Palin: When Limbaugh says ‘retards’ it’s fine

By Sahil Kapur
Monday, February 8th, 2010 -- 9:13 am
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WASHINGTON -- sarah palin.21229469384 Palin: When Limbaugh says retards its fineSarah Palin created quite the stir late last week when she called for President Obama's chief of staff Rahm Emanuel to be fired over privately using the word "retarded" in a pejorative manner.

The former Republican vice presidential candidate, whose child has Down Syndrome, took to Facebook to launch a forceful attack on Emanuel, calling his words "indecent," "sick" and "offensive."

And if Emanuel's use of the word in such a context is wrong, so must it be when conservatives do it, right? Apparently not.

Confronted with the fact that Palin's fellow media star Rush Limbaugh has repeatedly used the word "retards" to describe those he disagrees with, Palin's spokeswoman Meghan Stapleton emailed a response to The Plum Line's Greg Sargent.

"Governor Palin believes crude and demeaning name calling at the expense of others is disrespectful," she wrote.

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While some took this to mean she was criticizing Limbaugh, Palin later clarified that she was not, and explicitly defended Limbaugh's public -- and repeated -- use of the word "retards" in a similarly crude context, while appearing on Fox News Sunday.

"They are kooks, so I agree with Rush Limbaugh," Palin said, claiming Limbaugh was merely "using satire."

"I didn't hear Rush Limbaugh calling a group of people whom he did not agree with 'f-ing retards,' and we did know that Rahm Emanuel, as has been reported, did say that," she added. "There is a big difference there."

The context in which Limbaugh endorsed the use of the word is exactly that which Emanuel used it in -- Limbaugh agreed with Emanuel's labeling of some progressive Democrats as "fucking retarded."

On his radio show, Limbaugh said: "Our political correct society is acting like some giant insult’s taken place by calling a bunch of people who are retards, retards. I mean these people, these liberal activists are kooks. They are looney tunes. And I’m not going to apologize for it, I’m just quoting Emanuel. It’s in the news. I think their big news is he’s out there calling Obama’s number one supporters f’ing retards. So now there’s going to be a meeting. There’s going to be a retard summit at the White House."

Emanuel's comments received considerable attention in the press, invoking an apology from him.

Palin also strongly hinted Sunday on Fox that she may run for president in 2012, saying it would be "absurd" to "close a door" on the possibility.

"I would, I would if I believe that is the right thing to do for our country and the Palin family," she said. "Certainly I would do so."

On Saturday, Palin spoke at the first ever Tea Party Convention in Nashville, Tennessee, where she assailed Obama and called the movement "the future of politics."

This video is from Fox's Fox News Sunday, broadcast Feb. 7, 2010.

Download video via RawReplay.com

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Story comments are below...

  • fred flintstone
    PEOPLE WHO WASTE THEIR TIME HANGING ON LIMBAUGH'S EVERY WORD ARE THE TRUE RETARDS!!!!PALIN IS AN IDIOT FOR SURE,BUT RUSH LIMBAUGH IS SCARY AND SO ARE HIS FOLLOWERS.
  • Chris
    Palin running for President could possibly be the best thing ever for the Democrats.
  • Elizabeth
    Shes a stupid idiotic bitch!
  • Adam Neely
    I think Sarah Palin is a F%@KING Retard!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
  • billcostley
    Sunday, February 7, 2010
    Palinocity
    “Ask God’s Help”
    Palin urges Tea-Party Convention.

    coming soon:

    "In God We Trust"
    as a rider on all new mortgages.

    Next, a new national silver dollar
    with Jesus’ profile on both sides.
    Early adopter, Las Vegas' strip
    declares Jesus’ Dollar new min. coin:
    "Whenever Jesus spins, we all win!"

