Rahm "F---ing Retarded" Emanuel to Discuss Civility

By: Brian Montopoli
Topics: Obama Administration

(Credit: AP)

White House chief of staff and potential Chicago mayoral candidate Rahm Emanuel is not, to put it politely, known around Washington for his civility.

President Obama joked around his inauguration early last year that for Emanuel, "every day is a swearing-in ceremony," adding: "Every week the guy takes a little time away to give back to the community. Just last week he was at a local school, teaching profanity to poor children."

Which is why it is something of a surprise to learn that Emanuel and former George W. Bush chief of staff Joshua Bolten will be discussing "how and why Washington has become so divisive and how civility and cooperation might return to the discourse."

The event, at the Washington National Cathedral, will take place on October 5; it will be moderated by CBS News' own Bob Schieffer.

In a release heralding the event, Cathedral Dean Samuel T. Lloyd III said that "Public discourse in this nation is becoming increasingly shrill, and partisan attacks have taken hold in Washington and throughout the country. At this time when we face complex economic, social, and foreign policy questions, we hope we can help change the tone."

"At the core of any purposeful debate must be mutual respect and civility," he added.

It will be interesting to hear the thoughts on that subject from Emanuel, a man who, according to a book about him called "The Thumpin,'" reportedly once called Republicans "bad people who deserve a two-by-four upside their heads."

Early this year, Emanuel apologized to the head of the Special Olympics for calling a group of liberals "f---ing retarded." The comment prompted Sarah Palin to call for him to be fired.

Brian Montopoli is a political reporter for CBSNews.com. You can read more of his posts here. Follow Hotsheet on Facebook and Twitter.

Brian Montopoli
Brian Montopoli is the senior political reporter at CBSNews.com.
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by endurorob_5 September 9, 2010 11:21 AM EDT: The idea of Emanuel discussing how to be civil is completely absurd.; Reply to this comment


by dadirt September 9, 2010 8:58 AM EDT: Since when has the F work become an acceptable word for supposidly intelligent professional people. I gues that is how washington has degraded in the past 20 months. The Chicago influence is not a good thing for washington and the country!; Reply to this comment


by jimmyc1955 September 8, 2010 9:23 PM EDT: Rahm is a product of his environment - rich white kids playing in the big city. He is crude, he uses crude, blunt and harsh political tactics and it is costing Obama big time. His take no prisoners, crush them and leave them in the dust approach to politics is a one way street to a one term office.

His tactics will only work when you have a 70% approval rating. It will backfire at a 40% approval - and watching the democrats in the house and the senate jump ships might just be partly the fault of Rahm's crude, ugly tactics.; Reply to this comment


by TallyGlenn September 8, 2010 7:33 PM EDT: Rahm uses goon language. There is no place in a civil society for a goon. Chicago voters need to really think about it before they vote. There are many upstanding citizens there who have become hardened to such needless childish vulgar language from goons.; Reply to this comment