Haley Barbour apologizes after calling Obama’s policies ‘tar babies’

[tres borrachos]

Stupid politician of the day #2. But at least he doesn't hold office.

Haley Barbour called President Barack Obama’s policies “tar babies” on a post-election conference call for clients of his lobbying firm, two sources familiar with the call told POLITICO.

The former Mississippi governor made the remark as he was taking questions from 100 or more clients of the BGR Group during an hourlong call on Thursday morning. According to a person on the call, Barbour was noting how rare it is for Americans to elect a president from the same party as a commander-in-chief leaving office after two terms.

“And then he said there is no one who will run for president who will endorse Obama’s issues, because Obama’s issues are ‘tar babies.’”


Haley Barbour apologizes after calling Obama?s policies ?tar babies? - James Hohmann and Kenneth P. Vogel - POLITICO

This part really got me.

“If someone takes offense, I regret it. But, again, neither the context nor the connotation was intended to offend,” wrote Barbour

WTF is with these idiots and their half hearted apologies? "If someone takes offense, I regret it"? How about "That was an inappropriate comment and I regret making it.", Haley.

Politicians run their mouths without thinking.

 

[Crosscheck]

Couldn't we just combine this thread with Charlie Rangel's thread on using "Cracker"?

These guys are pathetic.

 

[tres borrachos]

Couldn't we just combine this thread with Charlie Rangel's thread on using "Cracker"?

These guys are pathetic.

No way. Barbour isn't in office anymore. Rangel is a senior lawmaker (doG help us).

Barbour is as dumb as Rangel though. Think before you speak next time, Haley.

 

[Crosscheck]

No way. Barbour isn't in office anymore. Rangel is a senior lawmaker (doG help us).

Barbour is as dumb as Rangel though. Think before you speak next time, Haley.

Actually maybe it is a good thing they don't think before they speak as it reveals their real self. Just as the microphone that was thought off has given us another glimpse of many politicians caught off guard.

 

[tres borrachos]

Actually maybe it is a good thing they don't think before they speak as it reveals their real self. Just as the microphone that was thought off has given us another glimpse of many politicians caught off guard.

You know, I agree with this. It's probably good that we can hear what's really on their minds. Jonathan Gruber's opinion aside, we are NOT stupid Americans. This kind of **** (as well as Rangel's) needs to be ferreted out.

If Barbour doesn't really apologize, he's done in my book, and he should be ostracized.

 

[justabubba]

You know, I agree with this. It's probably good that we can hear what's really on their minds. Jonathan Gruber's opinion aside, we are NOT stupid Americans. This kind of **** (as well as Rangel's) needs to be ferreted out.

If Barbour doesn't really apologize, he's done in my book, and he should be ostracized.

apologize! ostracized! for what?
it was a very appropriate usage
some of Obama's policies ARE tar babies for those seeking election
if Obama were not black, would there be any outrage about such use of the expression "tar baby"
USA. home of the offended

 

[tres borrachos]

apologize! ostracized! for what?
it was a very appropriate usage
some of Obama's policies ARE tar babies for those seeking election
if Obama were not black, would there be any outrage about such use of the expression "tar baby"
USA. home of the offended

He's stupid, justa. There may be merit to what he said (I don't have an opinion on the content) but for crying out loud, sometimes it's better to not say these things out loud even if you think them.

I remember when Romney made the same mistake in 2006, in Iowa I think. It was dumb.

But to your point I agree we are the home of the offended. Too PC sometimes. That said, I still love to pick at politicians that lack filters.

 

[Ockham]

Barbour is from the South and an experienced politician. He fully knows better than to use such a term. It's as moronic and stupid as Rangels BS explanation.

How do these people get elected is what I want to know...

 

[Declan]

Barbour is from the South and an experienced politician. He fully knows better than to use such a term. It's as moronic and stupid as Rangels BS explanation.

How do these people get elected is what I want to know...

Your conclusions are wrong. "Brer Rabbit and the Tar Baby" used to be a popular folktale in the south. This is not about racism but culture.

 

[Ockham]

Your conclusions are wrong. "Brer Rabbit and the Tar Baby" used to be a popular folktale in the south. This is not about racism but culture.

It's a polarizing term - he knows it being from the South. Uncle Remus and Song of the South have been determined to be racist - you self identify as a progressive.... you didn't know this? I even learned this morning on MSNBC that the term "whistling Dixie" is a racist term by progressive standards.

