Ed Rendell caught on a "hot mike"

[woolldog]

talking about the Gov of Arizona:

How many times have politicians been warned about the dangers of an open microphone? And yet, on Tuesday, the lectern mic at the National Governors Conference picked up this little nugget from Pennsylvania's Democratic Gov. Ed Rendell.

He's having a conversation near the lectern about President-elect Barack Obama's choice for to lead the Homeland Security Department, Arizona Gov. Janet Napolitano. Here is what Rendell said about Napolitano:

Rendell: Janet's perfect for that job. Because for that job, you have to have no life. Janet has no family. Perfect. She can devote, literally, 19-20 hours a day to it.

http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/12/02/campbell.brown.rendell/index.html

[woolldog]

1. what a dick....

[olkaz]

54. First comment on your own post.

Congratulations!

[woolldog]

73. Thank you.

:hug:

[ddeclue]

2. Well it's kind of a compliment..

but in a backhanded way...

Apparently she must be a very hard worker...

:)

[TheDebbieDee]

17. And as ineffective as that department has been since its

inception, that department will need a Secretary/Director that can spend 20 hours a day on the job!

[ddeclue]

21. We need to get rid of the Department of Fatherland Security

and restore our Constitution to its rightful place.

We already have a defense department and a justice department - we don't need this monstrosity that threatens our Consitution.

[beac]

44. Agreed. The 'uber alles' department has been a MONSTROUS failure.

I hope to see Napolitano find a good way to quickly dismember the giant under her care--- and then she can run for and win McNasty's AZ Senate seat. :)

[Hieronymus]

33. Huh? You'd react well if that were said about you?

[d_b]

3. Niiice

[FrenchieCat]

4. Why does CNN have to report everything.....

even dumb shit like this?

He may be ass, but they are asslier!

[gogoplata]

9. Are you suggesting they should have suppressed this?

[FrenchieCat]

15. Why not?

Who really gives a shit? Do you really think that Gov. Napalitano needs to have to answer publicly to this sillyness? Do you really think that she cares what Rendell thinks of her life? Does he really know her that well anyways? Should Rendell now be made to explain his comments?

A better question is why is CNN doing this? Because it fills airspace, and provides possible conflict where there is none?

Look....the economy is tanking, and yet CNN chooses to create a gotcha moment about something that is neither here nor there. :shrug:

[gogoplata]

23. {speechless}

[FrenchieCat]

25. Why? No one can read your mind.

If you got something to say about my statement, go for it. I'm a pretty good debater.....

[awoke_in_2003]

64. Yeah,

well I'm a master debater :)

[atimetocome]

79. +1

[AndrewP]

59. Exactly why I can't stand the MSM

There are so many important issues to worry about, but we'll get to listen to this story for a while.

[cwydro]

62. Well put. nt

[JuniperLea]

78. Suppress? How is it supressing...

to NOT tell something that is meaningless and was overheard as part of a private conversation? We used to call this ethics, not suppression.

[SwampG8r]

55. lol asslier....

new word of the day

[WI_DEM]

69. I agree it's a comment that didn't need to be reported for the world to hear

from a private conversation.

[atimetocome]

76. they are equal opportunity and report smut from both parties

[JuniperLea]

77. They are nothing more than a tabloid these days...

This sort of thing used to be beneath REAL news networks. Can you imagine all the stupidity caught on tape that we were never told for decades? I'm sure there was plenty, but back in the day, there were these things... what the heck are they? Hmmm... I think they were called ethics... I'm not sure... I've not used the term in regard to news networks in a very long time.

[Zynx]

5. What an asshole.

[faithfulcitizen]

28. you took the words right outta my mouth...unbelievable.

[Piperay]

6. That's a crappy

thing to say. :argh:

[ecstatic]

7. mean spirited and unnecessary. Shame on him! nt

[Jennicut]

8. I don't see the problem with that statement. you DO have more free time

if you don't have a family. My husband and I have two little ones and its exhausting and constant to take care of little kids. Not a lot of free time for outside stuff.

[mrreowwr_kittty]

13. Yes of course. People without kids have nothing better to do

Than spend all our time chained to our desks.

[Jennicut]

14. Not chained to your desks but you do have more time for work.

Okay, so Rendell was stupid and he is an ass sometimes but I don't think it was THAT big of a deal.

[woolldog]

19. The free time of those who don't have kids

is no less valuable than the free time of those who do.

[Captain Hilts]

18. I agree. No big deal. nt

[Hippo_Tron]

27. It's appropriate to say jokingly in private

Not when you're in public with a microphone that may or may not be live.

[Skittles]

32. the insinuation that single folk do not have lives

is fucked up

[alwysdrunk]

48. Single folk have freedom and options

If you choose to devote most of your time to work then you can. That's what I'm doing right now and it is the way I want to live right now. People with families don't have this option.

