# Biggest asshole in Congress **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [June 20, 2009, 5:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/biggest-asshole-in-congress/500377 "2009-06-20T05:05:50Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 6
**Author:** ![DanBlather](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/f4b2a3/32.png) [@DanBlather](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DanBlather)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2009, 1:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/biggest-asshole-in-congress/500377/101 "2009-06-23T01:26:18Z")
> [@gravitycrash](#): > > Nope, the most important issue right now is Boxer getting her panties in a bunch over a general calling her ma’am instead of Senator. Especially since she should damn well know that anybody who is in the military will address anyone as sir or ma’am if there is any doubt who is higher in the chain of command and I’m pretty sure the General knows the chain of command. She was grandstanding and petty and yes, being a bitch. > > Maybe not the biggest asshole in congress but for this week she surely is in the running. > Please stay focused on the so very important issue of your fucking title Senator, maybe it will keep your petty ass out of less important issues like health care. Feinstein did act asshole-ish and is worthy of being a contender in this thread. Someone simply advocating positions you disagree with (e.g., gun control) does not make them an asshole. I disagree with McCain but I don’t think he is an asshole. I agree with most of Feinstein’s positions, but she was out of line. I’m embarrased this self-obsessed, botoxed galvanizer is on “my” side. ---
**Author:** ![Kimmy\_Gibbler](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Kimmy\_Gibbler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimmy_Gibbler)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2009, 1:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/biggest-asshole-in-congress/500377/102 "2009-06-23T01:28:16Z")
> [@gravitycrash](#): > > She was grandstanding and petty and yes, being a bitch. I might have more sympathy for this criticism if the little boys on this message board didn’t roll their eyes when people tell them they have to call adult women they do business with and with whom they are not socially acquainted “women” instead of “girls” and if they didn’t call a woman who has the temerity to tell G.I. Joe to call her a “Senator,” because that’s what she is, a “bitch.” ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2009, 1:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/biggest-asshole-in-congress/500377/103 "2009-06-23T01:32:37Z")
> [@DanBlather](#): > > Feinstein did act asshole-ish and is worthy of being a contender in this thread. Someone simply advocating positions you disagree with (e.g., gun control) does not make them an asshole. > > I disagree with McCain but I don’t think he is an asshole. I agree with most of Feinstein’s positions, but she was out of line. I’m embarrased this self-obsessed, botoxed galvanizer is on “my” side. Feinstein, or Boxer? 😕😕 ---
**Author:** ![gonzomax](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e8c25b/32.png) [@gonzomax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gonzomax)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2009, 1:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/biggest-asshole-in-congress/500377/104 "2009-06-23T01:34:54Z")
> [@gravitycrash](#): > > Nope, the most important issue right now is Boxer getting her panties in a bunch over a general calling her ma’am instead of Senator. Especially since she should damn well know that anybody who is in the military will address anyone as sir or ma’am if there is any doubt who is higher in the chain of command and I’m pretty sure the General knows the chain of command. She was grandstanding and petty and yes, being a bitch. > > Maybe not the biggest asshole in congress but for this week she surely is in the running. > Please stay focused on the so very important issue of your fucking title Senator, maybe it will keep your petty ass out of less important issues like health care. That one line response she made has your panties twisted. get over it. She thought it was disrespectful to not call a senator, senator. Why does that give you a problem? How does that make it the most important issue? Get over it. ---
**Author:** ![crypto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b3f665/32.png) [@crypto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/crypto)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2009, 4:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/biggest-asshole-in-congress/500377/105 "2009-06-23T04:54:21Z")
> [@gonzomax](#): > > That one line response she made has your panties twisted. get over it. She thought it was disrespectful to not call a senator, senator. Why does that give you a problem? How does that make it the most important issue? Get over it. Just a question. In the General’s responses to the male senators, did he say “Sir” or Senator? Perhaps if he said Senator to them and Ma’am to her, I can see the perceived “slight”. But if he was consistent, she was a grandstanding asshole, and needs to be slammed for it. ---
