The groper must go; another person's take on the matter

Reprinted in its entirety, without the emphases supplied in the original.

Jon Favreau Must Resign
by Swedescott
Sun Dec 07, 2008 at 04:59:15 PM PST

The actions of Jon Favreau has presented both the incoming Obama administration and the supporting progressive community with a test of our loyalty to principle, ethical courage, and standard of respect. Are we willing to excuse sexist, disrespectful behavior on the basis of superior talent?  Or do we have the courage to say that even people with unsurpassed talent still must face the consequences of their actions, even when they occupy positions of prestige and power?

Mr. Favreau's actions have put the Obama Adminstration and its supporters into a moral conundrum: do we hold our own to a different standard than we expect of conservatives and others who disagree with us? 

Jon Favreau must resign because his behavior warrants it.  As chief speechwriter for Pres-elect Obama and keystone of his communications staff, Favreau has sent a disgusting message of sexism, disrespect, and tinges of misogyny.

He should resign because past behavior informs future credibility, hence the exhaustive vetting processes for high-level government appointments by each incoming administration. 

He should resign because he has demeaned the incoming Secretary of State not by attacking her ability nor her positions but strictly through her role as a woman.  Say it out aloud: he wanted to represent groping the Secretary of State.  If your response is, "well, she wasn't secretary of state yet" than also provide the names of which Senators with whom this would have been acceptable behavior by the mouthpiece of the incoming President.

He should resign because no one is above reproach and no one is singularly qualified for their position.  Mr. Favreau may be unsurpassed as a speechwriter and he may have written rhetoric that will define a generation, but there were poets before him and there will be poets after him and he serves for a President that was inspiring people long before Mr. Favreau had graduated college.  Imagine for a moment Ted Sorensen, arguably the greatest President speechwriter in American history, doing something like this.

We have achieved what we have on the princples of tolerance, accountability, and ethical fortitute.  We have embraced the idea that political reality has a ceiling above which tough choices must be made at the cost of short-term political gain.  We want to continue to develop an ethic of inclusion and respect.  And this stands as the antithesis to all of this.

Imagine for a moment our collective reaction if this had been Dana Perino in front of a cutout of Pres-elect Obama; why should our reaction to this situation be any different?  Because he's one of ours?  Because he's a burgeoning genius?  I say no.  We must finally put the truth to the cliche of having the courage of our convictions of tolerance and inclusion.

We stand on the precipice of hypocrisy, before we even enter into office.  His behavior has merited consequence; do we have the spine to administer it?

The only thing that confuses me about this piece is who the "we" is. Possibly the writer works for President-elect Obama? If not, who is the "we" he is speaking for. But apart from this minor matter and some other nitpicks - I know many bright, accomplished people of Mr. Favreau's age and I would not count him a "burgeoning genius" - I stand with the main points made by this writer.

Moreover, not only must President-elect Obama request Mr. Favreau's resignation, President-elect Obama must make it clear that there will not be an alternative position in his administration for Mr. Favreau. When you are President of the United States of America you can hire virtually anybody in the world. You do not have to settle for somebody with juvenile poor judgment.

Over the weekend, The New York Times covered Mr. Favreau's intended living arrangements here in Washington D.C. Would you want a neighbor who thinks it is funny to publish a depiction of himself groping the Secretary of State while his friend pours beer down her throat?

Comments

[DYB]

Is this blogger one of the self-described "progressives" who backed Obama during the primaries and election? I think the "we" probably refers to the other self-described "progressives" who supported Obama.

Favreau's writing will "define a generation?" Can this generation be more vapid than the X-generation? If this is the writing that defines it - yes!

[lexia]

"...sexism, disrespect, and *tinges of misogyny*??" Holding a woman's head back by her hair while pouring alcohol down her throat is frat-boy rape.

No wonder this writer thinks Favreau has talent.

[susan h]

All anyone has to do is replace Hillary Clinton's caricataure with that of Michelle Obama and see what happens. Stop mistreatment of Sarah Palin and dish it out to Michelle Obama instead. Anytime a woman is abused, mistreated, demeaned, called names, etc., replace that person's image with the image of Michelle Obama. Perhaps Mr. Obama will get the message. Considering how dense he is, maybe not, but I still hold out HOPE that perhaps seeing Michelle Obama in these miserable scenarios something might CHANGE.

[Alwaysthinking]

I have only one thought. The supposed future president himself carried out several adolescent and belittling and sexist behaviors himself -- from his use of "periodically down" to flipping Hillary the finger and brushing her off his shoulder. The problem started at the top -- or the top was easily bamboozled by his campaign team, including a still-adolescent mid-twenties frat child who could write boilerplate and fool a few too many people. All of this is so tragic and sad for American women. But we are strong and we shall overcome, too.

[Greenconsciousness]

I would have the photo shopped version of the cardboard cutout with Michelle Obama's face made into a postcard with the words "does it offend you now, James?" sent to James Carvelle in care of Wolf Blitzer CNN-News. Thousands of them

I gather Riverdaughter has been shamed by her hypercritical sisters into taking down the pictures with MO instead of Hillary. This is how we stand in a circle and shoot ourselves.