McCain apologizes after using the phrase 'tar baby'

[sabra]

http://www.cnn.com/POLITICS/blogs/politicalticker/2007/03/mccain-apologizes-after-using-phrase.html

McCain apologizes after using the phrase 'tar baby'

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Sen. John McCain, R-Arizona, issued an apology for his use of the phrase "tar baby" in response to a question he received at his mid-day town hall meeting in Cedar Falls, Iowa on Friday.

A questioner asked McCain whether as president he "would be bold enough to address the issue of equal access to children for fathers that have gone through divorce."

The Republican presidential candidate responded, "I'm sorry to disappoint you, I am not going to overturn divorce court decisions. That’s why we have courts and that’s why people go to court and get a divorce. If I as President of the United States said this decision has to be overturned without the proper appeals process then I would be disturbing our entire system of government... But for me to stand here before all these people and say that I'm going declare divorces invalid because someone feels that they weren't treated fairly in court, we are getting into a, uh, uh, tar baby of enormous proportions. For me to stand here before all these people and say that I'm going declare divorces invalid because someone feels that they weren't treated fairly in court, we are getting into a, uh, uh, tar baby of enormous proportions."

...

"I hope that it's not viewed that way," McCain said. "It was a situation where if I kept going on that I would then be overturning court decisions. I don't think I should have used that word and it was wrong to do so." (Watch Video: McCain uses phrase "tar baby," later apologizes

[theoldman]

1. Iraq is Bush's Tar Baby.

Personally I do not find the term offensive.

[saigon68]

35. The Tar Baby and Aunt Jemima

[TheCowsCameHome]

2. Didn't Mitt Romney have a "tar-baby" situation not long ago?

Must run in the genes...............

[TechBear_Seattle]

3. It is unfortunate that such a useful metaphor has racist connotations

When I hear that expression, I think immediately of Brer Rabbit stuck in a situation where his efforts to get unstuck only get him more stuck. The problem is that the expression has a far older meaning as a reference to anyone with very dark skin.

[onenote]

5. actually, I think the older meaning is the non-offensive one

From what I understand, the use of it as a racially offensive term came later.

[TechBear_Seattle]

17. You may be right

I checked the Wikipedia; while it is flagged as "citation needed", the text says that the racist connotations came latter. Still, it is unfortunate.

[Arkansas Granny]

7. Like you, I immediately think of the Brer Rabbit tale. I'm not sure

if these tales are even read in public schools anymore, so I suppose there are some who, not realizing the meaning of the reference, could be offended by the remark, but I wouldn't be one of them.

[Decruiter]

18. Same people who are offended by...

Niggardly.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Niggardly

Just ignorance... :shrug:

[Arkansas Granny]

20. I am assuming that the people who are offended are young

enough that they have not heard these terms in common usage before. If you aren't familiar with the words, I can see where offense could be taken.

[fishwax]

22. not necessarily

unlike niggardly, which just sounds like a slur, tar baby actually has a history of use as a racial slur. So some of the people who are offended may be unfamiliar with the original use of the term; others who are offended may be unfortunately too familiar with its appropriation as a slur.

[Dyedinthewoolliberal]

23. Here, here!

I agree, it has nothing to do with being a racial putdown. It's simply a situation that once entered, is nearly impossible to escape............

[Fridays Child]

4. Not quite a "macaca" moment but pretty damn telling.

[onenote]

6. not even close, and not particularly telling

You think that everyone who uses this phrase is secretly a racist?

[Bluebear]

11. Interestingly, I never hear it except from GOP candidates

It has fallen so far out of normal speech until every four years it seems to pop up.

[onenote]

28. if you look, you'll find others that have used it

including, among others, the late great Molly Ivins.
http://www.freepress.org/columns/display/1/2001/650

and Huffington
http://www.commondreams.org/views03/0528-07.htm

and Dan Rather
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2003/09/05/eveningnews/main571901.shtml

and Congresswoman Diane Watson (D-CA)
http://www.house.gov/apps/list/press/ca33_watson/pr050628.html

The phrase is often used to describe the situation in Iraq and the people using it aren't racists or repubs. They are using it with the meaning that it originally had and that a great many people ascribe to it.

[immoderate]

38. ** Applause **

Thanks for those references. A useful metaphor has to be avoided because of perceived racial connotations. I have never seen this used as a racial slur.

--IMM

[MGD]

8. self-delete

[earthside]

9. Another Reason to Bash McCain

I went back and re-read Joel Chandler Harris's Tales of Br'er Rabbit last time this got dusted-up into the news.

Harris was basically recording, writing down, tales from the oral culture of African-Americans in the south.

There is nothing 'racist' about the tar baby story.

In fact, in my opinion, it is rather snooty and condescending towards African-American folklore to try and turn this tale into some kind of off-limits 'political correctness' test. It always looks like the hypersensitive corporate media trying to create a bit of controversy where none really exists.

So, McCain should not have apologized or clarified ... another reason to bash McCain as a panderer.