    (07 FEB 10, Santa Clara CA)v3
  • owl
    The 1st amendment clearly state the seperation of church and state. Our forefathers fought so we could have freedom of religion. Not Christain Religion, thank you. Our forefathers are turning over in their graves with comment like the one you just made. The one thing I hate is people like you who profess to be christain and have absolutely no acceptance of any one else right or religion. Do unto you neighbor as you would have them do unto you. You sure don't follow that.
  • Alicia
    I disagree with Stephen Colbert's comment about Sarah Palin being a retard, it is an insult to the people who have no say in their mental challenges. Sarah is hypocritical and a liar........she came out claiming to be a Christian but she is one of those Christians who create their own bible of greed and twisted truths....she is becoming the vehicle to spread hate and to divide God's people.
  • Onward
    Using the word "retard" is not only offensive, it is cowardly. It targets a group of people who are unable to defend themselves. I'd love to see Rush use that word in front of big, tough-as-nails biker that has a mentally challenged kid. Think he has the stones? I think not.
  • jgmurphy
    Speaking of retards, dumbass----do you have PROOF that what is wrong with the Palin baby is actually Down's? I still say she caused his abnormalities with her criminally reckless late pregnancy behavior.
  • LPM49
    If you had any real insight as to hom the human body physiologically adapts under the stress of pregnancy you'd know how utterly insane your assumption is. There are thousands of people in this nation, as well as others (including those who are homeless and/or live in a third-world country) who manage to deliver normal/healthy babies under what most of us would consider deplorable conditions. I don't think getting ready to hit the campaign trail would be hazardous enough to cause birth defects.
    If it's criminally reckless to live your life normally when in the late stages of pregnancy - maybe you should lobby to have all females locked in their homes after the sixth month? See how far that goes with NOW and all the other women's equality/rights bunch!!
  • gonesouthern
    We all know who the real "retard" is in this playful group.
    Through out history the public at large has picked the most unlikely people to anoint as a new found "person of intrest". In the 1960s it was Mickey Mouse, hay they even placed him as a write in for president and they say history doesn't repeat its self...
  • owl
    Stop encouraging all this crap. That is her goal to rile people, upset them, make people angry,
    incite fear and by all these comments on both sides she is getting what she wants. It is time RAW Story stop covering this crap.
  • Colin Killian
    For the ignorant among you, which actually appears to be all of you, Limbaugh's satire was mocking Rahm. He actually predicted you all would go nuts when he said it although you think Rahm is next to God. Or next to Obama, anyway. Oh, I forgot for a second that your think Obama IS God. My bad.
  • Colin Killian
    Limbaugh just made asses out of all of you, as if you needed any help. What a bunch of morons.
  • colinkillian
    The only f-ing retard I've seen lately is the one who wrote this asinine article. If you ever actually listened to Limbaugh for yourself, rather than unprofessionally relying on your friends at Media Matters, you would know that Rush was mocking Rahm. Ridiculous. Rush also mocks the liberal media by repeating asinine things that liberals say (and for which they are not held accountable) and predicting the media outcry when he simply repeats it. Hilarious.
  • billdog
    Let me see, when Conservatives use UnPC words to show the ignorance of the Left they are hate mongers, and mean people. When the LIBs use UnPC words directly at people to insult them, degrade them, and to take a superior position over them, they were just taken out of context. I get it now!
  • billdog
    Let me see, when Conservatives use UnPC words to show the ignorance of the Left they are hate mongers, and mean people. When the LIBs use UnPC words directly at people to insult them, degrade them, and to take a superior position over them, they were just taken out of context. I get it now!
  • jnaaaah ... what a bunch a maroons!
  • So now the PC crowd dictates we can't quote someone without being criticized, while the one who actually said it pats himself on the back about getting away with it.

    That dog don't hunt with me folks. Take your PC censorship nonsense and stick it straight up your tight, over-sensitive a**.

    Rahm Emanuel is the one who started this (f**king retards) and Rush, who was only quoting what he said (I heard the show), is being criticized along with Palin.

    Listen to the show instead of regurgitating what some other moron who didn't listen to it either says, and maybe some of your posts won't make you seem like a retard.
  • VNTRS
    I hate this woman with a passion that burns deep within my soul. I hope that her two-faced ways are making a solid foundation for a wall to prevent any official like this from ever attaining another elected office. On a side note; her presence on foxnews is probably about as good as it gets. She can go about labeling republicans who betray their party democrats. She can use it for her political aspirations which will hopefully continue to get stomped out as time goes along. She can say and do whatever she wants with little fear of being fired for her behavior. It's just perfect for a dumb broad like her.
  • hawkeye
    from reading the replies here from the left, it seems that rahm emanuel was correct with his assessment of liberal democrats
    you are all mentally deficient
  • crow
    Time to deal with the news RAW Story. We have unemployment, people who have no insurance,
    we have two wars going on, global warming, deforestation, extincting of 150 species a day, and aall you can do is cover Palin's insanity.
  • James
    Ah see she using liberal techniques now. Good idea.
  • Nonamehere
    Her performance on that show must have been satirical.
  • oktoss
    Let's see, Rahm Emmanuel used the term *retarded* innocently and Palin wants him to be fired despite his apology. Limbaugh used the same term several times deliberately, and to the best of my knowledge has yet to apologize to Queen Sarah.

