TV Schedule

Obama: says sorry for 'Sweetie' comment


  3. muckraker
  4. related topics
Barack Obama has personally apologized to a Michigan television reporter for referring to her as "sweetie" as she tried to ask a question.

The comment came earlier Wednesday when WXYZ reporter Peggy Agar asked Obama at a campaign stop, “How are you going to help the American auto workers?”

Obama told Agar to "hold on, sweetie," and said he would address that issue with her later. Agar said she never got an answer to her question.

According to WXYZ, Obama personally left a voice message for Agar Wednesday afternoon, apologizing for both not answering the question and for calling her "sweetie."

"That's a bad habit of mine," Obama said in the message. "I do it sometimes with all kinds of people. I mean no disrespect and so I am duly chastened on that front.

"Feel free to call me back. I expect that my press team will be happy to try to make it up to you whenever we are in Detroit next," he added.

Obama also took some heat in Pennsylvania last month for referring to a factory worker as "sweetie."
muckraker

13 responses // Obama: says sorry for 'Sweetie' comment

  • Yeah, I was with my friend and I called here babe. Heh. Sorry ladies! It just sorta slips. . . .
    CarlosIsDown
  • CNN continues to report the important "news" stories! Give me a break. I think the story is that he called the reporter back to answer her question. Don't get me wrong, I can see how a powerful politician referring to someone as "sweetie" is easily viewed as sexist. I don't know Obama personally but I can only assume that he was using the term endearingly.
    Hawkmang
  • I've been called worse things. Wow, must have really been a slow news day here in Michigan.
    patsarts
  • really??
    keeshii768
  • term of endearment
    keithponder
  • If Senator Clinton called me sweetie I would do a shot with her too...
    jimmyp
  • Its not sexist if he uses it with both men and women. Its a rather personal term of address - I mean would you cann Hillary Clinton 'sweetie' if you met her? No, not likely. Its an easy way of talking down to a woman, in the way you talk to children with terms like 'kiddo' or the like. You don't call someone you respect as a peer or equal with the word, and that's where I have a problem with it. I'm not saying a reporter is a peer of a presidential candidate, but I am saying that it becomes a gender issue if he only says it to one sex, you know what I mean? I wouldn't allow my boss to call me sweetie, and especially not 'baby', that is truly disrespectful. I don't think alot of guys get that calling a woman 'baby' is saying they are weak and in need of being cared for - think about it, would you want to be called 'baby'?
    Also, playing in to the whole thing, if there was nothing wrong with him saying it, why did he call to apologize? Seriously, if you know it could be taken wrong, don't do it, you know what I mean?
    alicynx
  • i call 'em sweetie too.

    know it's wrong, still do it. works for some not for others. when it happens, it's bad.

    f'n enculturated habits.
    chet_arthur
  • to be fair, a waitress at the bar i just got inebriated at called another female sweetie and there was no discord.

    double standards?
    chet_arthur
  • give me a break, have they ran out of things to bash Obama for.

    OBAMA FOR PRESIDENT!
    janeyjoejustice
  • What a puss! I never apologize unless they get pissed when I slap 'em on the ass.
    Liberal_Extinction
  • As a female who calls everyone (including employees) honey, sweetheart and babe, I just don't see the problem. Then again, I only use those terms with people I know, is it the lack of familiarity or the fact that a man said it to a woman that sets everyone off? Or do people just need something to whine about that distracts from the real issue?
    Hellssatans
  • I always get busted for this ...
    derk

Add your response

Login/Registration is required to add a response.