Has Dick Armey Apologized Yet for Being a Pig to Joan Walsh?

I've met Dick Armey before and chatted amiably enough with him in some Washington green room or on the way in or out. Then again, I'm a white male with some gray hair and I wasn't showing the Great Man the extreme discourtesy of daring to argue substantively with him.

That's what Joan Walsh did in an instantly infamous segment on Hardball with Chris Matthews earlier this week. She challenged Armey - in a crisp and controlled and on-point way - and Armey completely lost it, showing in one remarkable sequence just how accurate our worst assumptions about some of these old Republican hacks in Washington really are.

One, Dick Armey clearly has to make a sincere apology not only to Joan Walsh and Matthews, but to all women - that's how offensive his remarks to Joan were. Bob Herbert of the New York Times immediately called for an apology on the same Hardball show as Armey's offending remarks, bravely going out of his way to comment that his "sexist comments" were "out of line" - but where is the apology?

Two, Every booker for every cable talk show who is considering inviting Armey to appear should have to watch the entire Walsh-Armey segment over and over again for an hour before bringing the cynical old hack back.

Armey's comment was actually much worse than people seem to be noticing: What could he possibly mean by saying, "I am so damn glad that you could never be my wife, 'cause I surely wouldn't have to listen to that prattle from you every day.'"

Forget giving the man a break here. He veered in a very offensive direction on national TV and is enough of a veteran of the circuit to know just what he was doing - and just what he might be risking. So it's fair to ask: What did he mean by "'cause I surely wouldn't have to listen to that prattle from you ever day"?

My friend Sepp saw that and, immediately commented, "That means he wouldn't have to listen to that prattle because he'd be giving her the back of the hand."

What do you think, Huffington Post readers? What OTHER conclusion can one draw? He wouldn't have to listen to the "prattle" (ie, intelligent discussion which doesn't happen to agree with the pure B.S. Armey himself was spewing on the show) because ... why not, exactly?

Many make the same connection. One comment high up at the YouTube site for the clip of the exchange reads: "That bitch needs to get slap! GO DICK!!!"

Feel pretty proud of that, Leader? (Once powerful hangers-on like Armey like to have their titles used, forever ...)

Aren't we back to the same kind of ugly shock triggered by some of the weird comments made about Hillary Clinton during the primaries? Doesn't the reality of the undertone of sexism that came to the fore then mean that people like Dick Armey should be more careful, rather than more reckless, in letting their inner swinishness shine forth for the world?

Armey used his sexism as a weapon because he was cornered: He didn't like Joan talking about Republican "boot-licking" of Rush Limbaugh, because when you're down on your knees, gravel digging into your kneecaps as you lick every last square-inch of those boots, you kind of find it embarrassing to have people remind you that that's what you're doing.

For the whole segment, the teaser on the screen was, "Does Rush Rule the GOP?" Short answer: Obviously, at this point, he does. What great news for those of us hoping for ineffectual and self-defeating Republican opposition to Obama and Democratic efforts to move forward from the bad old days of serial gridlock and fake, cynical nonpartisanship (Joe Lieberman, with everything he does, Armey, talking about "income redistributionists" of both parties, as if he were Mr.-Chillin-Out-in-the-Middle, trying to bring everyone together.)

The Republicans are giving nobody any reason to take them seriously right now - and Armey's clip should be replayed over and over to make that point. This is who these people ARE.

To recap, here were the substantive arguments by Armey and Walsh.

Armey: "DON'T LET POLITICS DEFINE ANYTHING. POLITICS IS SILLY! IT'S INANE! And practitioners of politics are people to - take what amusements you can from them, but don't take them seriously."

So, taken at his word, if one translates those remarks, Armey was saying we shouldn't listen to a word he says because it's all just a game for him, and for the other complacent codgers in Washington who can't seem to grasp that the power equation has changed, because the people have spoken and voted for CHANGE.

Joan, sensibly, replied to Armey by making just that point:

"But this is serious business. The economy is a wreck and it's been wrecked by the Bush White House and by Republicans in Congress with a lot of Democratic help."

Armey, bizarrely, bleated, "Oh, give it a rest."

Joan: "President Obama has a mandate for change. Your people have stood in his way. They're standing in his way on Capitol Hill right now. And Rush Limbaugh is making ridiculous statements and Republicans are crawling to him and grovelling. That's the state of our economy and our world right now, Representative Armey, and it's sad."

And it was right THERE that Armey outed with his bizarre "wife" comment, after first laughing and generally carrying on as Joan was trying to speak, sounding more like a frat boy wanting to skip out of a boring poli sci lecture so he could tap the keg early.

Pressure must be brought to bear on Armey. Al Campanis was widely seen in baseball as a good man who had done much for African-Americans in the game when he had his famous Nightline meltdown, making the inexcusable remark about some players lacking the "necessities." Personally, I find Armey's remarks almost as offensive as what Campanis said - and I hope I'm speaking for many Huffington Post readers when I say: Please, spare us from having to hear this cynical old blowhard on any of these shows EVER AGAIN!