    The way I see it, Sarah Palin is anti-semitic.
  • KM
    Stupid bitch says "no name-calling" right after she agrees with Limbaugh and calls democrats "kooks." Hypocrite.
  • Jennifer
    oh sarah palin...she's so full of shit it's unbelievable.
  • richardcranim
    The writer of this article obviously did not listen to Limbaugh or they would have known that he was using the word retard as a satire of Rahm Emanuel. Limbaugh even went so far as to predict that articles such as this one would be written. Add another one to Limbaugh's tally of being right....
  • Johnny
    Oh the hypocracy of liberal "dim"-ocrats. When the foul mouthed Emanual accused the blind followers of Obama of being retarded, he was defended by all liberal media types as well the liberal bloggers. Limbaugh, commented on his show that if he said the same thing, all hell would break loose. And all you liberal idiots just proved his point.
  • Frank
    Johnny is a fucking retard, because I say so!
  • Palin is a retard (in a satirical manner)
  • I love how all of you lib-o-crats just fall right into Rush's trap. He calls the same people retards that Rahm calls retards and he has all of the politically correct A-holes jump down his throat, while Rahm is left alone, not get his head beat in for calling Pres. Obama's most loyal followers "RETARDS". Don't you see, the media played you guys like fools, which you are, and got your panties in a bunch because Palin could see through the smoke and you guys couldn't see anything but your own rectums.
  • Hand promter
    The only reason she keeps getting on tv is to get the ratings on the horrific car wreck that keeps coming out of this f***king retards mouth. No one values her opinion. Just put her on Jersey Shore.
  • Noggy48
    Is there something in the water up there in Alaska? Surely, the citizens of that great state did not vote this woman into office of any kind. I would be afraid to let her chair the PTA of my children's school, let alone hold public office. This gal is definitely not hardwired correctly. If this is an example of true conservatism then I must not be one. The more I listen to Palin, Boehner, Cantor, McConnell, Romney, Steele, Limbaugh and Beck the further and faster to the center left I move.
  • robertfromphila
    It's OK to call a person a "RETARD" if you know they're not a retard. This has long been an accepted social convention, only recently upended by Sarah Palin who has been outed for calling her own child a retard (by a person with much more credibility than that bitch). Now she wants to change that policy by making it some sort of ethical offense in order to make a political case for ousting an extremely competent, though offensive, member of the Obama administration. She is only starting this war to hide the fact that she, indeed, is the one who has transgressed propriety. Which makes my next statement totally inappropriate: Sarah Palin is a F***ing RETARD, but only because she is.
  • NadePaulKuciGravMcKi
    Parents teach children in grade school not to use this word as it causes pain & damage to those who most need their egos boosted.
  • James
    You're dense if you believe what you wrote here. If you ever bothered to listen in context, you'd know Rush Limbaugh was showing what an ass Rahm was by using his language. Palin is smart enough to know that, you apparently are not.
  • Jeff
    God I hope she runs for office, would be a glorious train wreck. She really does seem to becoming the embodiment of the GOP, just as hypocritical and dumb as the rest of them. Thanks Sarah for keeping up the good work defining your party :)
  • Ernest Hua
    It seems like every blog where "liberals" (and I use that word rather loosely) are actively discussing an issue involving Palin or Tea Party, some conservative/nutjob/troll always chimes in with "you libs are just afraid of Palin". It has that 3rd grade school yard "I know you are but what am I" level of rhetorical quality to it.

    I just cringe every time someone says something that inane. I almost feel bad for that person (the "lib" in me, I'm guessing), except that I quickly realize that, unless this guy is a troll, he will actually vote ... It is the sheer "aggressive ignorance" (quoting Kathy Griffin) that brings out the shutter in me. How the heck do I protect my loved ones against idiots like this?

