11/04/2009
White House Suggests NY Dem Congressman Needed to 'Man Up'
A White House official told Politico that Rep Anthony Weiner (D-NY) should have "manned up and run against Michael Bloomberg" in a defense against criticism that Obama had misjudged races around the country, particularly William Thompson's run against the NYC Mayor, offering only "lame words of praise."
John Aravosis notes the slur: "And if you don't think it's a slur against women or gays, then imagine the White House saying that Barbara Boxer or Barney Frank need to 'man up' - never gonna happen. It's a slur used against men who supposedly act like women or homosexuals."
Posted 11:33 AM EST by Andy Towle in Barack Obama, Democratic Party, Gay Slurs, New York, News | Permalink
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Aravosis' hatred for Obama is beginning to crowd out everything else.
He sounds more and more like Michael Bedwetter everyday.
Posted by: 24play | Nov 4, 2009 11:41:22 AM
Why did he need to run against Bloomberg?
Posted by: Wes | Nov 4, 2009 11:54:37 AM
I don't find this statement homophobic at all. But I do feel that by suggesting it in such an angry and bitter way this author comes off as a bitter old queen that seriously needs to man up himself.
Posted by: RGB | Nov 4, 2009 11:55:39 AM
Haha! I concur. Aravosis needs to stfu, and man up, mary.
Posted by: JeffRob | Nov 4, 2009 12:01:50 PM
As Glenn Greenwald cogently notes today, this remark came from someone who didn't have the courage to do it openly and hid behind a grant of anonymity instead.
I'm not sure I think it's homophobic though. Sexist, yes.
Posted by: Glenn | Nov 4, 2009 12:05:26 PM
I agree with RGB, "man up" isn't homophobic. Sexist, perhaps. But I would also say "be a mensch" to a woman.
Posted by: David R. | Nov 4, 2009 12:05:55 PM
Jesus, we need to stop being so offended by trivial colloquialisms.
Posted by: Joel | Nov 4, 2009 12:08:08 PM
So, when gay posters here on Towleroad get angry and tell other posters to "grow a pair"--what are they talking about? Tits?
Posted by: Derrick from Philly | Nov 4, 2009 12:10:39 PM
Oh come on, Aravois, this is the trivial whining and bitching that makes some people just laugh at us. 'Man up' is not the issue, the election is...
Posted by: bryan | Nov 4, 2009 12:23:55 PM
"Man up?" That's homophobic. It's not at all. It's basically saying "Stop acting like a child and act like an adult."
Posted by: Allen | Nov 4, 2009 12:28:06 PM
Oh, come on, John, that's ridiculous. What is ALSO ridiculous is how Obama and his team didn't man up (at least the male staffers; the women could have womaned up) and take the risk to endorse and support Democrats. If Weiner had run, Obama would have left him as high and dry as he did Thompson--and Weiner would have won, no thanks to the president.
Posted by: David Groff | Nov 4, 2009 12:30:32 PM
Well his last name is Weiner... kind of manly, no?
Posted by: Paul | Nov 4, 2009 12:32:36 PM
Avarois is being petty. This is like the Grayson calling a lobbyist a whore thing.NOW showed its irrelevance by getting involved with that one.
Posted by: Rich | Nov 4, 2009 12:33:07 PM
Great job of coming off as petty, obtuse, and trivial. Weiner really needs to Man Up.
Posted by: Donovan | Nov 4, 2009 12:33:35 PM
Yeah, c'mon Aravosis - don't be such a pussy. See? That wasn't so hard!
Posted by: wastedPhD | Nov 4, 2009 12:35:58 PM
Please.
Posted by: Mike | Nov 4, 2009 12:41:01 PM
Weiner is one of the few Democrats in Congress who's actually willing to call out Pelosi, Reid, and Obama on their collective mismanagement of the health care debate. He might be overbearing and obnoxious at times. But I don't find the "man up" criticism terribly convincing, especially coming from a White House that changes its mind every five minutes.
Like any true New Yorker, Weiner has never had a problem with articulating unpopular opinions.
Posted by: John | Nov 4, 2009 12:41:01 PM
Weiner is powerful in the position he is in, and should not have been pressured to run for Mayor.
What SHOULD have happened, is that the White House should have been more prominent in the Mayoral race with more than a lukewarm endorsement. Even just with THAT lukewarm endorsement Bill Thompson was only defeated by 50,000 votes which in NYC is not a lot... with a ringing endorsement it's likely that could easily have been outvoted.
So, White House rep, whoever the hell you are... go screw yourself and don't blame Weiner for being prepared to stand his ground in an important position that he already holds! The White House should have done more... and COULD have done more. THERE is the blame!
Posted by: CKNJ | Nov 4, 2009 12:48:41 PM
This is ridiculous, and I'm the first to battle the lazy "anti-PC" crowd. If "man up" is offensive, so is "grow a pair," "he's got balls" and what about the incessant need to call women "bitches" and the act of complaining "bitching?"
That said, Weiner sure as hell would've won! But who knew???
Posted by: Matthew Rettenmund | Nov 4, 2009 12:49:31 PM
It's an obnoxious comment, coming from Democratic leadership that is selling single-payer healthcare reform down the river, despite that change/Obama is what people VOTED for last year. And there is NO DOUBT that, somehow, Bloomberg bullied the White House into not campaigning seriously for Thompson.
Did Weiner say that he wasn't running because he thought Bloomberg was unbeatable? If so, he deserves to be called a wuss, just like the rest of us who misjudged the level of Mayor Mike's popularity, and there's nothing homo-baiting about it. If you're a politician, being gay doesn't give you a pass in the toughness requirement of that job.
Posted by: Erik | Nov 4, 2009 12:50:22 PM
I don't think "man up" is homophobic; maybe it's sexist, but it is really sort of a lame frat boy comment along the lines of "don't be a wuss". Kind of a juvenile thing to say. Chris Christie said the same thing about Gov. Corzine in New Jersey in response to indirect references to Christie's heft -- saying Corzine should “man up and say I’m fat.”
http://www.politico.com/news/stories/1009/28891.html
Posted by: JCMS | Nov 4, 2009 1:15:19 PM
ugh...john aravosis...so over him. i swear all he does is bitch and whine over ANYTHING that he disagrees with in the slightest way. there is no moderation with him at all, he sees things in black and white and doesn't seem to understand that that isn't the way the world works.
Posted by: eric | Nov 4, 2009 1:29:08 PM
Aravosis could not be more wrong about this. "Man up" means stop being a wimp, a child, or a coward. There's no gender comparison inherent in it. Just because there is no feminine corollary doesn't mean it's discriminatory. John can be insightful at times, but sometimes he's just silly.
Posted by: ColinATL | Nov 4, 2009 1:36:25 PM
Why is everyone so quick to jump on this. It simply means: "get some courage, grow a pair". this was not meant to be deragatory.
Quit having such a thin skin.
Posted by: Maleka | Nov 4, 2009 2:20:35 PM
Jesus, who f**king cares? I don't see how this comment is homophobic in the slightest. Concerned about stereotypical perceptions of gays as being thin-skinned, shrill and perpetual victims? Yeah, well, if we'd stop wringing our hands over these sorts of things and being such crybabies, maybe that would help matters.
Posted by: Dave | Nov 4, 2009 4:22:49 PM