Rather than hurt Obama, 'Sweetie' remark may endear him, experts say
By Bill Scanlon, Rocky Mountain News (Contact)
Published May 15, 2008 at 11 p.m.
Barack Obama calling a TV reporter "sweetie" may actually soften his image and give him a leg up with the millions of other Americans who use the term, some political scientists and linguists say.
News outlets blared the story that Obama had responded to a Michigan TV reporter's question by saying, "Hold on one second, sweetie, we'll do a press (session) on that, thanks."
Some observers called the expression condescending and sexist, and recalled he had used the same term with a woman factory worker last month. Others said it was much ado about nothing.
Obama left a message on the reporter's voice mail, apologizing, saying the term is "a bad habit of mine," and saying he meant no disrespect.
"Obama is fighting this image of being an elitist because he has an Ivy League education, as does Mrs. Clinton," University of Colorado communicatons Professor Gerard Houser said Thursday.
" 'Sweetie' is a term of colloquial reference," Houser said. "It may soften his image."
"Calling a reporter 'sweetie' might be one of the nicest things he can say to a reporter," said CU-Boulder political scientist Kenneth Bickers. "I don't see this playing into how voters might evaluate whether he shares their values," he said.
The TV reporter, Peggy Agar, said she wasn't offended by the term - "I've been called worse" - but wishes Obama had answered her question about what he was going to do for working people.
Definition of sweetie
* Part of speech: noun
* Definition: A person who is much loved.
* Synonyms: beloved, dear, darling, honey, love, minion, precious, sweet, sweetheart, truelove, sweetie
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May 16, 2008
6:26 p.m.
Suggest removal
honeybun writes:
"Hold on a second, sweetie. We'll hold a press avail,"
"Sweetie, if I start with a picture I will never get out of here."
"Sweetie if I start doing autographs I just won't be & I am really late."
Spontaneous, habitual, or not, this is sexist by what we have all been taught. Why should Obama get a pass? I think not. Pay the piper Barack.
The feminists should burn him in effigy! see me at http://Obama.dominates.us
May 16, 2008
6:28 p.m.
Suggest removal
AWAustin writes:
Distasteful things liberal academics condemned conservatives for will now be okay because Obama says them. It isn't just Obama's habit of calling women sweetie; he has made a lot of sexist comments in this campaign, most of them directed at Hillary Clinton. And since when does a liberal politician from Chicago, raised in Hawaii and Indonesia, use a southern colloquialism out of habit?
May 31, 2008
3:09 p.m.
Suggest removal
denver50 writes:
Oh my, Obama's being polite!