Specter delivers tasteless Polish jokes at swanky New York City luncheon.
Specter delivers tasteless Polish jokes at swanky New York City luncheon.
On Friday night, Sen. Arlen Specter (R-PA) offered up some “tasteless ethnic jokes” at a swanky Pennsylvania Society luncheon in New York City. The senator asked the audience if anyone present was Polish. Reportedly, about 10 people raised their hands. Callous to their concerns, Specter then proceeded to let loose with a stream of Polish jokes:
Specter deemed the number insignificant and forged ahead with some supposedly funny Polish jokes, including the old one about the man who interrupted him once, saying, “Hey, careful. I’m Polish!” Specter said he responded, “That’s OK – I’ll tell it more slowly.” Specter also told two other tasteless jokes in the same Polish vein. “No one walked out, but it was offensive,” said our source. “I was offended, and I’m not Polish.”
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Too bad he wasn’t telling them to my 100 or so Polish relatives in Chicago- we’d have been rid of the SOB by the following morning.
December 14th, 2008 at 9:49 amWhat a Repug tool. Intoxicated on hubris. Magic bullet theories. Threatened delays for AG confirmation hearings. Brown nosing W. Your U.S. Senate at work ladies and gentlemen. Whichever flavor of kool aid you want. Red or blue.
December 14th, 2008 at 9:50 amAh, my favorite old straw.
When the n*gger jokes get old, break out the Polish line of humor.
Morons.
December 14th, 2008 at 9:51 amRe: #1- come to think of it, a select 10 of ‘em could have removed the Specter problem before his speech was even finished.
December 14th, 2008 at 9:56 amWhat would the reaction be if someone told similar Jewish jokes? How would Sen. Specter feel?
I can hear the outcry and see the headlines now.
December 14th, 2008 at 9:58 amwhat i don’t understand is why these vile republiscum from pennsylvania feel the need to taint liberal new york city with their filthy ideas by bringing their “pennsylvania society luncheon” to the big apple. they need to stay the hell in harrisburg and mingle with their one tooth, inbred supporters.That way, they could show they are also fiscally conservative. Instead of holding their meeting in the famed “rainbow room”, it would be in the local motel six-the swankiest motel in Harrisburg.
December 14th, 2008 at 10:02 amSome may think I am being a bit tendentious here, but I suspect that was the whole point.
December 14th, 2008 at 10:11 am#5stewarjt Says:
December 14th, 2008 at 10:16 amWhat would the reaction be if someone told similar Jewish jokes? How would Sen. Specter feel?
You’re right if that where the case we would be inundated with cries of discrimination and remember the holocaust remarks and rightfully so but humor at ethnic expense is best forgotten
So, when are the citizens of the United States of America going to tire of this crap and send the sloth-like, inefficient, top heavy, xenophobic, and just plain mean bureaucratic jerks like this packing? Walking out should have been the first order of business.
December 14th, 2008 at 10:16 amThis is the garbage that sends us backwards as a nation.
I like Specter…but i think he’s starting to lose it. In any case, there will be a new senator in PA come 2011.
Specter doesn’t have the support of the state GOP and, if by some fluke of electoral logic he manages to win the primary, he’ll either suffer a narrow loss to Chris Matthews or get thumped by one of the state’s moderate Dems.
December 14th, 2008 at 10:16 amRepubluscum humor….only funny to them, dirt bags.
December 14th, 2008 at 10:33 amHow much did that cost? Seems like an undue expense in these troubling times. It’s prolly “Do as I say, not as I do”
December 14th, 2008 at 11:22 amWhat leadership!
We need term limits to rout out the slugs like this–career politicians, especially the GOP brand label, are getting too comfortable in their positions and no longer feel that they have to work for the approval of their constituents. This comment really shows his age, some one needs to catch him up to date and tell him that racial and ethnic jokes are so 1950’s.
December 14th, 2008 at 11:31 amI have a brother-in-law like that. He thinks it’s ok to tell Polish (or whatever) jokes if none of “them” are in the room.
Stupid is as stupid does.
December 14th, 2008 at 11:55 amWhat a coward! First he makes sure there aren’t enough Poles to beat him up, then makes his insulting comments (”jokes”).
I guess Repugs just Have to insult someone every day or else they’ll explode. Eww. Imagine Repug goo all over you.
December 14th, 2008 at 12:11 pmTo Lone Voice of Reason: We need term limits and Public-financed elections.
December 14th, 2008 at 12:15 pmAt least he didn’t forget about Poland!!
December 14th, 2008 at 12:31 pmArlen Specter. Jude.
December 14th, 2008 at 12:59 pmIt’s continually amazed me that anyone thinks Specter is somehow a moderate. I’ve lost count of how many right-wing judicial positions “troubled” him. But when you look at the votes on the issues, he always seems to wind up on the side of the authoritarians and thugs. He’s a phoney.
December 14th, 2008 at 1:01 pmTasteless and inexcusable.
