Obama Calls Reporter 'Sweetie' In Michigan

Barack Obama passed off a reporter today in Michigan, and she seemed less than amused by his name for her.

"Hold on one second there, sweetie," he says.

The reporter signed off: "This sweetie never did get an answer to that question."

Comments

[ScottyRad]

Obama was being sexist. This was patronizing, belittling of the woman's professionalism, and should be considered a big deal. Those of you who are belittling this issue are really belittling women's equality, whether you're a woman or not. If you're going to blow up Bill Clinton's racially insensitive comments, why won't you do the same to Obama?

[Seattlelite]

ScottyRad -- What your comment says to me is, you don't have any black friends? See my other posts on this thread if you care to know what I mean by this statement.

[punkingale]

Seattlelite: It's not an AA thing. It's a SOUTHERN thing.

[bentenrai]

Sure saint Scotty, whatever.

[sareader]

I wish he'd call me sweetie :)

[BarryChamplain]

Thank you, Joe Scarborough! :-P

[Ebonwolf]

Some of Obama's Advisers,
Cassandra Butts
Jennifer Chacón
Judith A. Gold
Valerie Jarrett
Samantha Power(Before calling Hillary a monster)
Susan Rice
Sarah Sewall

[amst]

Poor Obama. My God, talk about petty. What do you bet this reporter was NOT an Obama supporter.­...obvious­ly. I suppose it's good Obama apologize right away or all his haters would never let him live it down.

With all the issues, and all the problems in our country, he has to deal with this petty sh*t. It's so obvious how bitter some are when they just can't find any dirt on him and/or can't stand the thought that he will be our nominee.

[Maewest35]

This is old news that I noticed way last week when he left Congress he told someone " That's why I'm running for President Sweetie". As a nurse I make the same mistake when I call my older patients Sweetie or Sweetheart..It just a term of endearment , but you must be careful.

[seenitall]

feel better now, little whiney ninny?

[jerseywolf]

He shouldn't have said sweetie. It's improper and a goof-up. But he apologized very quickly (and fully). And that's good enough for me. It's refreshing to see a politician admit that he or she is fallible.

[DofG]

Yeah, that happens when we expect our president to be a deity instead of mere a human. It's just a consequence of our hypocritical public moral code.

[MrHHusseinMA]

Some responses over at CNN:

Good Grief May 14th, 2008 7:08 pm ET

I feel for him on this one. I have the same habit. I started calling my kids that when they were small. Now they are grown, it's a habit and I call everyone "sweetie" or "hon." Guess we'll both have to break that habit, the next President and this old white lady too.

Ohio for Obama May 14th, 2008 7:08 pm ET

non-story

Paul May 14th, 2008 7:08 pm ET

Dont you have more important things to be reporting CNN????

Thats a joke!!

Joe May 14th, 2008 7:09 pm ET

Big deal. Is this really newsworthy? CNN grasping at straws

Perry May 14th, 2008 7:09 pm ET

RIdiculous! CNN PLEASE! Post about the HUGE endorsement that Barack Obama just got instead of these petty meaningless articles. I understand that some of these stories are of interest and I am not criticizing your reporting or saying that you are biased. But should not there be some priority given to the largest endorsement of the race so far?

Independent99999 May 14th, 2008 7:09 pm ET

What is wrong in calling a person, sweetie?
Am I missing something here

steve May 14th, 2008 7:09 pm ET

Bored CNN

Arkansas Undertaker May 14th, 2008 7:09 pm ET

You have got to be kidding me!!!!!!
Thats not anything derrogatorry!!!! Give me a break already!
The reporter probably enjoyed the "sweetie" comment.

OBAMA 08

Phil in Texas May 14th, 2008 7:10

[lisakaz2]

I wouldn't be thrilled with it but it's hardly the biggest crime in the world. Perspective anyone?

It DOES annoy me some when a student calls me "Mrs." rather than "Dr." but I kinda try to laugh it off, esp. when a student is trying to butter me up. Makes NO sense.

[barrista]

At least he apologized personally and not through her campaign like Clinton with her "White hard working Americans" comments.

And who can forget she STILL hasn't apologized for voting for the war.

[FiveFortyOne]

I know this is terrible of me, but have you all seen the "sweetie" reporter? I think Sen. Obama was being kind. http://www.salon.com/mwt/broadsheet/2008/05/14/obama/index.html

[Zhonni]

I know, I saw her and had the same reaction. She BETTER be grateful he call her sweetie.

[calluna]

I'm sure you're very beautiful too, sweetie.

[08timefortruth]

If you knew it was terrible why did you post it?

[dajay]

FiveFortyOne; Number one, I bet the reporter was probably just so nervous to be around Obama the big hunk.

Number two, what do you look like, sweetie?

