But then 9 more soldiers died in Afghanistan, 15 seriously wounded, and I got distracted by something that matters.

Especially after watching "Charlie Wilson's War" on Saturday night Sunday's news was a real punch in the gut!

Good lord, no.

If someone has time to get all worked up over this, a comedian's only slightly offensive joke about his own family, they have way too much time on their hands and obviously have not been effected by the downturn in the economy, a loved one overseas, or any money in IndyMac.

Leave the outrage over this kind of thing to the good folks over on the RW side of the aisle, you know the ones, the kind of people that wanted the Austin Powers doll removed form shelves because it says "horny".

I'd say people shouldn't clutch their pearls over this, but thinking about it, that is kind of sexist even if it is descriptive. (g)

isn't taking offense Broadsheet's entire raison d'etre?

Domestic violence is funny. Castration is funny.

If Bernie Mac is so offensive, why is federal government is bailing him out?

He said something like, "you're gonna have to clean up your act, Bernie." and then added "naw, i'm just teasin' ya, man."

So, um, which is it, Barry?

seems fair.

oh wait... that's right, racism is a terrible thing, but misogyny's cool.

Can't we find something tasteless and offensive without being "outraged"? I save the outrage for things that are actually outrageous -- criminal wars, systematic rape, genocide, etc. This was by no measure of the term “outrageous,” but it was in poor taste. The campaign should have known better than to invite a humorless comedian known for covering his inherent unfunniness with crude, juvenile jokes. Can we leave it at that?

from castration is funny....to misogyny is funny.

Good thing the comedian wasn't someone edgy like Chris Rock or Sarah Silverman.

I guess some people would only be happy with entertainment of bands like the Wiggles and humor by Barney.

Let's get everything down to the level of a 3 year old and no one will be offended.

Why not just post a list of topics the white women of BS get upset about and have a database scour the newswires and automatically issue a post about how outrageous it is?

Yawn...Oh, ditto the above two posts. Hope my neighbors who are posted in Kandahar are ok.

Chris Rock made a lot of similar jokes at a venue I saw recently. Why would you invite a comedian (any comedian) whose makes their job by laughing at uncomfortable situations? It's just a recipe for disaster.

Furthermore, the candidate is stuck in the position where they have to seem "nice" to the comedian even if they're horrified by what's said. It's just a recipe for disaster (a la whoopi in 2004).

Republicans simply avoid this problem by having no in roads with hollywood, which is probably safer.

A close paraphrase:

"[GBS] was at a party once and he told this woman that everyone would agree to do anything for money, if the price was high enough. `Surely not, she said.' `Oh yes,' he said. `Well, I wouldn't,' she said. `Oh yes you would,' he said. `For instance,' he said, `would you sleep with me for... for a million pounds?' `Well,' she said, `maybe for a million I would, yes.' `Would you do it for ten shillings?' said Bernard Shaw. `Certainly not!' said the woman `What do you take me for? A prostitute?' `We've established that already,' said Bernard Shaw. `We're just trying to fix your price now!' "

Folks, that joke (at least the credit to GBS, which may be apocryphal) is approximately 100 years old. Bernie Mac's rendition is a clever update.

what a FUCKING MORON Bernie Mac is. You don't make that kind of joke at a political event. The guy is clearly a total fool.

There are much bigger problems to be outraged about in this world. But I do agree that the jokes weren't appropriate to the occasion. I thought they vetted these guys better than that. And it's not all that funny, either. Obama's campaign needs to wake up.

>So, um, which is it, Barry?

It was a firm correction with a bit of face-saving room for the offender. A technique that maintains and strengthens relationships, and damps the impulse to take arms. Essential for leadership on Lifeboat Earth.

Obama has a broad repertoire of responses. This one very much fit the moment.

(?!?!) hello?

Jesse Jackson, Bernie Mac, David Remnick.

With friends like these...

Aside from it being a stale joke, what's the big deal?

Is it offensive that he'd put a woman in the situation to admit she'd prostitute herself?

Is it the word "ho" or "whore"?

Is it that he involved children?

I see the premise of the joke is to call women who would willingly prostitute themselves "ho"s. Which is short for "whore." Which is synonymous with "prostitute."

Can't we all just call a ho a ho and move on with our lives?

eom

Are you kidding me? My three-year-old's jokes are some of the most offensive I have ever seen or heard.

If "we" means people who were actually in the hall, or socially conscious Bernie Mac fans who didn't know he could be sexist, the answer is yes, "we" should be outraged. If, on the other hand, "we" means the rest of us, who would have been unaware of this so called "incident" were it not for the blogosphere desperate to turn anything into a massive scandal, the answer is obviously no. For that matter, I shouldn't have read the article and certainly shouldn't be writing this comment on it. Alright, I'll stop now

Okay, that's funny. Poop, boogers, burps, laughing at their own farts...you're right, a 3 year old is pretty offensive.

I once was asked by someone if I would sleep with him for a tiffany lamp. And I told him that I only slept with someone for love. And for some reason, I don't find that "jokes" about sleeping with someone for $50,000.00 particularly funny. I don't think it is something that should be joked about. I'm sure I am explaining this badly but I'm not sure. There are people who would have sex for money. But depending on their circumstances I don't know if I would call them whores for it. If one has to do it to live and to feed one's family then no. This is so serious that joking about it is a marginal business at best. I guess Bernie Mac is striking at those who sell out their most personal imimate selves for gain but it seems to be such a cheap "joke" with no real discussion of the substance. I guess that I am not "outraged" just saddened.