Comments

[VillagesNancy]

Well, as a woman who has ideas of her own and tried to keep up with the news I find that a totally degrading comment. My guess is that he couldn't think of anything to say and came up with that.

My husband used to be exactly the same way but eventually he relialized that I might really have an intellligent though if my "woman's brain."

Good for Joan - keep it up.

For readers, from what I know of Steve he always listens to and respects women and their idea.

[SethBLiNK]

I don't book a talk show, but if I did, I'd book Armey right away and put him next to a woman who would slam back with something equally insulting. Isn't that what talk shows do?

[Steve Kettmann - Huffpost Blogger]

Actually, in Europe, where I live, there are many talks shows where people actually appear and have - I know this will be hard to believe - relatively informed, intelligent discussions that range widely and manage to provide fodder for a deeper understanding of an issue without, for the most part, engaging in cheap insults and other TV-era shtick.
As I said earlier, Dick Armey earns my scorn not just because he made what an apologist for him (hi there, Chris Wallace!) might call a dumb joke, but because of the combination of utter vapidity in his argumentation (with his claim that basically everything that everyone in politics says is nonsense and should be ignored) with a comment that struck me as gratuitous and offensive. It's ALL the guy had.

[SethBLiNK]

Well, yeah, sure, in Europe.

A few years back, Jon Stewart slammed Tucker Carlson and (I think) Paul Begalla, for the kind of political talk shows that just allow people to express contempt for each other's argument without even making an attempt to reach across lines and change hearts and minds.

Since then, little has improved, though Stewart still provides a forum where people can discuss divergent ideas intelligently, albeit in a comedy format.

As long as we have shows that reach for ratings by appealing to the lowest common denominator, you'll see shameful displays like this one because controversy means ratings.

[ReaganDem]

Chris Wallace disagrees with your take. He thinks Dick Armey's comment to Joan Walsh was "pretty funny," as Think Progress reported.

Here's an excerpt:

"Appearing on Mike Gallagher’s radio show today, Fox News host Chris Wallace said that it’s “pretty funny” that “feminists” are now “very angry” over what Armey said. “It’s hysterical,” replied Gallagher:

GALLAGHER: Now, now, feminists are very angry that he said, “I’m glad you couldn’t be my wife.” I mean…

WALLACE: It’s pretty funny actually.

GALLAGHER: It’s hysterical. Do you know how many times a week I say, “thank God I don’t have to wake up next to her.” I mean some of these callers, these shrews that call.

Here's the link:

http://thinkprogress.org/2009/01/30/wallace-armey-funny/

[Bulbul]

Well , so much can be accomplished , not having a TV. Sitting in Cincinnati , satellite up there went dark for a week. Now reading your post, I could not belive what I just heard. What this obnoxious man said was was not acceptable. Even for Dick it was low, and he never appologized ! The slap actually came was Joan , who always maintains her dignity but never shy away from making a point. Once I heard her back and forth with Christopher Hitchens, but the argument never hit such low point.

[robXdion]

You and your friends misunderstood the insult. Armey meant if she could've been his wife he would have to listen to her prattle all day, so he's glad that possibility doesn't exist. In your rush to be indignant you and others read more into this. There was no sinister threat here. But yes, he was out of line.

[Steve Kettmann - Huffpost Blogger]

Glad we agree that he was out of line! I'm still not sure how Armey intended his remarks to come across, but I'm sure that reasonable people could come to a number of conclusions on that count - the old thing about how four different people are going to see any one exchange their own four ways.
In reply to some other comments, though, I will say they are probably right - As much as I would like never again to have to hear Armey's blandly annoyed cries of "Give it a rest!" the fact is, it would be good for Obama and the Democratic Party if Armey were on all the time, all over the place.

[katmeyster]

As a woman I was highly offended by Dick Armey's comments. But this is common. This is normal. This is how a lot of men think. It just wasn't normal to hear it so blatantly stated on television. Women prattle, women are loud, women cackle, women nag, women are aggressive, women are getting out of their place, women have opinions: women are getting uppity. Don't get so upset, Steve, calm down, you don't need to get hysterical over this. I'll go get you a pill.

[FatBoy1953]

Not a lot of men think that way. There are too many mouth-breathing knuckle-draggers out there but they are nowhere near a majority. You protest too much....

[katmeyster]

See what I mean....

[InternationalObserver]

I agree that the comment is wrong but I'm uncertain that he needs to make an apology. As others have noted Armey made a dick of himself and Walsh jumped in straight away and took no BS. She won kudos and he looked like an idiot.

The point of your blog seems to be that you wish us to 'connect the dots' and infer that what Armey really meant that if Walsh was his wife he wouldn't have to listen to her comments because he'd give her a slap (or worse) if she did.