    Palin is only one vote. There are millions of idiots who hang on to her every word much in the manner of those millions who hang on to Oprah's every word.
  • Adam
    I thought it was Bristol's kid, so why isn't Bristol up in arms? The real Birther Story is if the down's child is really hers!
  • thx1138
    what a retard.
  • Anonymous
    Sarah Palin, for you, running for office is NEVER the right thing to do for our country.
  • Reality Check
    The only difference is that Rahm Emmanuel represents the Whitehouse and the "face" of America. Rush Limbaugh is just a radio talk show host and private citizen. I am not defending what Rush said but it's not an apples to apples comparison. Of course, common sense, is in short demand thses days.
  • tedoconnor
    Hi
    Rush did not use the term "retard" for those who disagree with him. What he did was use Emanuel's phrase so that the media imbeciles and this blog writer would take him out of context, proving that they are in the tank for Obama. And, by him continuously using the term in the same manner that Emanuel did, he ensures that people will remember who used the term, and the context it was used in. Rush is engaging in this practice called 'satire', which is confusing to those of low intellect and those who subscribe to leftist politics. Whoops, I just made a redundant statement.
  • Hiawatha
    Whoops, you just showed you're a fucking retard.

    "...this blog writer" is a political reporter for a News company, not some college Republican blogging from his dorm room about his ill-informed 'opinions'. Try to spend a few minutes learning about things before you open your pie hole - good advice for any wingnut.

    http://www.rawstory.com/about.html
  • tedoconnor
    Gee you mean that "political reporters" can't blog? Ever heard of Jake Tapper, etc.? Is that really the best you've got? Low intellect + leftist = confirmed by hiawatha. Thanks mate
  • Hiawatha
    It's not a blog, tard.

    Learn the lingo, then come back when you're not drunk, mate.
  • notaretard
    remember sarah palin does not believe in free speach because she is a retard, her kid is a retard too, all the teabags are retarded, and rush limbaugh is a retard.
  • Oi Vey.
    Oh, and i guess calling the Liberal "Kooks" isn't name calling?
    Heresy! Here's a joke for you:
    What's the Difference Between Sarah Palin's mouth and her vagina?
    - Only some things that come out of her vagina are retarded.
  • jgmurphy
    LOL, very clever.

    BTW it is her own fault her child is developmentally challenged. She waited almost 18 hours to gt to a hospital after her water broke because she was busy hobnobbing at a big rightwing convention. If she had got to a hpsoital RIGHT AWAY the kid would have been born normal.
  • jones
    Down Syndrome is a chromosomal abnormality. You don't develop it by not going to the doctor. speaking of retards...
  • Pat
    She said 'kooks'? Doesn't Palin know that 'kooks' rhymes with 'gooks' which is a perjorative for Chinese people. SHAME

    Seriously, people who get bent out of shape about word choice are generally delusional hypocrites who think that words create thoughts, which is totally backwards. Words means what we want them to. If Rahm wants to say retard, go ahead. It's the thought/emotion behind the word I care about, not the word.
  • Frances Daley
    I have never read such venom and filth in my lifetime. Palin was right. Rush was quoting and using satire to show how ridiculous and two-faced the liberals really are.
  • pukerhead
    vomit on my socks
  • aceinvestor
    Wow.
    The libs all come together when someone is uninformed. Congratulations in falling into the trap so expertly laid by Rush. He was pointing out Rahm's absurdity by being absurd. It's an old gag from his show. So sorry you are not smart enough to do basic research and figure this out on your own. Typical knee jerk reaction.

    Sad, but typical lib reaction. Rush was using the term retarded and retard to show that if Obama's boys can use it, so can he. For one hour only on his show. Pathetic libs. No wonder you are going down with the sinking ship. Can't wait for November. How does it feel to get snowed by the community agitator?

    Hope and change? Yesterday I saw some guys hoping to get some change. For something to eat. Nice work libs!
  • Mary
    I am sickened by the filth that is coming out of most of the people commenting on this. Whether I agree or disagree is not the point. What is the point is the average person cannot get a thought across with our using vulgarity. Says a lot about the people posting. In my opinion most are 'retards'
  • Baphomet
    "He was usin' satire!"

    oh gawd, please
  • Rinker
    I can not determine if Palin is still 'out there', (no pun intended!) because she did not get enough attention as a child and has found a minority of other insecure people around the country to fulfil that need, or she really has no idea how uncomfortable she makes the average intelligent American feel when her face appears on the television screen then cringe when she speaks...from the palm of her hand. The only other reason she is still around preying on innocent, gullible Americans, also not familiar with politics and economics on a global scale, is that she is bi-polar and her therapy is standing infront of people bellowing out insults, talking about issues she knows nothing about, contradicting herself, or just being stupid and not realizing it! (How long will it take for her to understand that she makes this country look like a comic book?) I do have to say, if the media would just stop using her as a fill-in to make up time on the air, maybe she would just go away, and let that minority of Americans come back together and think for themselves; they may find out how smart they really are and begin to wonder how they ever rationalized Sarah Palin's name in politics!
  • belonii
    is she calling her son with down syndrome a retard? O.o
  • pete
    god I'm hoping for a Palin plane crash
  • danielvucetic
    "Im not one to be a word police" ha ha ha fail.