[Skittles]

83. just because a person has the TIME to devote to work

does not mean that is what they need to DO - SINGLE PEOPLE HAVE LIVES TOO OUTSIDE OF WORK

[jberryhill]

60. It seemed to be more a characterization of her personally, and not a generalization

Some people do throw themselves 100% into their work. In the long run, it's not always healthy, but the comment seems more directed to Janet Napolitano than single people generally.

[LisaL]

35. So what? People who have no children don't have a life?

For this job you have to have no life implies that Janet has no life. What a nasty thing to say.

[CTyankee]

50. She has nieces and nephews I think. She seems to be quite fond of them.

I recall seeing a photo taken of her with them and her talking about them.

I had a beloved aunt who never married and who would take me to the movies and talk to me about movie stars. I had fun with Aunt Lois and I loved her. She devoted time and energy to me in a quiet way.

Why can't we talk about Janet's family? A family is more than just your own kids...

[treestar]

80. This is why single people get asked to do so much stuff

Everybody assumes we have "nothing to do."

[Thrill]

Hearing that. Probably makes her feel like shit

[snowbear]

42. I wondered if she actually heard him?

And if she didn't, than I can see the point AtomicKitten was making.. Why didn't the CNN jerk just keep his trap shut?

Yeah, I know... they don't work that way.

[Avalux]

65. Nah - Janet wouldn't let such stupidity bother her.

Everyone knows Rendell talks out of his ass; she'd probably laugh at it.

[mrreowwr_kittty]

10. This is the kind of shit that makes us childless people really resent parents

:grr:

[leftinportland]

26. no worries...

I know how you feel but wait until those parents start paying for college.. they'll begin to resent you.
:)

[mrreowwr_kittty]

30. LOL! nt

[Phoonzang]

11. It's Ed Rendell, what do you expect?

He's an Archie Bunker-esque slimeball and I had instant dislike when the first time I saw him years ago. He's just one of those people you can look at and instantly despise.

[Hanse]

12. Are we sure he didn't know the mike was on?

Sounds like classic Rendell to me.

[woolldog]

16. check out the video of the incident in the link...

he just happened to be speaking next to a lectern that had its microphone on.

[AllentownJake]

20. Always keeping it classy my Govenor is

Can 2010 please come...

[JI7]

22. ASSHOLE , fuck you Eddie

[Ilsa]

24. Tacky, but not horrible. We've certainly heard worse on hot mics.nt

[demwing]

29. Wow. Slow news day? What a fuss over NOTHING.

Who cares, why bother.

[Billy Burnett]

31. Who's Mike? And why is he hot?

FYI, it's mic, not mike - when abbreviating microphone.

:hi:

[woolldog]

34. thanks

:rofl:

I wasn't sure how to spell it here.

[dkf]

36. I don't have a problem with this.

Kids are hard work. I watch my sister with her twins and I marvel at how exhausting it all is.

So I get the best of both worlds...I get to play aunty and then I get to go home :)


Yeah it depresses me sometimes to think I probably won't have kids, but it is what it is.

[woolldog]

37. I think what bothers some is the assumption

that because she has no kids, she has no life.

[dkf]

39. Having no life has more to do what how much you work.

I used to work from 8 in the morning to 10 at night and believe me...that is no life.

We hired a girl who gave birth at 41. She had problems because she had to drop off her baby at 7 and pick him up at 4, which made it impossible to work the hours my boss is used to. He gave her so much grief that she landed up quitting.

My boss is the kind of guy who will call me at 3 am on a Saturday because he didn't tell me he wanted something for a meeting.

So there are jobs you want to be dedicated to, and there are jobs you are forced to be dedicated to. And then you have no life.

[woolldog]

41. No you've got it backwards.

Reread his quote. He clearly says that she has no life and that's why she'd be good for the job.

[dkf]

49. My former co-worker had a life...so my boss didn't think

she'd be good for the job.

When I have no life, its good for the job.

Its kind of like those two things go together.

[MrSlayer]

38. I fail to see what's so bad about this.

Lots of occupations that involve compete dedication and focus are like that.

[LisaL]

40. Oh which ones?

Do list occupations for which you have to have no life.
:eyes:

[racaulk]

81. Try being an accountant for a big CPA firm from January to April.

You have no life. You get up, work 14-16 hours (or more), go to bed, and get up and do it again. Wash, rinse, repeat for 3 solid months.

I speak from experience - I did this for five years. I had friends and family literally tell me that they didn't know if I was dead or alive during that time, because I all but disappeared because of my work.

I suppose it's possible to have a life when you work like this, but it is very difficult to do so.

[smalll]

43. Relatedly, is Gov. Napolitano officially a lesbian?

I remember seeing her speak at the Dem convention this year. I've never seen anything so stridently butch. Our Christine Quinn (NY) is a perfect shrinking violet in comprarison (and kinda hot.)

[cali]

45. no she is not. she says she is not. And whether she is or isn't

I find your stereotyping really offensive. Oh, and I know women who are straight who present themselves much like Janet Napolitano.

[woolldog]

46. She's actually come out and said she's not

a lesbian? I find that hard to believe that she'd publicly address any rumors like that.

