Hutchison covers for innocent mistake by resorting to anti-gay rhetoric.
Hutchison covers for innocent mistake by resorting to anti-gay rhetoric.
Yesterday, the Austin American-Statesman discovered that the website of Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison’s (R-TX) gubernatorial campaign contains a long list of hidden phrases, including the words “rick perry gay.” When called on this very minor incident, Hutchison’s spokesperson quite plausibly explained that “a vendor sold them on a tool that generates the phrases hourly or less in an attempt to divine the most frequent Web searches made by individuals who search online using one or all of the terms ‘Rick Perry,’ ‘Kay Bailey Hutchison’ and ‘Texas.’” Hutchison’s staff was merely monitoring how she and Texas’ present governor are viewed by websurfers, and the phrase “rick perry gay” appeared because a large number of people apparently enter these words into Google. Rather than simply leave it at that, however, Hutchison then released this statement:
We did not know these offensive word associations were being searched for by hundreds of thousands of Texans everyday nor do we condone the computer-generated existence on our Web site.
Hutchison did not clarify what exactly she finds “offensive” about the phrase “rick perry gay.” Is she offended by the very notion that her state could be governed by a gay man, or does she simply find the word “gay” itself to be offensive? In either event, her initial mistake was nothing more than an innocent attempt to monitor search engines. Why she felt the need to respond with anti-gay rhetoric is anyone’s guess.
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Hutchinson covers for innocent mistake by resorting to anti-gay rhetoric.
– - Hey, it’s Texas after all, land of the steers and queers.
(Not that there’s anything wrong with that.)
July 31st, 2009 at 10:11 amThe typical politician cover. If she believes the notion of being “gay” is offensive, she made an attempt to cover. If she (as most rational people would. wait…texas GOP…nevermind….) believes smearing Perry as “gay” is offensive, she made an attempt to cover. Really, is she going to try going to Perry’s RIGHT to win the primary? Say it ain’t so, not-quite-as-batshit-insane Texas lady.
July 31st, 2009 at 10:11 amWell, what did you expect? After all, she IS a Repiggie
July 31st, 2009 at 10:11 am‘We did not know these offensive word associations were being searched for by hundreds of thousands…’
Some other offensive words from her website…
Rick Perry
Kay Bailey Hutchinson
Republican
Conservative
July 31st, 2009 at 10:14 amIf that guy in the pic with her is a typical Texan, I’m damn sure glad I’m a Minnesotan.
All Hat & No Horse…
July 31st, 2009 at 10:16 amJust when you think they have reached bottom, the right wing whackos re-define “the pits” again.
July 31st, 2009 at 10:19 amI suspect she was acknowledging that in Texas, the only reason why people would be putting “rick perry gay” into a search engine would be for smear ammunition, and that in Texas, just the insinuation that somebody is gay is considered an insult. The situation may have been different in — oh, say — Vermont.
She may agree with these sentiments personally — I don’t know. But she would have looked like an idiot if she pretended people were searching for “rick perry gay” as a compliment.
Still, she could have just said, “these word associations” instead of “these offensive word associations” — as any Texan would have understood the word “offensive” to be implied.
July 31st, 2009 at 10:19 amOh, Pleeeeaaze….. The fact that Perry is a closeted gay has been “out” among news gatheres in Texas for quite a few years now. The lack of a scorned gay lover is the only reason this has not been widely reported. It is my deepest hope that Kay and all the other scum republicans trying to dethrone King Perry will dig one up!!
July 31st, 2009 at 10:20 amI must be missing something, because I didn’t find her statement to be of an anti-gay rhetoric type of ilk. It seemed like a reasonable and responsible statement in light of the phrase turning up on her website, since it was clearly brought to her attention.
I interpreted it as saying “Look, I’m not calling Rick Perry gay, and I didn’t put the phrase up there to see if other people are calling Rick Perry gay. That just happens to be something that a lot of people are googling, so it shows up on my list. It comes across as offensive, as an insult or an attempt at name calling, and I don’t condone such things.”
Truthfully, I figure that people are searching such things to get his stance on gay issues, and she has probably misinterpreted it as an insult against the man.
But maybe it’s me, and not you guys, who are readng too much into it. It just didn’t come over as offensive to me, but maybe someone can clarify your position for me, and then perhaps I’ll understand where you’re coming from.
July 31st, 2009 at 10:24 amWe did not know these offensive word associations were being searched for by hundreds of thousands of Texans everyday nor do we condone the computer-generated existence on our Web site.
_____________
Um, actually, you do condone their computer-generated existence. When you pay a vendor to wordspam your site, that means you condone it. And I’m not buying the lame “it’s just what Texans are searching for” excuse, either. Word spamming is nothing but a shady, porn-site technique to bump up your hit counts, and you know it.
July 31st, 2009 at 10:24 amI hate fake people like those two.