 

[Flamethrower]

Stupid politician of the day #2. But at least he doesn't hold office.

Haley Barbour called President Barack Obama’s policies “tar babies” on a post-election conference call for clients of his lobbying firm, two sources familiar with the call told POLITICO.

The former Mississippi governor made the remark as he was taking questions from 100 or more clients of the BGR Group during an hourlong call on Thursday morning. According to a person on the call, Barbour was noting how rare it is for Americans to elect a president from the same party as a commander-in-chief leaving office after two terms.

“And then he said there is no one who will run for president who will endorse Obama’s issues, because Obama’s issues are ‘tar babies.’”


Haley Barbour apologizes after calling Obama?s policies ?tar babies? - James Hohmann and Kenneth P. Vogel - POLITICO

This part really got me.

“If someone takes offense, I regret it. But, again, neither the context nor the connotation was intended to offend,” wrote Barbour

WTF is with these idiots and their half hearted apologies? "If someone takes offense, I regret it"? How about "That was an inappropriate comment and I regret making it.", Haley.

Politicians run their mouths without thinking.

"Tar Babies" couldn't be more appropriate, or funny. It isn't Barbour who needs to apologise, it's Obama.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h0ogVlL9SXg





Obama done stuck his hands in too many things he shouldn't.

 

[Declan]

It's a polarizing term - he knows it being from the South. Uncle Remus and Song of the South have been determined to be racist - you self identify as a progressive.... you didn't know this? I even learned this morning on MSNBC that the term "whistling Dixie" is a racist term by progressive standards.

I don't care about the allegedly hurt feelings of democrats who pander to blacks on silly issues and then ignore them once the election is over and the legislation starts coming. Diversity involves people who are diverse. Only a democratic apologists would offer your ignorance. Brer Rabbit is an AFRICAN folk tale, not an African-American folk tale, a white folk tale, a Disney folk tale or anything other than one that was brought to the US by slaves from Africa.

 

[Captain America]

Tar babies?!?!?!?

View attachment 67175794

That's hilarious!

 

[Ockham]

I don't care about the allegedly hurt feelings of democrats who pander to blacks on silly issues and then ignore them once the election is over and the legislation starts coming. Diversity involves people who are diverse. Only a democratic apologists would offer your ignorance. Brer Rabbit is an AFRICAN folk tale, not an African-American folk tale, a white folk tale, a Disney folk tale or anything other than one that was brought to the US by slaves from Africa.

Clearly you are out of touch with your political party. I'm simply regurgitating what progressives have stated is socially acceptable. Clearly anyone using such terms as "tar babies" is a racist..... you disagree? How about the "N" word - also okay or is that also a democratic apologist position?

 

[lifeisshort]

I am sick to death of this PC crap. Tar baby means something and in this case the word was used correctly. Comparing this to Rangel saying cracker is apples oranges.
Definition of TAR BABY


: something from which it is nearly impossible to extricate oneself


Origin of TAR BABY

from the tar baby that trapped Brer Rabbit in an Uncle Remus story by Joel Chandler Harris
First Known Use: circa 1910
Tar baby - Definition and More from the Free Merriam-Webster Dictionary

 

[soot]

Your conclusions are wrong. "Brer Rabbit and the Tar Baby" used to be a popular folktale in the south. This is not about racism but culture.

Right.

Because the folks who are going to get offended by this probably have the intellectual wherewithal to research the etymology of the phrase "tar baby" and conclude, "You know what? This rich, white, southern, conservative lobbyist is on point using this quasi-racist term correctly in this case. Let's give him a pass."

Bottom line is the guy might be right, but he's still tone deaf.

The Republican Party isn't going to earn any friends among a growing minority electorate when its "star players" consistently piss all over that electorate.

This isn't about "being right". It's about winning national elections.

 

[ttwtt78640]

What we have here is a failure to communicate... The term tar baby was appiled to Obama policies that other demorats tried to claim that they no longer support, often after they voted for and/or previously offered support for them. There is no sane person that missed the large numbers of demorat congressional candidates, while running in 2014, using all manner of excuses for not wanting to be associated with Obama's position on issues and policy.

I Did Not Know the Term “Tar Baby” is Racist | From the Desert to the Sea...

 

[Declan]

Right.