[Freddie Stubbs]

57. Single politicians tend to get that question

Just ask Charlie Crist or Barbara Mikulski.

[CreekDog]

47. To think they made fun of Biden for his gaffes

Biden is Lincoln compared to Rendell.

[ClarkUSA]

51. Again? During the convention, he compared Barack to Adlai Stevenson. How'd that turn out?

Jerk.

[spiritual_gunfighter]

52. I knew Ed Rendell was an asshole when he said

that Pennsylvanian's wouldn't vote for a black candidate in the Primary. He was sure wrong on that one.

[Odin2005]

53. I really hate the vitriol expressed towards childless people.

Such BS oozes influence from Judeo-Christian "screw and reproduce like rabbits" natalism.

[TK421]

82. +5...whatever that means...I think it's good

"Such BS oozes influence from Judeo-Christian "screw and reproduce like rabbits" natalism."

Beautifully put, I couldn't have said it better if I tried :applause:

[Renew Deal]

56. I get his point.

No matter how mangled it is. Hopefully he's right.

[SwampG8r]

58. he has an history of being wrong

on political decisions

[AtomTan]

61. I wish politicians would speak honestly on purpose.

What's really sad is that it's considered newsworthy that some asshole got caught saying what he was really thinking. Wouldn't it be helpful to us to always know what they were really thinking? Wouldn't we be better off if everyone who wants our money wasn't telling us what they thought we wanted to hear all the time?

Yeah, it would be nice to be able to fly and to change your ice-cream's flavor telepathically too.

[jberryhill]

63. "some asshole got caught saying what he was really thinking"

...and gets crucified for it.

Apparently, every random thought must be pure, or said politician will be crucified.

So then we weed out everyone who makes an occasional casual comment which can be blown up into some awful implication indicating that they have a deep character flaw, and end up with bland inoffensive nothings as politicians...

[AtomTan]

67. Exactly. Nicely said.

[LisaL]

85. I don't think he should be saying every thing that pops into his

head.

[Barack_America]

66. Sounds like somebody's jealous he didn't get tapped for a Cabinet spot.

:cry:

[woolldog]

84. Sorry,

but you're stuck with him. ;-)

[WI_DEM]

68. Rendell is a big blow hard

[Willo]

70. Wow Cambell rename that show "No Basis for the Bullshit:"

First, their headline on the story reads "Sexism sneaks in over open mic" Where'd that come from?

Second, Rendell's tone was matter-of-fact, not condescending or nasty. Whether or not he's accurate is another story.

I wonder about open mics. How much of what is said is passed on to us and why?

Democrats heed the warnings...don't get got!

[NashVegas]

72. Someone Should Ask Campbell Brown

How much of a life she had between her first gig, in Topeka, and her first big market gig, in Baltimore.

If politics was a job that *didn't* interfere with family life, there'd be a shitload more congressional staffers with a happy, healthy family life with wife/husband and three kids.

[Quixote1818]

88. I agree. nt

[Blackhatjack]

71. Parent or Childless, It is a job that requires 24/7 attention to do it right...

... and you cannot understate how crucial it will be to 'fix' all the problems.

The number of qualified individuals willing to put that kind of effort into doing the job would have to be very small.

[Quixote1818]

87. And if you have kids and took the job you would be a shitty parent

It's one thing when a person is only responsible for themselves but if they have family they need to be there for them especially the children.

[LisaL]

90. WTF are you saying? People who have children aren't supposed

to have a career?
:mad:

[Quixote1818]

91. Not in the least. But if the job requires you NEVER see your family

like Sec. of State, then if you have kids you shouldn't take it, mother or father. I doubt if you would have wanted your mother or father to take a job where they never had ANY time for you. It's just like the song goes:

I've long since retired, my son's moved away
I called him up just the other day
I said, "I'd like to see you if you don't mind"
He said, "I'd love to, Dad, if I can find the time
You see my new job's a hassle and kids have the flu
But it's sure nice talking to you, Dad
It's been sure nice talking to you"

And as I hung up the phone it occurred to me
He'd grown up just like me
My boy was just like me

And the cat's in the cradle and the silver spoon
Little boy blue and the man on the moon
When you comin' home son?
I don't know when, but we'll get together then son
You know we'll have a good time then

[jesus_of_suburbia]

74. He's an asshole. Even if she is straight, I see homophobia in his comment.

[BeyondGeography]

75. Dear Ed: Notice how you're never considered for any job at the national level?

[Quixote1818]

86. Would you rather someone who has kids take the job and neglect them

by never being around? I have to side with Rendell on this. When you have kids and a family you have a lot more responsibility to be around and take care of them.

Seems this fuss over nothing isn't polling so well: http://news.aol.com/article/rendells-private-comment-caught-on-mic/267194

Only 27% are bothered by Rendell's words.

[LisaL]

89. So now people who have kids and work neglet those kids?

:wtf:

[Quixote1818]

92. No, people who work too much do. nt