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Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-CA) reprimands a brigadier general for calling her "ma'am."

reviewed by irishgit

Babs strikes again.

irishgit
06/24/2009

Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-CA) reprimands a brigadier general for calling her "ma'am." 1

I regard Boxer as an ineffective, and often disgraceful example of the worst that the Senate has to offer, but lets step back from this supposed horrible incident for a moment.

The correct spoken form of address for an incumbent U.S. Senator is "Senator." You'd think, given the military's long standing pre-occupation with protocol, that they would get that right. While the officer might not respect Boxer he should at least respect the office she holds.

I suspect this was a momentary lapse on the General's part, and a touch of hurt feelings on Boxer's. Utterly irrelevant, except in getting some folks on RIA worked up.

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GoinDownSlow commented 150 days ago.
(Edited 150 days ago)
Not me. If I was worked up over it, I'd have called her "an irrelevant fucking douchebag, with an intellect equal to a that of a spiny sea urchin and hairstyle straight out of Dr. Strangelove, who couldn't find her bony ass with a guide dog and a map." Not that I'd do such a thing...

irishgit commented 150 days ago.
And that, I'd concur, is the proper form of address for Barb under most circumstances, although you might have a hard time finding it in protocol guides.

numbah16tdhaha commented 150 days ago.
But... its Barbara Boxer! People love to kick her whenever she does something dumb.

irishgit commented 150 days ago.
Raise the bar, numbah. Fish in barrels don't always need to be shot. Besides, if this was another senator, or public figure on the right side of the spectrum, I strongly suggest that the tune some folks are playing on this topic would be very different.

GoinDownSlow commented 150 days ago.
I have it right here listed under "The Proper Procedure When Addressing Skanky Senatorial Hoes". Page 283.

GoinDownSlow commented 150 days ago.
(Edited 150 days ago)
If Scarborough returns to office, and I pray he does, I'll turn to page 189: "The Proper Procedure When Addressing Punk-Assed Congressional Dipshits"

Ridgewalker commented 150 days ago.
I understand the power play here, but it made me angry to see her play that card. She was blatantly hostile and "parental" with the Brigadier General. It was haughty. I guess I dislike haughty...

irishgit commented 150 days ago.
I don't care much for it either Ridge, and I'm not trying to set myself up as a defender of all things Boxer. Far from it. I just think that in this case a mountain is being made of a molehill.

Ridgewalker commented 150 days ago.
In the larger scheme of things, sure. Just something that makes eyes roll and adds to what defines her.

I may be wrong, but I don't think it was a lapse on his part. In the military, men are addressed as "Sir" and women as "Ma'am". I think she interpreted that as a condescending, Southerny thang.

Gris commented 150 days ago.
I think Numbah had a Point. She was an Easy target and as such People are going to Crucify her over it.
Having said that, I still think she was an Idiot.
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