Grassley Cracks Sex Joke At Hearing: "People Always Say I Have The Ability To Turn People On"

Congratulations to Senator Chuck Grassley for cracking what may be the best one-liner so far at the Sotomayor confirmation hearings; best of all, it was a sexual innuendo. Following an interruption by an anti-abortion protester during Grassley's questioning of Judge Sonia Sotomayor, Senator Patrick Leahy gave him back the floor, promising the Iowa senator that the clock had been stopped on his time. Grassley, acknowledging that the protest erupted while he was speaking, said with a smile, "People always say I have the ability to turn people on." Everyone in the room immediately burst into loud laughter, and Sotomayor, in particular, seemed to appreciate a moment of humor amid a long day of tense questioning.

Comments

[IAMGeorgeBailey]

02:02 AM on 07/15/2009

I got it...Charles Grassley is Noah Cross (John Huston) in Chinatown.

[longislandlol]

01:49 AM on 07/15/2009

Yuk YUk

[AuntiepoppyCock]

01:40 AM on 07/15/2009

I hear he says that at funerals and in low income senior buildings.

[stepper]

12:26 AM on 07/15/2009

Let me get this straight: While Grassley was talking an anti-abortion protester interrupted. Neither the gender of the protester or the topic of discussion are mentioned. Grassley then said "People always say I have the ability to turn people on."

Sorry folks. I think I'm missing something here. Can someone explain the joke to me? If the protester was a woman, is the joke that she only spoke because of how turned on she was by Grassley (even if she shouted words of disapproval and probably got arrested for it?) If the subject was abortion, is the joke that abortion is really all about sex and Grassley had gotten a reaction with his "dirty talk?"

Or is it possible no one else jn the chamber got the joke either, but understood he was attempting to be funny, and laughed anyway? Nah, that would mean Washington is overflowing with pathetic sycophants.

[Jamchinadian]

07:49 AM on 07/15/2009

I think Sotomayor was laughing AT him Not With him.

[talkingdog]

12:07 AM on 07/15/2009

Vomit in the mouth,........yuck!

[greenie 61]

11:46 PM on 07/14/2009

::puke::

[GerryS]

11:11 PM on 07/14/2009

yuck, what a sleeze ball-------

[michael d]

10:59 PM on 07/14/2009

It made me cringe, but not really newsworthy.

[ClaraKCMO]

11:07 PM on 07/14/2009

right, Evan Bayh maybe (MAYBE) could have pulled that off; but GRASSLEY?

ICK!

[Promise]

09:22 PM on 07/14/2009

Much to do about nothing.

[TotallyAmazed]

09:17 PM on 07/14/2009

There was nothing sexist in that humorous comment, that I saw. He was making a joke on himself, that's all. Grassley's not one of my favorite senators, but he didn't make a sexist joke in this situation. He was just commenting on possibly saying something that got the protester excited. He put a sexual bend to it, but so what? Sodomayor's a grown woman - I think she can take a joke like that without going nuts.

[wideawakenow]

11:45 PM on 07/14/2009

Even though I'm not a fan of Huff Post's ever increasing sensationalizing of headlines, the headline above said sex joke, not sexist joke, FYI.

[girlwild]

09:07 PM on 07/14/2009

Thank goodness white male power is becoming extinct. I, for one, am sick to death of it.

[Georgiapundit]

09:59 PM on 07/14/2009

I have a feeling that Obama is simply an anomaly. After him, things will get back to normal.

[girlwild]

10:17 PM on 07/14/2009

Not really, or the white males wouldn't be squealing so loudly.

[denicci1977]

08:17 PM on 07/14/2009

Ewww like who ?

[kenechee]

07:54 PM on 07/14/2009

It was sexist. Period.

[Blexican]

08:30 PM on 07/14/2009

How?

[kenechee]

08:46 PM on 07/14/2009

If she was a man, he would not have said that. Suppose the congressman was Frank, and the nominee was a man. Its a comment that refers to sex in our culture. I would like to see a male congressman say that to a male nominee.

[jimmy19]

08:47 PM on 07/14/2009

Sure, he just wanted to push the desk away and make love to Sotomayor... What a bunch of BS, it was a joke you fem nut.

[kenechee]

09:11 PM on 07/14/2009

No it was sexist. Maybe since you are not on the receiving side you don't notice. Women do.

[openhand]

07:04 PM on 07/14/2009

Not a good day for the GOP when you are trying to paint your opponent as dangerous and then she shares your joke and has a beautiful smile that will be played over and over.

[Collielady]

07:49 PM on 07/14/2009

Agree. She showed herself to be more appealing and human in those few seconds than hours of talking could ever convey. Anyone who didn't like her before watching this clip, surely will find her likable now.

[barackobama4prez]

06:56 PM on 07/14/2009

Gross and nasty. Who lays with this man?

[hypnus]

07:06 PM on 07/14/2009

I’ll give you a hint. It has wool and it isn’t a blanket.

[mafina]

07:36 PM on 07/14/2009

LOLROFL, and it walks on all four.