July 31st, 2009 at 10:27 am“Hutchison did not clarify what exactly she finds “offensive” about the phrase “rick perry gay.”
um, the offensive part pawning off rick perry on the gay community, like we want his stupid ass.
July 31st, 2009 at 10:30 am*is pawning
July 31st, 2009 at 10:30 amLooking over the wordspam list, it’s quite interesting to see what other terms Sen. Hutchison wanted people to stumble on her site while searching for:
July 31st, 2009 at 10:34 am
I find “rick perry” offensive, too. ;)
July 31st, 2009 at 10:35 amThis is what passes for repiggie ideas these days.
My personal hope is that Texas be granted its independence, on condition that all the holy rollers and “birthers” move there, set up their ignorant theocracy, and leave the rest of us to live in peace.
By the way, Lou Dobbs is a moron.
July 31st, 2009 at 10:35 amOT I missed the Medal of Freedom thread yesterday but Harvey Milk wouldn’t have accepted it from Obama.
July 31st, 2009 at 10:35 amI don’t care if Perry is gay, I care that it’s still such a big deal! I care that there is such hatred out there that closeted people prefer to be seen as bigots rather than gay.
PEACE
July 31st, 2009 at 10:42 amAside from the hilarity that Republics, especially Tejas Republics fighting amongst themselves is bound to generate, I don’t see an issue with her statement (the embedded words in the site are a different story). Making an inference about an opponent’s sexuality or religion almost always involves a perceived slur. Compare the association of “rick perry gay” to the association of “barack obama muslim”. Nothing wrong with gays or Muslims in my world but inferring that Obama is a Muslim is clearly meant as a slur. Pom pom Kay got caught and is trying to backpeddle. Should be fun to watch the mud slinging.
July 31st, 2009 at 10:43 amNo need to guess, TP. She did it because she is a Republican and they instinctively react and respond negatively to anything they dont understand or that makes them feel threatened.
July 31st, 2009 at 10:46 amMr. Cobb says:
OT I missed the Medal of Freedom thread yesterday but Harvey Milk wouldn’t have accepted it from Obama.
July 31st, 2009 at 10:35 am
The actual ceremony is some time in August.
Any reason Harvey Milk wouldn’t have accepted the medal from President Obama — other than the fact that he’s dead?
July 31st, 2009 at 10:47 amIf we really want to find out if she personally finds one’s name associated with the word “gay” to be offensive (as opposed to acknowledging that it’s generally accepted as offensive in Texas), maybe we should all go to Google right now and enter “kay bailey hutchison gay”?
July 31st, 2009 at 10:47 amI just wish Texas would go on and secede from the union already.
I bet it wouldn’t even take two years before Texans started crossing the US border illegally, looking for a better life…
July 31st, 2009 at 10:50 amzooey@21, i was going to post “because he’s dead”? but i thought it would be too flippant :P
July 31st, 2009 at 10:54 amunbelievable says:
I just wish Texas would go on and secede from the union already.
I bet it wouldn’t even take two years before Texans started crossing the US border illegally, looking for a better life…
Absolutely frickin hilarious :)
July 31st, 2009 at 10:56 ammiss. . . molly I took your advice. You get 121,000 hits but most of them seem to refer to her getting caught re hidden terms about Perry on her web site(at least the first two pages). Still hoping these two destroy one another in the primary fight.
July 31st, 2009 at 10:56 amgoogle: “kay bailey hutchison gay”
Done!
July 31st, 2009 at 10:59 amI’m not surprised people find “rick perry gay” offensive. I’m offended enough he’s by his own account a part of the straight community, I’d hate to seem like we were pawning him off.
July 31st, 2009 at 11:00 amBy the way, the first Google result of “rick perry gay” is an actual story alleging extramarital activity by the governor, so maybe he shouldn’t go playing this story up.
July 31st, 2009 at 11:02 amThe real story here is the lie. “Hidden” words probably refers to meta-tag content. Kay is suggesting that the site is using some sort of dynamic meta-tags to match Google search terms regarding Perry? Huh?
July 31st, 2009 at 11:02 amMom says ” I care that there is such hatred out there that closeted people prefer to be seen as bigots rather than gay”
I agree that it is very sad that our society makes life so difficult for any group of people. The injustice is abhorring.
This does not diminish the enormity of the hypocricy of this man that stokes the fires of hatred at every turn.
July 31st, 2009 at 11:03 amRemember….this is Texas ( the cesspool of concervatism), coming out of the closet is political suicide for Ricky!
Hutchinson’s campaign workers are having a contest to see who can enter those three words into the Google in the shortest amount of time.
July 31st, 2009 at 11:08 amBy the way, I caught 6 sand bass, 3 barracuda and a mackerel yesterday. FYI
July 31st, 2009 at 11:13 am;)
chiroptera toasterhead says:
Word spamming is nothing but a shady, porn-site technique to bump up your hit counts, and you know it.
