Earnest Suggests Sherrod Brown Apologize for Implying Obama’s Sexist

[BeyondGeography]

"Sen. Brown is a stand-up guy, and I’m confident that after he’s had a chance to take a look at the comments that he made yesterday, that he'll find a way to apologize."

[misterhighwasted]

1. and later: Warren asks Earnest to apologize to Brown

..for asking Obama to apologize to Warren

[djean111]

2. I do think Sherrod Brown over-stepped and should not have said that. nt

[Erich Bloodaxe BSN]

3. I don't.

Just like you don't have to 'be a racist' to make a racist comment, you don't have to 'be a sexist' to make a sexist comment.

Using someone's first name when you're trying to be condescending about their ideas is not simply 'Oh, they're friends who work together'. It's a deliberate rhetorical tactic to be dismissive. And when you're being deliberately dismissive of a female, it is certainly possible for it to end up as sexism. The fact that you 'use someone's first name' a lot doesn't make a difference, it depends upon how and when you use it in each case. In many cases, it might not be sexism, but it's always possible that sometimes it is.

But we fail to really address our -isms, and so we see an automatic response to dismiss charges of 'sexism' or 'racism' because the person in question 'is not a sexist' or 'does not have a history of sexism'. Again, any of us can fall prey to making a sexist statement without 'being a sexist'.

[Stellar]

13. I agree...

or President Obama should not call Vice President Joe Biden - Joe, and he shouldn't call Prime Minister Cameron, David. Also Sen Mark Warner said he didn't get it either because the President call him Mark and he calls Obama Mr President. Maybe it's reverse sexism when he calls her Elizabeth.

[Spitfire of ATJ]

4. Look at the way Joe talks about this with glee....

This is Republicans trying to divide the Dems.

[zeemike]

5. Precisely

Talk about anything but the issues.

[Jack Rabbit]

6. "I am not a member of any organized political party. I'm a Democrat."

-- Will Rogers (1879-1935)

We Democrats have never needed the Republicans' help to be divided.

[Spitfire of ATJ]

7. That changed during Bush....

I remember when the people who want to save the oceans were fighting with the people who wanted to save the trees.

Someone would talk about corporate logging and someone would scream, "Oh! So you WANT all of the fish to die from pollution???"

Then while those two went back and forth someone would mention air pollution and get jumped on.

Kinda like what happens here.

[stuffmatters]

8. "I love Eliz, but..." =ed "bless her little heart, but..."

Obama comment was obnoxious, condescending and yes, sexist to my female ears.

In the recent North Carolina Senate debate the Repub repeatedly demeaned Senator Hagen by referring to her as Kay.
I remember here on DU that was labelled a sexist tactic. Obama employed the same creepy strategy towards Warren.

[BeyondGeography]

9. You can say he condescended, but he routinely calls Sens. by their first name

If you want to make that a new rule; man calls men and women by their first name, but it's sexist in the case of a woman, run with it.

[stuffmatters]

10. I think you miss the point/context of Obama's remark.

I agree with Sherrod Brown, and I'm glad he called out the President. Calling Senator Warren by her first name here was inappropriate
in a debate of professional ideas. It was part and parcel of the overall passive aggressive, belittling nature of his comments to undermine her expertly qualified opposition on TPP.
Obama owes both Warren and Brown an apology.
But then that Repub in NC never apologized to (ex now...he won) Senator Hagan for using the same tactic in their debate,

[BeyondGeography]

11. Brown's going to ask Obama to campaign for him in 2018

He'll be the one apologizing, which he should do anyway.

[Stellar]

14. and he calls the vice president Joe....

he calls Prime Minister Camaron, David, and Senator Warner says the President calls him Mark and he calls Obama Mr President and it doesn't bother him at all. It's petty.

[appalachiablue]

15. +5

[Enthusiast]

12. Fuck Earnest.