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Grayson Apologizes To Lobbyist He Called A 'Whore'
Evan McMorris-Santoro | October 27, 2009, 6:34PM
Rep. Alan Grayson (D-FL)
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After a day of criticism from both sides of the aisle, Rep. Alan Grayson (D-FL) apologized to a female lobbyist he called a "K Street whore" in a radio interview last month.
The lobbyist in question, Linda Robertson, is an employee of the Federal Reserve. Grayson had already sought to distance himself from the "whore" remark. His staff said earlier today the "attack was on her professional career, not her personal life." But in the apology this afternoon, Grayson seemed to acknowledge that calling a woman a "whore" is controversial in nearly any context.
The Orlando Sentinel reported Grayson's statement:
"I offer my sincere apology to Linda Robertson, an adviser to Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke. I did not intend to use a term that is often, and correctly, seen as disrespectful of women.""This characterization of Ms. Robertson, made during a radio interview last month in the context of the debate over whether the Federal Reserve should be independently audited, was inappropriate, and I apologize."
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lamonth
October 27, 2009 6:40 PM
i would start calling the lobbyist and congressmen out on who is doing what with each lobbyist dem and repug. the definition of lobbyist is whore.
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FreeRider
October 27, 2009 6:43 PM in reply to lamonth
And if the only way you can convey that is by using the word "whore" then you'll make the lobbyist look like paragons of virtue.
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The Commenter Formerly Known as NCSteve
October 27, 2009 8:22 PM in reply to FreeRider
Actually, some would say it's the other way around.
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JEP07
October 27, 2009 11:40 PM in reply to The Commenter Formerly Known as NCSteve
I thought the K-Street crowd were the pimps, and our lawmakers like Delay, et al, were the whores?
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FreeRider
October 27, 2009 6:41 PM
Unlike the vast majority of poster here, at least Grayson realized that this was a bridge too far.
Go after Republicans and lobbyist but do so in a way that keeps the focus on them, not on your own nuttiness.
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hollywood
October 27, 2009 7:10 PM in reply to FreeRider
What Grayson realized was that his remarks were being taken out of context (yes I listened to the actual radio show) and used against him as some anti woman thing. Too bad because what he was saying was just what is needed to give liberals the courage of their convictions when it comes to profiteering off the misery of others.
If this woman was indeed a WHORE for the Enron folks then everytime I pay my goddamned electric bill I am still paying off the debt that the WHORE and her Enron pimps stuck California with in their very successful ROBBERY of California of billions of dollars in the gaming of the electricity markets. Our former Democratic governor was dumped in a special election because he did not have the balls to stand up to Enron and call them liars and con artists. That's how we got stuck with Arnold. I have the bill sitting on my desk right now ...... WHORE!
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FreeRider
October 27, 2009 7:29 PM in reply to hollywood
He's a Harvard educated lawyer. He should have been able to take her down without making himself look like a sexist ass.
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Desidero
October 28, 2009 4:58 AM in reply to FreeRider
Well, TPM doesn't help things with its headline. Grayson called her a "K Street whore" - in accepted English usage, someone who'll sell out their virtue/principles for a buck. We use the term for Lieberman all the time - hopefully won't have to stop that. Yes, it's unfortunate we can't use the term for female politicians who deserve it, but it does come across crass and too personal/sexist, just like some innocuous English phrases take a sinister subtext when the target is a black person. (There's a scene in Wild Wild West that goes through a number of these)
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richard f
October 27, 2009 7:30 PM in reply to FreeRider
Absolutely. This guy should simply shut up for now because he is turning the focus away from where it should be. (Although his apology was refreshingly direct)
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Why oh why
October 27, 2009 6:43 PM
Grayson added: she's still a whore though.
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DaleD
October 27, 2009 6:56 PM
Wow, an actual apology, as opposed to a non-apology apology.
Well Done, Congressman.
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commie atheist
October 27, 2009 7:05 PM in reply to DaleD
If he was a Republican, he would have added the "if I offended anyone" caveat, as they always do.
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AnswerFrog
October 27, 2009 7:37 PM
Meh.
"K Street whore" is the correct term.
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3star2nr
October 27, 2009 9:04 PM
why is he apologizing? fiuck lobbyists
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Ben Schacht
October 27, 2009 9:10 PM
The real problem isn't whether he was justified in calling her a "whore." He most certainly was not, and he's right to point out in his apology that is disrespectful toward women. Moreover, all of those commenting here who continue to flippantly use the term should do a little soul-searching. It is never acceptable to use terms inextricable from forms of sexism and broader oppressions. But in any case, the real question is rather if and how Republicans will manage to spin this in a way that distracts us from the many substantive and brave stands Grayson has taken. It would be a pity if Democrats backed down from the sorts of emphatic stands Grayson has taken in light of this "incident."