**Author:** ![Starving\_Artist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/aeb1de/32.png) [@Starving\_Artist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Starving_Artist)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2009, 5:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/biggest-asshole-in-congress/500377/106 "2009-06-23T05:26:09Z")
And the way she phrased her objection, _“You know, do me a favor”_, in addition to being poor grammar for a U. S. Senator, was flippant, disrespectful and condescending. She is obviously very impressed with her station in life and expects everyone else to be as well. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2009, 1:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/biggest-asshole-in-congress/500377/107 "2009-06-23T13:45:20Z")
There are different grammar rules for senators? ---
**Author:** ![MichaelQReilly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/df705f/32.png) [@MichaelQReilly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MichaelQReilly)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2009, 1:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/biggest-asshole-in-congress/500377/108 "2009-06-23T13:54:13Z")
> [@WolfpackJeep](#): > > **MichaelQReilly** , I had managed to forget Orin Hatch for some reason! He’s definitely a good (?) candidate for this thread. It never fails that when I read about some bull shit provision inserted into a bill at the last minute intended to fuck over the average person and benefit some shady business (supplements, debt settlement, etc.) it is inevitably done by Hatch. ---
**Author:** ![Steve\_MB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/steve_mb/32/5339_2.png) [@Steve\_MB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Steve_MB)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2009, 1:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/biggest-asshole-in-congress/500377/109 "2009-06-23T13:57:16Z")
> [@Guinastasia](#): > > It USED to be Santorum, but he’s long gone. Same with Bob Dornan. > > How about Joe Lieberman? You can’t entirely blame Lieberman – after the Democrats let him keep the Homeland Security chair, he was in a position similar to that of a teenage boy whose parents let him have the car and liquor cabinet keys. When the people who are supposed to discipline somebody punt on that responsibility, they’re partially responsible for the results. > [@Captain\_Carrot](#): > > I think we can all get behind that. I’d certainly rather get behind Joe Lieberman than let him get behind me. ---
**Author:** ![Jack\_Batty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jack_batty/32/3201_2.png) [@Jack\_Batty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jack_Batty)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2009, 1:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/biggest-asshole-in-congress/500377/110 "2009-06-23T13:58:17Z")
Boehner. Anyone who uses that much bronzer has to be an asshole. ---
**Author:** ![Kimmy\_Gibbler](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Kimmy\_Gibbler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimmy_Gibbler)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2009, 2:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/biggest-asshole-in-congress/500377/111 "2009-06-23T14:46:26Z")
> [@Jack\_Batty](#): > > Boehner. Anyone who uses that much bronzer has to be an asshole. Also, he really needs to learn how to spell his last name correctly. Sheesh! ---
**Author:** ![The\_Weird\_One](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7bcc69/32.png) [@The\_Weird\_One](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Weird_One)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2009, 2:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/biggest-asshole-in-congress/500377/112 "2009-06-23T14:59:23Z")
> [@Stink Fish Pot](#): > > Just a question. In the General’s responses to the male senators, did he say “Sir” or Senator? Perhaps if he said Senator to them and Ma’am to her, I can see the perceived “slight”. But if he was consistent, she was a grandstanding asshole, and needs to be slammed for it. I agree, whether or not she was being an asshole by insisting on being called “Senator” depends on how the general was addressing the male senators. According to [this article,](http://www.upi.com/Odd_News/2009/06/19/Boxers-maam-moment-sparks-criticism/UPI-92371245433911/) “Brig. Gen. Michael Walsh of the Army Corps of Engineers… called several male senators ‘sir,’….” So she should’ve accepted “Ma’am” or phrased her request politely. I see Barney Frank’s name coming up quite a lot, can someone expound on his qualifications for Biggest Asshole? I’m not currently in his ([extremely gerrymandered](http://www.govtrack.us/congress/findyourreps.xpd?state=MA&district=4)) congressional district, but I like to keep up on local politicians. ---
