The recent sexist gaffe by Ed Rendell made me remember how annoying he was throughout the primary, not to mention the general election campaign.
For those who forgot here is a reminder:
“You’ve got conservative whites here, and I think there are some whites who are probably not ready to vote for an African-American candidate,” the Governor said, ironically, to a black reporter. “I believe, looking at the returns in my election, that had Lynn Swann [2006 Republican gubernatorial candidate] been the identical candidate that he was — well-spoken, charismatic, good-looking — but white instead of black, instead of winning by 22 points, I would have won by 17 or so.” (link).
and
“I don’t want to be selfish,” Rendell told CNN. “But I’m still a little nervous, so I have asked Obama to come back. We understand he’s got demands from 20 different states, but we’d like to see him here.” (link)
and
“Ladies and gentleman, the coverage of Barack Obama was embarrassing,” said Rendell, in the ballroom at Denver’s Brown Palace Hotel. “It was embarrassing.”
Rendell, an ardent Hillary Rodham Clinton supporter during the primaries, now backs Obama in the general election. Brokaw and Rendell began debating campaign coverage, including the on-air comments by Lee Cowan, and when MSNBC came up, Rendell went after the cable network.
“MSNBC was the official network of the Obama campaign,” Rendell said, who called their coverage “absolutely embarrassing.”
Chris Matthews, Rendell said, “loses his impartiality when he talks about the Clintons.”
At that point, PBS’s Judy Woodruff, who was moderating the moderators event, said: “Why don’t we let Governor Rendell sit down.” (link)
and
“If Senator Clinton wins Ohio, Texas, Pennsylvania, Florida and Michigan, how can you conclude anything other than the fact that she’s the strongest candidate . . . .” (link)
not over yet . . .
“With people who have a lot of gifts, it’s hard for people to identify with them,” the governor said. “Barack Obama is handsome. He’s incredibly bright. He’s incredibly well spoken, and he’s incredibly successful — not exactly the easiest guy in the world to identify with.”
. . . .
“He is a little like Adlai Stevenson,” Rendell mused. “You ask him a question, and he gives you a six-minute answer. And the six-minute answer is smart as all get out. It’s intellectual. It’s well framed. It takes care of all the contingencies. But it’s a lousy soundbite.” (link)
The list is never-ending. Why do people like this guy again?
And his most recent sex based gaffe about newly nominated Secretary of Homeland Security Arizona Gov. Janet Napolitano:
CNN anchor Campbell Brown rebuked Pennsylvania Gov. Ed Rendell Tuesday night for a private remark he made about Arizona Gov. Janet Napolitano, President-elect Barack Obama’s pick to be secretary of homeland security.
Rendell was caught by an open lectern microphone at the National Governors Association meeting Tuesday explaining why Napolitano, who is unmarried and does not have children, is a good choice to head the department.
“Janet’s perfect for that job. Because for that job, you have to have no life,” Rendell said, apparently unaware that the lectern mike was still hot. “Janet has no family, perfect. She can devote, literally, 19 to 20 hours a day to it.” (link)
His pathetic explanation and response:
Harrisburg Bureau Chief Tom Barnes files Rendell’s response to the criticisms that he made sexist remarks about Janet Napolitano — he was actually complimenting the Homeland Security pick’s working habits, the guv says, and also makes a (slightly off) Rocky and Bullwinkle reference.
“She has no life and neither do I,” he says. (link)
So . . . shutup Ed Rendell. Please just shutup.
