Rep. Sensenbrenner Apologizes to First Lady for Personal Remark

Why do people think that politics creates a license to be rude?  Further, one would think that one would recognize that such utterances, especially in public, will only lead to trouble for the utterer.

Via The Ticket:  Congressman apologizes for criticizing Michelle Obama’s ‘large posterior’

Rep. Jim Sensenbrenner was overheard loudly complaining on the phone in the Delta Lounge at Reagan National Airport outside Washington about Obama’s healthy food initiative.

According to Fishbowl DC, which first reported the lawmaker’s remarks, Sensenbrenner was recounting a recent conversation he’d had at church event in Wisconsin.

Obama, Sensenbrenner said loudly, “lectures us on eating right while she has a large posterior herself.”

According to the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel’s Daniel Bice, Sensenbrenner made a similar remark at the Wisconsin church he was referencing in his phone call, telling attendees there that Obama has a “big butt.”

First, why get all bent out of shape over an initiative to encourage healthier eating (and this isn’t the first time this has come up)?  It is not as if we are talking about some sort of authoritarian push to shut down fast food joints and to force us to eat our veggies.  Obama’s health food initiative is pretty typical First Lady fare and the notion that the White House would try to plug physical fitness is both bipartisan and time-honored.

Second, why attack someone’s  physical appearance?  Further, it strikes me as a bit sexist for a male to specifically go after a woman’s rear end.

At a minimum, this is all rather rude and petty.  (And, to that end, I would request that commenters not comment on Sensenbrenner’s appearance).

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Steven L. Taylor
About Steven L. Taylor
Steven L. Taylor is a Professor of Political Science and a College of Arts and Sciences Dean. His main areas of expertise include parties, elections, and the institutional design of democracies. His most recent book is the co-authored A Different Democracy: American Government in a 31-Country Perspective. He earned his Ph.D. from the University of Texas and his BA from the University of California, Irvine. He has been blogging since 2003 (originally at the now defunct Poliblog). Follow Steven on Twitter

Comments

  1. mantis says:

    It is not as if we are talking about some sort of authoritarian push to shut down fast food joints and to force us to eat our veggies.

    Actually, that is precisely what they believe. Just as they believe Obama is taking everyone’s guns away, has seized and federalized all private industry, and is injecting children with a gay virus.

    Second, why attack someone’s physical appearance? Further, it strikes me as a bit sexist for a male to specifically go after a woman’s rear end.

    Let’s hope his wife had a few words with him about that.

  2. He would have been smarter to forget about it. He didn’t need to elevate the discussion. He shouldn’t have sent a note to the Whitehouse. If asked by reporters, he should have just said “I have no idea what I was talking about.”

    BTW, what’s really funny is that this is the second GOPer who has criticized Michelle while not being able to take her in a 5 mile run. lolz

    If it wasn’t for teh socialism I’m sure Sensenbrenner wouldn’t be a fat and out of shape.

  3. Kylopod says:

    >Second, why attack someone’s physical appearance?

    Third, the man has no taste. Michelle Obama is a gorgeous woman at 47.

  4. anjin-san says:

    Michelle Obama is a gorgeous woman at 47.

    My favorite Michelle Obama line was by one of the girls on Glee commenting on her new look. “I look hot and smart – I feel like I’m Michelle Obama”.

  5. Nikki says:

    He says the government has no right to tell people what to eat, yet, I never heard any complaints about the FDA’s food pyramid. Has there also been a conspiracy theory about it?