Excellent point. Word spamming is akin to asking somewhere publicly, say, “Anybody here knows how to change a tire?”, and someone saying “I know everything about changing a tire! Come here into my business” and when you get in, it turns out they’re selling cheese and they know butkis about changing tires, they just wanted someone to come into their store.
Same thing with their word spamming. Lies and deceit. I wonder if anyone’s surprised they would resort to such things?
July 31st, 2009 at 11:25 amFrom the article:
3900 sw green oaks blvd. arlington tx 76017 joe barton bio representative joe barton congressman barton joe barton congress dr. joe barton us congress biography congressman joe barton joe joe barton congressman congressman joe barton rep joe barton joe barton biography barton joey barton congress barton congress congress barton barton.com congress biography joe barton barton com congress privacy
You know, if you put some beats into this, you could have a pretty decent Techno/House hit… or a Hip-hop song.
July 31st, 2009 at 11:28 amSpencer’s mom says
July 31st, 2009 at 10:42 am
I don’t care if Perry is gay, I care that it’s still such a big deal! I care that there is such hatred out there that closeted people prefer to be seen as bigots rather than gay.
___________________________________________________________
It will be a great day in our world when race, color, religion, gender, and sexual orientation are as likely to be cause for discrimination as eye color is now. As in:
Today: “You voted against this guy because he has blue eyes??? That’s crazy!”
Someday in the future: “You voted against this guy because he’s gay??? That’s crazy!”
July 31st, 2009 at 11:32 ammisscoleopteramolly says:
Today: “You voted against this guy because he has blue eyes??? That’s crazy!”
July 31st, 2009 at 11:32 am
It’s been done:
July 31st, 2009 at 11:48 amhttp://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/divided/etc/view.html
If I were walking down the street, and that guy in the picture with her was heading my way, I would cross over to the other side.
July 31st, 2009 at 11:52 amchiroptera toasterhead says
July 31st, 2009 at 11:48 am
It’s been done:
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/divided/etc/view.html
__________________________________________________________
I saw this about 35 years ago, and remember it well. It’s probably why I use eye color as my example whenever I try to make a point about discrimination.
It’s good to know it’s still popular.
July 31st, 2009 at 12:06 pmAs a 3rd generation Texan who still lives here, it is with great remorse to again inform you that by nature, Texans are bigoted morons.
I’d bet you all my net worth you can’t find a Texan who HAS NOT heard the “N” word from at least one member of their family at some point in their lives.
Although I do recall having heard “fag” tossed about quite frequently in elementary school as well.
Fcuking pathetic.
July 31st, 2009 at 12:32 pmYou bought a tool that tells you what google is searching.
You found out something you didn’t want to know.
July 31st, 2009 at 12:37 pmThis is an example of how the citizens of Texas don’t have representatives that work for them. Hutchinson attacks Perry for not accepting the Stimulus Package to save those who are suffering, while she Voted NO in the Senate. Are Americans that stupid? It’s their money the President is using to help them not Iraq. Now Hutchinson wants to be Governor so see can stop the citizens from getting the help they need while she continues to line her pockets with Lobbyist money. FOOL ME ONCE SHAME ON YOU, FOOL ME TWICE SHAME ON ME. It’s time Americans look at those who are elected and make they work for the citizens of the State for a change.
July 31st, 2009 at 12:51 pmahahahahaha! A slimy story but revealing nonetheless,
On craigslist, with all the “obama hitler/ obama socialist/ liberals ruining country,” I have started to see stories about bush and perry being gay in response.
Did we just stumble on some kryptonite? Or uh.. Republicanite? They seem to violently/severely contest to even the thought they may be homosexual, maybe we have something we can use here?
July 31st, 2009 at 1:28 pmHutchison then released this statement:
We did not know these offensive word associations were being searched for by hundreds of thousands of Texans everyday
Funny thing is, checking Google keywords tools shows that less than 500 people a month search that “Rick Perry gay” key phrase.
July 31st, 2009 at 4:47 pmThat means that the “automated software” wouldn’t have included that term.
Not to worry, though. The way the rebumblekins load their keywords is considered “keyword spamming” ~i.e. unethical~ by Google and gets them penalized.
Not only is she lying through her teeth about her ethical lapses, she’s paying another penalty for her activities.
“We did not know these offensive word associations were being searched for by hundreds of thousands of Texans everyday”
That’s so well played, it’s like something out of Monty Python. Rephrasing what Hutchison said: “Wow, we didn’t know that hundreds of thousands of Texans were Googling ‘Rick Perry gay’!”
They’re able to get in another attack on Perry even as they take down the meta tags!
July 31st, 2009 at 5:21 pmThe best thing about Texas is the Mike Bloomfield song.
July 31st, 2009 at 9:47 pmPoll: Majority of Republicans are psychotics.
July 31st, 2009 at 11:49 pm