And I'll keep using the term 'tar baby 'whenever is it germaine to the situation.

[MilesColtrane]

10. The tar baby story originated with the Ashanti tribe.

Kerry's used the term, as has Molly Ivins.

McCain might be a racist, but this doesn't indicate that he is.
If we're going to attack him, let's attack him for being a war monger and a Republican.

[MGD]

12. Let's just attack him for being John McCain and not worry about reasons.

[Psephos]

29. I prefer to have reasons for attacking

That goes for Iraq as well as for McCain (whom, btw, I am no fan of).

Our national politics are a mess because of this idiot attack mentality on both sides.

Meanwhile, this tar baby stuff shows only ignorance of history, literature, and English on the part of those who do not know its etymology.

Peace.

[MGD]

42. A.) He is an enemy of our ideals and principles and that is enough of a reason to attack him

This "tar bay stuff" does not, IMO, belie ignorance on anyone's part except, perhaps, John McCain's. The word "tar baby" may have had, at one time, innocent connotations; however, it has since evolved into a derogatory name for a black child and is used exclusively by hard core American racists. Similarly, the word "ni**er" was, at one time, a non-offensive word used by slave owners towards their slaves. It too has evolved into the mother of all derogatory names in America such that even words that sound like it such as "niggard" are generally considered inappropriate in public speech.

[silverweb]

13. I don't understand this.

Of course, not being black or from the south, I'm probably missing something... but the term is a literary reference to an old African-American folk tale and refers to "a stick situation."

I've read the story and can find no way to evoke anything racist from it. If anything, I'd consider it ANTI-racist because it comes from African-American literature, so I just don't get the racist connotation some see.

:shrug:

[classysassy]

14. You can run,but you can't hide.

all of the good ole boys know all of the code words.Instead of the N word,they cover their cowardly asses,by using other racist words.You damn right I am offended,and no I will not accept your apology.

[youngdem]

15. There needs to be a name for when a wingnut does this sort of pandering

McBain is pandering to the racist wing of the Republican Party. Every Repuke candidate does this to solidify their place with with the pointy hat base. They say some racist statement that can be semi-brushed off, and they play it one way in front of the home team and one way in front of the media and the general public.

This is so damn pathetic. McBain, you are washed up.

[Xithras]

16. Can someone explain why it's a racist term?

Seriously, I don't understand why Tar Baby has the negative connotations it does. I've never heard or seen it used against blacks, and my understanding is that it's popular usage comes from the Uncle Remus stories, which are themselves a collection of African folk tales.

Where did the racist connotations originate?

[Canuckistanian]

19. Must be a regional thing

To me 'tar baby' just meant something bad, a problem you just can't get rid of.

[superconnected]

24. It is a regional thing. I didn't find out tarbaby was a derrogatory name

for blacks until it came up on DU a few months ago.

Apparently it's more east coast than west coast.

[Bluebear]

27. AP news: "Considered by some a racial epithet,"

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070316/ap_on_el_pr/on_the2008_trail

McCain must have a guilty conscience and knew what he meant, hence his regret about using the phrase.

[Canuckistanian]

32. What's even more idiotic about this

Is that Tony Snow got spanked on this very issue less than a year ago.

Early onset of Alzheimer's?

[reprobate]

31. And a problem caused by one's own exaggerated ego.

[silverojo]

21. I apologize

For calling McCain a fat honky idiot. :evilgrin:

[daleo]

25. McCain should use the term "quagmire"

Well, maybe Republicans want to stay away from that one.

[area51]

26. "tar baby" phrase

I believe Tony Snowjob also used that phrase in his position as Bush spokeswhore.

[HuffleClaw]

30. what, were RABBITS offended?

geeze. that is just silly

[Occulus]

33. Silly people get offended at silly things.

I had a neighbor down the road growing up whose mother considered it rude to whistle in the house.

The "outrage" and "offense" people are experiencing over this is fake.

[DemGa]

34. Not the first time using the term "tar baby" has been a real "tar baby"

I think I'll just stay away from it.

[Az_lefty]

36. if he had said morass, someone would have thought "more ass"..

then he'd really have some explaining to do.

[silverweb]

40. LOL

Too true!

:rofl:

[Jersey Ginny]

37. His stance on the Iraq war and his coddling of the fundies is more important

I don't see, in the context of his comment, where that was particularly offensive. I may be naive though as I'm not Af American.

[knight_of_the_star]

39. I wouldn't think its racist

Except in the manner in which he's saying it because he is tripping over himself a bit before saying the phrase. I thought of the Brer Rabbit story in reference to the phrase honestly.

[Alexander]

41. I was much more disturbed by his use of the word "gook"

to describe Vietnamese people back in 2000.

And then instead of apologizing, saying "That's the nicest thing I can say about them".

:puke:

[sarcasmo]

43. Kick, well at least he didn't say Misses Butterworth.

[orpupilofnature57]

44. McCain has gone the way of the Dodo bird ,mostly for selling hs soul to Shrub.

This is just one more way to exemplify the way he thinks.