December 14th, 2008 at 1:30 pmThe example has been set from Bush and Cheney – from oafish ignorance and stupidity, to telling a Senator to go eff himself — the bar has been set so low that anything goes.
Specter is a two-faced liar, and we see he is also an ignorant boor.
Specter allowed AG Gonzales to testify without taking an oath, but he will hold up Holder’s confirmation because he participated in approving the Rich pardon — hypocrite! To make matters even more ridiculous, Mark Rich was represented by Scooter Libby – the convicted, treasonous felon whose sentence was commuted by Bush.
Nothing to see here, it’s just the way Republicans do “funny” — make sport of immigrants, minorities — in short, make fun of the powerless.
December 14th, 2008 at 1:33 pmSpecter obviously thinks they’re still running the Dean Martin celebrity roasts on television. He’s hoping he’ll be on the panel for the laff-riot evening when Dino roasts television funnyman Don Rickles, who is apparently, in Specter’s alternative Bizzaro dimension, still opening for Sammy Davis, Jr., at the Sands….
December 14th, 2008 at 1:55 pmSpecter seems to think the jokes are funny, I wonder how he would feel if someone told hurtfull Jewish jokes. This is just an example of how disrespectfull Arlen Specter is. It was interesting that Specter knew 10 people were Polish yet he continued to use tasteless jokes.
December 14th, 2008 at 2:27 pmI hope this means Mr. Specter has decided not to seek another term. If, however, he does run again this will be yet another piece of information used to defeat this pathetic oportunist
December 14th, 2008 at 3:19 pmWhy didn’t anyone throw their shoes at this moron?
December 14th, 2008 at 4:13 pmDo we have to pass legislation that prevents old white Republicans from telling jokes in public? I mean really. They are not funny and they make small animals run for cover.
December 14th, 2008 at 4:38 pmRe Specter Polish joke
As a member of an ethnic/religious minority himself Specter should watch it. But maybe it was his brain tumor talking…
But since the cat’s out of the bag…
Setup: What’s a Polish open marriage?
Punchline: When a husband lets other men beat up his wife.
(You can substitute Irish for Polish. Usually gets a lot of laughs. But wear a mouth-guard just in case…)
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December 14th, 2008 at 4:44 pmIs Specter losing it? Between his age and that tumor, one wonders if there shouldn’t just be a minimum age for presidents but a maximum age for senators.
December 14th, 2008 at 5:23 pmHe’s fighting cancer just like our democracy.
The cancer we suffer is his cancer. RePugniScums + Corporate Fascists.
May he survive his illnesses and drop dead from his hatred of democracy!
December 14th, 2008 at 7:10 pmThe fact that he asked about the number of Poles there shows that he knew that he was being insulting, and went ahead and did it anyway.
December 14th, 2008 at 8:03 pmHe insults Polish Americans, and one wonders what other racist beliefs lurk in his senile head. This is the GOP point man that will spear head the assault on the nomination of a Black American to the office of Attorney General.
December 14th, 2008 at 11:24 pmLet’s make one thing perfectly clear, this white man is a racist, and he will not utter one objection to any of Bush soon to be annouced pardons. He is also a hypocrite.
When the AG hearing come, any dignified news representative should warn of his racist nature and his obvious Bush/GOP forgiving nature.
What is wrong with these people?!?!?!?!?
December 15th, 2008 at 4:02 amHow about jokes about bald-headed, cancer victims?
That should get a big laugh!!
December 15th, 2008 at 4:09 amSo what’s wrong with Polish jokes? Have you met any Polish people?
December 15th, 2008 at 11:15 amYes, I have met Polish people. My partner of 19 years is Polish. Any other questions?
If you find nothing wrong with jokes that generalize an entire group, based on YOUR ignorance of that group, then what does that say about you?
December 15th, 2008 at 4:48 pmit’s very common that Jewish person tells polish jokes. They hate Poles. Most of their parents and grandparents came to America from Poland or Russia (in Specter’s case both parents emigrated from Russia). In both of these countries establishment noble class (non existent/exterminated now) regarded Jews as garbage. And Jews wanted to be establishment class so badly. Now they are. In America.
December 16th, 2008 at 4:38 pmOne of the contributors above draws a parallel between having cancer and being Polish. I was diagnosed with cancer about a year ago, and I can tell you that having a sense of humor has been an important part of getting through it. On the other hand, I’m not Polish, so I don’t know how I would deal with that challenge.
December 18th, 2008 at 10:28 amAlfredo: Kidding aside, ethnic groups and nationalities differ not so much genetically, but by the values they embrace. In general, Jews and Asian Americans place a higher value on achievement, education, and family than some other groups. That explains their high level of success in America, as compared to some other groups. Certainly, people are born equal. It’s what they learn after they are born that makes the difference.
You sound like you don’t like America or Jews. Wise up or go back to your native country. We don’t need bigots.
December 18th, 2008 at 10:50 am