Remark made by Riordan, and the screwed up press

[still_one]

I saw the tape, Riordan was joking with the girl, by playing dumb. The little girl asked him do you know what my name means, and Riordan was playing dumb so the little girl would tell him. Yes, it was a stupid comment, but it was not said in the way it is being presented.

Listen I am no fan of this administration, both at the federal or state level, but the news is being distorted

[skooooo]

1. I think your point...

...is mostly on target. However, he needs to be held accountable for his actions. He's lucky the girl wasn't upset. I think he should get a desk job or just retire (looks like he's old enough) - obviously he's not up to public appearances

[still_one]

6. I agree it was not appropriate, and girl didn't take it that way

but Riordan is not a racist.

[Khephra]

2. When you play dumb

You don't answer with insults. No matter how you parse it, "little dirty girl" is insulting, especially when it's considered that he said it to a 6 year old and that he's the Education Secretary.

[Hoping4Change]

4. Exactly. He could easily have said something like "it means

pretty butterfly". That he came up with something so mean and belittling says alot about him.

[lukasahero]

19. Exactly again.

It's not that he was teasing her, it's the words he chose to use. Why not "pretty little girl" instead of "stupid, dirty girl"? Same number of syllables but entirely different meaning. Who the hell thinks "stupid, dirty girl" is an appropriate response to a child regardless the intent?

For the record, the press I'm hearing is saying that the Dems were going to to go after him for "racist" comments until they learned that the girl was white. So he's not racist, just a jerk.

[Neshanic]

21. Exactly, any of us here would of said, "pretty flower" or such.

He has serious mental problems, considering the venue, and what he is, or pretends to be.

[Dogmudgeon]

3. Distorted AGAINST Republicans? Good!

The GOP never cut a Democrat any slack in the humor department; why should Democrats cut them any slack for it -- especially for playing dumb by calling a little girl names?

The kid's name was Isis. It's not too hard on the imagination to understand how Riordan could have easily been venting his Christian outrage against hippie and New Ager parents.

Hey, I'll back off if THEY'll back off.

--bkl

[still_one]

8. Are we as bad as them

I am from California, and Riordan is no racist. In fact he was more liberal than Grey Davis.

Reporting what he did is fine, but implying that he is a racist is bullshit.

This story gets headlines, but casulaties in Iraq, or appointments by racist judges are hardly mentioned, and affect us all...

[bossfish]

12. Riordan screwed up...

But I don't think it was a racist comment. If I recall correctly, he and the girl were in the same room. He is white, the little girl is white or at least has an Italian sounding last name.

Riordan has done some insensitive things like eating the hamburger while addressing hunger strikers, but he is one of the more palatable pubs out here in Cali.

He could have been governor except the state GOP couldn't stomach his pro-choice stance and nominated the numbskull Bill Simon (had famous daddy, bad businessman and overtly "pious" - that seems to be the formula) in the last guv election (pre-recall).

[Dogmudgeon]

15. As bad as Riordan?

No, not at all, especially if you think he's not that bad.

This is a minor issue, not one likely to get him fired, let alone end his career in politics. If the Press is taking him to task for his callous behavior, fine. It's not like the Democratic party has lined up in favor of his public destruction.

It's more of a case of, "what do you expect?" The GOP has spent years making simple mistakes like this a matter of life and death for Democrats. They should complain when they get their own foot caught in the trap? Let them suffer their "consequences" like anyone else. Maybe they will be moved to a little compassion on their own.

--bkl

[dansolo]

18. I was thinking more sexist than racist

A phrase like "dirty little girl" seems awfully sexist to me.

[Bandit]

5. Riordan is a big boy playing big boy politics..He should know better

There is no excuse. Either he is just plain coarse or stupid. Either way it is unacceptable for a politician of his stature.

[skooooo]

7. Yup..i'll agree with that..

...hope we find out what happens about this.

[rocktivity]

9. Calling her dirty and stupid is joking?

As a public service, Mr. Riordan, THIS is how you joke with a young child:

"Aunt Rocknation, guess who made the muffins?"

"Ummm--Ewah?"

"Noooo!!! Cats can't cook!"

"Uh--Miss Piggy?"

"Noooo! She's on TV!"

"Kenya?"

"She's a baby!"

"Who made them, then?"

"Me!"