[VolvoBirkenstock]

phreso
No darling, your hatred of anyone not agreeing with your obamaphoria has clouded your vision.
It's Neo sweetie, and I am no Clintonista.
Flagged Posted 07:55 PM on 04/29/2008

Faxus
You were never for them sweetie.
Posted 05/09/2008 at 21:17:34

dajay
Michele Obama is LONG way off from Hillary Clinton, sweetie.
So go tell someone else to SHUT UP and SIT DOWN, you despicable, nasty witch. No wonder you like Michele Obama.
posted 05/09/2008 at 00:28:28

Naff off Neo. "sweetie"

[Skeptiqone]

Can a sweetie be bitter??

[SaulGoode]

Obama is obviously not the sharpest tool in the shred. Using sexist language in public, to a reporter no less, is beyond dumb.

What can you expect from a guy who thinks the US has 57 states, doesn't know that Afghanis are not Arabs, and admits that when he was in the Illinois senate that he pushed the wrong button that recorded his voted ozens and dozens of times.

[barrista]

what can i expect? sounds like the nomination and eventual presidency.

if those are the worst things against him, bring it on.

[AshleyMarie]

Monica, Whitewater, Travelgate, Pardongate, Furnituregate...

I guess I lowered my expectations for politicians :)

Yes we ARE!!!

[DOMINGUA]

I love all the morons who seek out ways (regardless of the insignificance) to display their extreme hate for Senator Barack Obama (the next POTUS), obviously Senator Obama meant "47 states," his mention of Alaska and Hawaii should have made that clear to anyone with a high school education... not to mention his background as a college professor and his two extremely well written best-selling books. I mean he is human, and we all make similar mistakes when speaking in public... i mean look at your post, i can't remember ever getting any of my tools out of "the shred" or buying my eggs by the "ozens!" Please... if you're going to hate... keep it "classy!"

[BitterInPA]

Sexist? Huh?
I have been called sweetie and honey by thousands of waitresses... and I'm a guy. So knock it off with the sexist gotcha, because the term sweetie can be used toward anyone. Sweetie!

sweet·ie / ˈswētē/ inf. • n. 1. (also sweet·ie pie) used as a term of endearment (esp. as a form of address).

[Seattlelite]

THANK YOU BITTERINPA -- see my post above. As an AA I know this already. in the AA cultural sweetie is used very often it's a term of endearment. Someone calls you sweetie it's because they like you. It's not a pick up line and it's not intended to be offensive or sexists in anyway just the opposite.

[saun8934]

This reporter completely over reacted! Come on, sweetie by Barack Obama. She should have been honored!!

[barrista]

she's gotten her 2 seconds of fame now, and heck the personal voicemail from a future president. he did her a favour.

[dajay]

RIght, because he is such a hunk of a man. Who cares if he is a sexist, arrogant, a**hole.

[morbie5]

Everybody on this site would be going nuts if McCain said the same thing to the reporter.

[barrista]

No we wouldn't. See? It's easy to make arguments on something that never happened.

[lisakaz2]

And his belief women need more training is better??? Sheesh.

[08timefortruth]

And his calling his wife a "c**t in front of reporters is an endearment.

[VFH]

I work for a very large organization where we all had to attend mandatory classes about sexual harassment. Calling someone 'sweetie' can be considered unacceptable and have consequences.
When the name is spoken by a family member, it's a term of endearment.
If spoken by a grocery clerk, for example, it can come across as the speaker being somewhat uneducated and overly familiar. The intent is harmless and it'd taken with a grain of salt.
If spoken by someone with a higher degree or rank to a subordinate it comes across as condescending, as in Obama's interaction with the reporter.
You men may not understand, but trust me, it's not a good feeling to be the recipient of this latter interaction. Obama would not want to alienate the media, they've been too good to him so far.

[misterbone]

Oh come on, how was the reporter in any way subordinate to Obama, in either rank or degree? Does she work for him? Actually, I think your "grocery clerk" example fits much better, both parties are on more or less equal social footing without any obligation or duty to the other. And yes, the intent was harmless. However, Obama deserves a scolding anyway for just poor manners.

[08timefortruth]

"You men may not understand, but trust me, it's not a good feeling to be the recipient of this latter interaction"

Well, I am a 57 year old female and I think if you are that easily offended you have some serious self-confidence problems..­.....Women acting that thin skinned are why I stopped identifying myself as a feminist years ago......it is very obvious he was not trying to intimidate or diminish her but lets blow it out of porportion and label him a sexist.....

[mhopgood123]

For God's sake! Sweetie is an endearment term. I would wish he called me that. Why does everything
have to be over- analyzed.? Why can't people be human? It shows he has a very gentle nature. His wife is a strong woman as can be. Why is there so much cynicism?

[anninroosevelt]

I have to tell you that I am always annoyed when I am called sweetie, honey, hon, or any other term of endearment by someone who has no right to use a term of endearment toward anyone who is not family. I strongly support Obama, which you may doubt, but most folks in this country need to learn how to speak respecfully to others, and when Senator Obama doesn't understand this, it needs to be pointed out. Better that a supporter point it out than someone who is against him. What I notice about the use of terms of endearment is that they are never directed at men, only women. When someone at the cash register calls me "hon" and calls the man behind me "sir" I think I am justified in being annoyed. I think Senator Obama needs to learn this simple fact.