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

White House chief of staff and potential Chicago mayoral candidateRahm 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.