4
        "If our generals are so sensitive, maybe we need better generals."

        The General wan't offended, Boxer was. If our Senators are so sensitive, maybe we need better Senators!

        The male Senators didn't take offense to being called Sir.
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    • Author by nerzog (June 18, 2009 2:14 pm ET)
      6 1
      This shows just how far Right Wing has devolved. They are putrid squawking magpies, whining about some general getting his feelings hurt by a Senator. Boo-F***ing-Hoo. Who really gives a rat's ass?

      I have no doubt that FOX has an army of interns scouring the media for any and all minutiae from which they can fabricate the Outrage du jour.

      They make me tired.
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      • Author by wookie (June 18, 2009 3:54 pm ET)
        4  
        They can't point to any great success of Bush the dumber so they have to push the whole disrespecting the troops thing.
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        • Author by Easy to refute wingnuts (June 18, 2009 4:07 pm ET)
          3  
          Seems to me that the GOP voting against protective armor for the troops in Iraq is much more disrespectful than asking a General to use a well-earned title of respect for a Senator.
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          • Author by juliajayne1 (June 19, 2009 6:57 pm ET)
            1  
            Very true. They certainly deserved better than that. That hurts my feelings.
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    • Author by SteveRiverson162410 (June 18, 2009 8:18 pm ET)
      1 1
      Hate to say it, but I have to agree with the stooges.
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    • Author by franky (June 19, 2009 12:29 am ET)
      3  
      It's a bedrock principal of our country that the military is controlled by civilians. Fox seems to want to give the impression that the reverse is true. The time to worry is when the generals start to get 'snippy' with the our elected representatives.
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    • Author by vitodanelli (June 19, 2009 2:57 pm ET)
      1  
      For the record, go to:

      http://epw.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=Hearings.Choose&Hearing_id=c7026be1-802a-23ad-4fa3-4c8ed0b6d074

      and watch the webcast of the hearing (starting at 29:40 to 33:45)

      Here's the breakdown of the number of times Walsh called Boxer "ma'am":

      ma'am 29:44

      yes ma'am 29:46

      ma'am 30:52

      no ma'am 31:43

      ma'am 32:46

      ma'am 32:56

      yes ma'am 33:38

      ma'am 33:43

      (At this point, Boxer made the "Could you say Senator?" comment)

      About two minutes later, Walsh again said "ma'am", but quickly corrected himself:

      ma'am um senator 35:40

      While perhaps the General was sincere and trained/conditioned to use the word "ma-am", it was becoming tedious. It was 8 times in a span of two minutes.

      Another example of a non-event being treated as a major news story.



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      • Author by njguy93 (June 19, 2009 3:57 pm ET)
        2  
        Good work, Vito. You have earned your title as The Godfather.

        THANK YOU.
        njguy93@yahoo.com
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