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oleeb
October 27, 2009 9:18 PM
Too bad. He should have stuck to his guns.
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BrianSkuse
October 27, 2009 9:31 PM in reply to oleeb
Agree.
Also I would bet considerable money that the 'lobbyist' in question has a rhinoceros hide impervious to any sort of insult and that she has been called every rotten name known.
She may be laughing her head off at this phony 'controversy'.
Let's agree to call her a lowdown slime ball piece of corrupt garbage and a carbuncle on the rump of our republic. Not a ho.
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VivaAmerica!
October 27, 2009 9:27 PM
Whatever happened to words like shill and sellout?
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DF
October 27, 2009 9:48 PM in reply to VivaAmerica!
They were co-opted by shills and sellouts.
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Ermengarde Tenderstone
October 28, 2009 3:48 AM in reply to VivaAmerica!
So Grayson used the word "whore" instead of "prostitute", but either way, he was right. Our government and peripheral entities are full of political prostitutes and pimps. Grayson could have used the less offensive term "prostitute" of course, but what's the diff really? The truth is the truth is the truth. I admire Grayson just as much today as I did several weeks ago when I first heard him commenting on the farce that is our government. I admire anyone who tells it like it REALLY is.
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Indie Pro
October 27, 2009 10:45 PM
Hey, he's a real democrat now. He got his apology wings. Awwwww.
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chard
October 27, 2009 11:17 PM
As was said of Goldwater, "In your heart you know he's right?"
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Donald from Hawaii
October 28, 2009 1:26 AM in reply to chard
Or as Democrats said of Goldwater in that same 1964 campaign, "In your guts, you know he's nuts."
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Cal Gal
October 27, 2009 11:32 PM
Yes, I agree. Calling a woman a whore is not acceptable. He should have called her a K-Street
pimp.
This is one situation in which there are analogous terms for each of the genders, and you have to be cross-gender to be safe.
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Frank Robert
October 28, 2009 1:59 AM
He should have apologized to the whores.
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par4
October 28, 2009 8:35 AM in reply to Frank Robert
Frank is right, whores are paragons of virtue compared to lobbyists and politicians.
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rubyxyz
October 28, 2009 3:11 AM
When's he going to apologize for going on Alex Jones's show? Way to look like a nut. I haven't been bothered by anything he's said, but I'm concerned about his judgment when he accepts an invitation from a total nutjob.
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Dave Adams
October 28, 2009 4:41 AM
Ok so Grayson apologized.
Do you suppose Linda Robertson is ever going to apologize for helping Enron screw the entire state of California?
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Apphouse50
October 28, 2009 6:16 AM
Rule R-1: Never apologize.
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mad doctor
October 28, 2009 7:43 AM
yeah, i'm sure she's laughing at us. she's got Grayson apologizing and news media doing what she wants it to do. that is, don't report on the Federal Reserve.
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stevelaudig
October 28, 2009 7:49 AM
Then she must be the only lobbyist who isn't one. Remember: Lobbying is not a victimless crime.
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stevelaudig
October 28, 2009 7:58 AM
Then she must be the only lobbyist who isn't one. Remember: Lobbying is not a victimless crime.
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lousgirl84
October 28, 2009 9:09 AM
I'm still waiting for all the thugs to apologize to Obama for all the horrible things they called him. Grayson is a decent guy. I am sorry he felt he had to apologize since he didn't really caller her a whore personally, but again Dems take the high road and the thugs stay in the toilet.
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dougjNJ
October 28, 2009 12:28 PM in reply to lousgirl84
"And she's, this lobbyist, this K Street whore, is trying to teach me about economics."
How is that not calling her a whore personally?
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SqueakyRat
October 28, 2009 9:23 AM
Why is a K Street lobbyist employed by the Federal Reserve?
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Dorn76
October 28, 2009 10:34 AM
I'm surprised it was his mouth that tripped up Clown Congressman Grayson, and not the giant shoes or the big red nose.
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Dorn76
October 28, 2009 10:45 AM in reply to Dorn76
Don't get me wrong, though, Grayson is a saint compared with the awful lobbyist lady.
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kevbo
October 28, 2009 11:57 AM
He still needs to apologize to sex workers for comparing them to a lobbyist.
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