    And she thinks she has a chance in 2010

    what a fucking tard she is
  • Daniel Vuceitc
    2012 - may bad
  • Wickerman59
    Sarah Palin is taking from the debate of serious matters. This is reducing political discussion to the level of playground name calling and she should be reminded she is an adult. If this woman is ever elected to public office, God help us. I think of the disastrous rule of Caligula Ceasar when I imagine it.
  • Shes will use her son to her advantage at all possible times till it gets obvious.
  • John McCain
    Palin is a fucking retard.
  • cocky
    She's dumb as shit and deserves to have a retarded kid.. stupid retarded bitch.
  • D-TRUTH
    Are you kidding me?? Why would you say that about ANYONE? Do you have a clue about how hard it is to raise a mentally handicapped child?
  • carol h.
    Satire? Well here goes. Palin can only aspire to being a retard. Evidently it's OK to use the word in a pejorative sense too. Someday, when this country returns to some kind of sanity, these people might just be called to account for the poison they have spread over the last ten years. The only people that find this kind of language as acceptable are retards.
  • uupinko998
    Well, consider the source, thats all I can say LOL

    Jess
    www.private-surfing.be.tc
  • stumbllingblock
    A f***ing retard for president! Just what we need!
  • BOB
    TALKING ABOUT RETARDS, CAN YOU IMAGINE JOE BIDEN AS PRESIDENT?
    HEEHAHAHEEHEEHAHAHEEHEEHAHAHEEHEEHAHAHEEHEEHAHA HEEHEEHAHA!
  • Pete
    So if David Letterman blurted out "retard" Palin would shrug it off and call him a humorist?
  • Olin
    Who could possibly be surprised at Palin regarding this? Her husband is a long-time secessionist. She's a resident of a part of Alaska that's several hundred miles SOUTH of the state's northern borders where you can, on a relatively clear day, make out a little sliver of Russia, but SHE can see it from her back porch. She believes health care reforms mean "democratic death squads," but has apparently never heard the truth that insurance companies, with Grand Obstructionist Party backing and encouragement have been practicing as death squads for decades. She's also apparently not noticed that one of the party's sacred cows, tort reform, has yet to lower a single cost factor to health care consumers, as well as called for exemption from any and all regulations. She's apparently not noticed that there's essentially no way to cover medical bills with what the tort reform legislation allows now, never mind some imaginary windfall, OR for that matter, to punish doctors who foist off un-approved back surgeries that render patients crippled for life, or fail to inform of life threatening consequences of drugs before administering them. Those two scenarios happened to a friend's husband and to my own son. The friend's husband is in bad shape still, and my son will likely never recover from the resultant brain damage, yet the GOP wants more protection for the medical profession. Palin doesn't know how to lie. She doesn't know how to tell the truth. She doesn't even know the difference. Why, pray tell, would anybody be surprised at this?
  • myplanb
    As a father with a child who was born with Down Syndrome, (note I didn't say I have a Down Syndrome child, which drives me crazy when people say that) it hurts me very much when I hear people say "that's retarded" or call someone "a retard". I understand Justin's comment "when the mentally challenged use it becomes playful joking" he is talking about Rush using the term not people that are mentally challenged. I just don't understand what has happen to people that they will follow someone like her. I don't say "God bless America", I say "God help America".
  • Antinous
    That is one crazy damn bitch.
  • Wildcat
    Sarah who?
  • gl
    Can you imagine if Palin was "the word police"?

    hehe
  • romaine
    After reading some of these comments I feel ill. I have never heard such hatred in my life. I guess if you cannot argue on facts then you defile and spew filth. I will assume that you are all liberals and if so you are not doing your politics any favors.
  • crow
    Wow, what doube standards. She used lots of words to incite people to anger during her campaign.
  • Hologram5
    What a load of two-faced hypocritical CRAP. Talk about hypocrites, where does she get her stupidity? She must be retarded herself.
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