Because the folks who are going to get offended by this probably have the intellectual wherewithal to research the etymology of the phrase "tar baby" and conclude, "You know what? This rich, white, southern, conservative lobbyist is on point using this quasi-racist term correctly in this case. Let's give him a pass."

Bottom line is the guy might be right, but he's still tone deaf.

The Republican Party isn't going to earn any friends among a growing minority electorate when its "star players" consistently piss all over that electorate.

This isn't about "being right". It's about winning national elections.

That is why the democrats go nuts putting anything they think will inflame their white-guilt suffering academics and reactionary blacks into faux outrage. When your policies fail, scream about the other side being racists. What is next? Do we ban slave songs too? Your hymnal will be a lot thinner if you purge society of African culture under the Orwellian logic of not wanting to offend blacks who wouldn't be offended if MSNBC didn't tell them they should be offended.

 

[CanadaJohn]

God, people in America are such wimps and desperate in their need to be offended.

The term tar baby has been used tens of thousands of times to describe a "sticky situation". The Oxford American Dictionary defines tar baby as "a difficult problem, that is only aggravated by attempts to solve it."

Thankfully, I've got far better things to spend my time on in life than getting falsely offended over nothing.

 

[soot]

That is why the democrats go nuts putting anything they think will inflame their white-guilt suffering academics and reactionary blacks into faux outrage.

As Bert Lance said, if it ain't broke, don't fix it.

We're not talking about civics or ethics or morality here.

We're talking about politics.

The Democrats have their black rage and the Republicans have their white fear.

All is fair...

 

[polgara]

God, people in America are such wimps and desperate in their need to be offended.

The term tar baby has been used tens of thousands of times to describe a "sticky situation". The Oxford American Dictionary defines tar baby as "a difficult problem, that is only aggravated by attempts to solve it."

Thankfully, I've got far better things to spend my time on in life than getting falsely offended over nothing.

Good morning, CJ. :2wave:

Excellent post! :thumbs: The term "tar baby" was never meant to be a racist slur - WTH is the matter with people? :shock:

How's your weather, CJ? You know why I'm asking! brrrr.....

 

[Fletch]

Right.

Because the folks who are going to get offended by this probably have the intellectual wherewithal to research the etymology of the phrase "tar baby" and conclude, "You know what? This rich, white, southern, conservative lobbyist is on point using this quasi-racist term correctly in this case. Let's give him a pass."

Bottom line is the guy might be right, but he's still tone deaf.

The Republican Party isn't going to earn any friends among a growing minority electorate when its "star players" consistently piss all over that electorate.

This isn't about "being right". It's about winning national elections.

I think that's right. There are certain words and phrases that should probably be stricken from any politicians lexicon. Tar Baby is certainly one of them. Even if its appropriate verbiage, its not a particularly bright thing to say. Most people have no idea what a tar baby is and have not seen the cartoon from which it originated. It has over the years taken on a derogatory meaning regardless, so people should just stop using it. Barbour has been around long enough to know this.

 

[tres borrachos]

Tar babies?!?!?!?

View attachment 67175794

That's hilarious!

Hahaha Muttley!

 

[tres borrachos]

I think that's right. There are certain words and phrases that should probably be stricken from any politicians lexicon. Tar Baby is certainly one of them. Even if its appropriate verbiage, its not a particularly bright thing to say. Most people have no idea what a tar baby is and have not seen the cartoon from which it originated. It has over the years taken on a derogatory meaning regardless, so people should just stop using it. Barbour has been around long enough to know this.

This------^ What makes Barbour stupid is his cluelessness in not realizing that people would jump on his words. He may be right contextually, but as a very respected and very long time politician, he knew better. This does not help the GOP and the man who was at one time the head of the RNC should have known better.

You & Soot were spot on. This is a political common sense issue.

 

[tres borrachos]

Right.

Because the folks who are going to get offended by this probably have the intellectual wherewithal to research the etymology of the phrase "tar baby" and conclude, "You know what? This rich, white, southern, conservative lobbyist is on point using this quasi-racist term correctly in this case. Let's give him a pass."

Bottom line is the guy might be right, but he's still tone deaf.

The Republican Party isn't going to earn any friends among a growing minority electorate when its "star players" consistently piss all over that electorate.

This isn't about "being right". It's about winning national elections.

Spot on, Soot. This is the problem with comments like Barbour's. The Republicans want to win elections, but then do this. It's contradictory.

Barbour has been around a long time. He should have known that this was not going to help the party he has worked so hard to advance.