"YOU???? :wow: But you have to be a big girl to be able to make muffins!"

You see? You bolster their egos and make them think a little, but they're too busy laughing to notice!

I would have said something to Isis like "Uh--kitty cat? Elephant? Chocolate cake? Eygptian goddess? You're an Egyptian Goddess? Wow! Pleased to meet, you, your majesty!"

On edit: For the record, I don't think Rioardan meant to be racist any more than he meant to be insulting--but that's the way it looks. As a public figure in this day and age who is in charge of educating our children, he simply should have known better!

:headbang:
rocknation

[leesa]

10. What possible reason could you have for saying something like that?

Sorry, but it makes no sense.

[still_one]

11. Did you see the tape?

I do not agree with what he said, but when the little girl said do you know what Isis means, instead of his response he should have said "no" with a perplexed expression, instead he gave a stupid answer, that can be inferred as racist, but he is not a racist.

There is more news made about this than about the "Democrats" allowing the last two RACISTS judges appointments.

Tell me, what affects more people?

[Shakespeare]

27. Yes, I HAVE seen the tape.

Riordan's comments were highly inappropriate and completely bizarre. They're a sympton that something's not quite right with the guy, and he probably doesn't need to be heading up the state's education department.

The tape is sensational, and that's why it's getting so much airplay. If a judicial nominee were that sensational--as, for example, Thomas and Bork were--then they'd get that level of coverage. I don't like that fact, but that's the way the media/audience relationship goes.

[AP]

24. My local news hand expert on saying maybe he has Alzheimers.

It was kind of an amusing twist on how RW'ers are always saying liberals who care about people are psychos.

Now we have RW'ers showing how they don't care about people, and liberal experts are suggesting they have medical problems.

What's good for the goose...

[zbdent]

13. In an effort to be "fair and balanced", the article also points out

about the Dem state rep who wanted to do a "civil rights suit", saying "Would he have said the same thing to a little white girl?".

Whoops on the Dem, the little girl was white.

Just so the lurking freepers can't say we're ignoring the total story.

[Khephra]

16. That was brought up in the BN thread on the topic

So we haven't been ignoring it.

:-)

[zbdent]

23. Just remembered, my point about "fair and balanced" was that

the news report had to be fair and take a shot at a Dem for saying something stupid, too.

[LizW]

17. The Dem probably jumped to that conclusion because

Repugs usually do their photo ops with black children. :evilgrin:

[AlCzervik]

14. I live a little south of Sacramento

every day the newspaper is running something on this story. Here is today's article.

http://www.sacbee.com/content/politics/ca/story/9933366p-10855351c.html

[Neshanic]

20. Yes, little girls know sick republican humor at mile away.

[redqueen]

22. That is in NOT an appropriate 'joke' to make with a FOUR year old

She was hurt. Her mom said she's okay now and it's no big deal, so that's good.

However, this man should NOT in ANY way be in charge of education... maybe the janitorial service or food service areas or something, but not the whole department. He's shown he does not have the qualifications to lead the state's educational system.

[UdoKier]

25. I think it was a 6 year old, but it is a pretty stupid thing to say.

Weird guy, Riordan...

[redqueen]

26. Oops you're right

Thanks for the correction. As you say, it's still wholly inappropriate. IMO he should be removed from his position for it.

[Longhorn]

28. It's his "non-apology" apology that bothers me the most.

From what I recall from the article I read, he said, "I'm sorry for the misunderstanding." I think he should have said, "It was a lame attempt at humor -- an utterly stupid thing to say, not at all, in fact, what I was thinking, and I'm very sorry."

When things like this happen, I try to imagine what my response would be if the person in question was a Democrat. It doesn't make the infraction okay but it causes me to stop short of projecting the person's transgression upon the entire party.

[redqueen]

29. Does anyone have a trasncript of the 'immediate apology'?

It's curious this part hasn't been reported on too thoroughly.

[Connie_Corleone]

30. I saw the tape

You're right, he was joking. BUT, you don't say something like that to a 6 year old. Good thing she's smarter than Riordan and just thought he was the stupid one.

[rumguy]

31. You don't call a child dirty and stupid

Riordan is either just a total slimy creep, or he's in the early stages of dementia...

I haven't seen the video. Maybe it doesn't sound as 'bad' when you actually hear it.

It's still really stupid and inappropriate.