I think you're drawing a pretty long bow, and making yourself look silly in the process. It negates the other points you make.

[Nonamnesiac]

It's fun to watch "Stupid White Men" (named by Michael Moore) more prone than ever to exhibiting screaming irrational fits as their strongly held beliefs, most of which have been wrong and merely mask a bullying, self-serving "might-makes-right" mentality, are exposed for their wholesale lack of intelligence. To paraphrase Charley Rangel: -- George Bush and Dick Armey prove that "White Male Supremacy" is a myth. Now we watch the Dick Armeys, the Joe Scarboroughs, the Dylan Ratigans, the McGurks and of course some 4 IQ types who are kings of those 2 IQs and stupider than everyone else but those 2 IQs -- Pat Buchanan, Sean Hannity, Rush Limbaugh, Mark Levin -- simply scream louder and more irrationally as Armey did at Joan Walsh. Sorry guys, your lying, fearmongering, anti-scientific, superstitious bigotry has been exposed. You can now take your places with your ancestors who promoted witch trials, Inquisitions and general know-nothingism. Bye.

As for apologies, when those "Stupid White Men" do apologize, it's only tactical anyway. It usually means their automatic weapon has jammed or they are outgunned at the moment.

[ReaganDem]

All too true.

[TotallyAmazed]

No, Steve, I still don't thing an apology is necessary. I'm a fan of Joan Walsh's and she always handles herself very well. She stays on point and she is considerate. The way Armey acted only proved to exaggerate her graciousness, as she continued to carry on the debate. His snippy snickering and eye-rolling showed what an old guy out of touch looks like. To force a (non-sincere we can be certain) apology out of him would diminish her, I think. It would make it look as is she can't take care of herself, and, she did take care of herself quite well. She mentioned the remark and accentuated the 'Sir' as the spoke it.

As rude and condescending as Dick Armey was, he didn't cross any lines with bad language and he didn't say anything more than he thinks she prattles on, and that he wouldn't want to be married to her and have to listen to that (perceived) prattle every day. I was watching HARDBALL when it happened, and I thought he meant he 'surely wouldn't WANT to listen to that...'.

It's only my take on it, but I doubt that Walsh expects or desires an apology from Armey.

[Steve Kettmann - Huffpost Blogger]

Thanks for the comment, and I'm sure you're right that Joan doesn't expect - and may well not even want - an apology from Armey. I'm guessing she would like this whole thing just to go away. Whatever Armey meant exactly, I agree with Bob Herbert's immediate assessment that Armey was "out of line," and I'm less concerned about what Armey might try to say in his own defense and more concerned that other bookers think twice before putting him on the air again. It would be one thing if he had obvious strengths as an analyst, which could be balanced against his willingness to come across as wildly inappropriate. He doesn't.

[TotallyAmazed]

Thank you for the reply, Steve - that was very nice.

As for Armey getting bookings - I say, let him get booked all over the place. As we saw with the Republican presidential ticket last year, sometimes a gift really does keep giving and giving - maybe Armey's the same way. ha. Let Mr. Armey show up everywhere acting just as daffy as he did last week. I totally agree with you - he doesn't seem to have any strengths as an analyst. I pretty much disagree with most of the Republican alalyst, but they don't all act like loons. If Dick Armey is what they got going for them, the GOP is in sadder shape than we've been told.

[MsLiz]

The insult has been done better:

Sir, if you were my husband, I would poison your drink. --Lady
Astor to Winston Churchill
Madam, if you were my wife, I would
drink it. -- His reply

[2008CaliforniaFan]

Of course the 'old white guy' (GOP) had no 'intelligent' response or answer. They havn't had one for eight years. And how they ha te the fact that History tells us how stu pid and inept their ideas were. They get flustered, beligerant and offended that we would dare call them on it.
The facts don't matter to them..if they repeat the nonsense long enough they believe it to be true.
They are offen sive to everyone (not Just women).. they think they are the ' entitled Ones'.

[larry278]

"On, brave old Armey team...", sorry, another typo.

[ReaganDem]

I hope Bob Herbert calls Armey on this in his Times column as well.

[jadeba]

Bob Herbert was great - he was on it immediately. What a class act. Armey had nothing worth saying and he knew it - so he spun into idiocy mode. I didn't take it to mean he'd slap Joan around, he was trying to demean her and by demeaning her, turn her well thought out discourse into meaningless drivel (which is what he was sputtering).

Interesting that he'd use the "wife" thing - as if he's such a catch and this really, really hurt Joan's feelings! I mean, who'd want to marry him anyway, George Clooney he is not.

[raker]

It's been my experience that decent people who behave like pigs may apologize for their piggishness, but people who are piggy to the bone never apologize for being pigs. In fact, they feel pretty good about it. I would not expect an apology from Dick Armey.