**Author:** ![DanBlather](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/f4b2a3/32.png) [@DanBlather](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DanBlather)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2009, 3:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/biggest-asshole-in-congress/500377/113 "2009-06-23T15:15:17Z")
> [@The\_Weird\_One](#): > > I see Barney Frank’s name coming up quite a lot, can someone expound on his qualifications for Biggest Asshole? I’m not currently in his ([extremely gerrymandered](http://www.govtrack.us/congress/findyourreps.xpd?state=MA&district=4)) congressional district, but I like to keep up on local politicians. I’m confused by that as well. I think it is a combination of him being gay, outspoken, and having a Boston accent, but I don’t see him as an asshole at all. It’s like having Click or Clack in govt. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2009, 3:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/biggest-asshole-in-congress/500377/114 "2009-06-23T15:16:26Z")
> [@The\_Weird\_One](#): > > I see Barney Frank’s name coming up quite a lot, can someone expound on his qualifications for Biggest Asshole? I’m not currently in his ([extremely gerrymandered](http://www.govtrack.us/congress/findyourreps.xpd?state=MA&district=4)) congressional district, but I like to keep up on local politicians. Redistricting almost killed his career off quick- he had to run against another incumbent to keep his seat in 1982. I don’t know why people think he’s an asshole; Congressional staffers all say he’s funny. He’s a big-government guy, he’s very pro-gay (as you might expect an openly gay Congressman to be), but he’s also the archetype of the Clinton-style free-market Democrats. ---
**Author:** ![Polycarp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/82dd89/32.png) [@Polycarp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Polycarp)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2009, 3:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/biggest-asshole-in-congress/500377/115 "2009-06-23T15:17:49Z")
> [@gonzomax](#): > > That one line response she made has your panties twisted. get over it. She thought it was disrespectful to not call a senator, senator. Why does that give you a problem? How does that make it the most important issue? Get over it. Perhaps she should have answered him, “Okay, soldier!”? ---
**Author:** ![Notassmartasithought](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/c0e974/32.png) [@Notassmartasithought](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Notassmartasithought)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2009, 3:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/biggest-asshole-in-congress/500377/116 "2009-06-24T03:48:56Z")
Why did it take this long for Mitch McConnell to get mentioned. As the leader of both the Majority and the Minority, he’s depended on obscurantist and ad hominem arguments more that any senator I can remember. Still gives me the willies. (And I get the feeling he’d be proud of that.) ---
**Author:** ![StusBlues](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/dc4da7/32.png) [@StusBlues](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/StusBlues)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2009, 9:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/biggest-asshole-in-congress/500377/117 "2009-06-25T21:45:06Z")
> [@buttonjockey308](#): > > After reading the Boxer thing, she’s just being a pain in the ass, but she’s not an asshole per se, but if I were the general, it would have been “yes ma’am” until they locked me up. Now y’see, Boxer was certainly being impolite and petty–there’s no harm at all in being referred to as “sir” or “ma’am”, though some women seem to think it makes them sound old–but continuing to call her that after being asked to stop would absolutely be the mark of an asshole. To the general’s credit, he did not do so, referring to Boxer as “senator” ever after. ---
**Author:** ![buttonjockey308](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bcef8e/32.png) [@buttonjockey308](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/buttonjockey308)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2009, 6:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/biggest-asshole-in-congress/500377/118 "2009-06-26T18:13:24Z")
> [@stuthehistoryguy](#): > > Now y’see, Boxer was certainly being impolite and petty–there’s no harm at all in being referred to as “sir” or “ma’am”, though some women seem to think it makes them sound old–but continuing to call her that after being asked to stop would absolutely be the mark of an asshole. > > To the general’s credit, he did not do so, referring to Boxer as “senator” ever after. Well sure, but we’re not talking about the biggest asshole in the Army 😉 ---
**Author:** ![tds1273](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/df705f/32.png) [@tds1273](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tds1273)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2009, 10:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/biggest-asshole-in-congress/500377/119 "2009-06-26T22:12:27Z")
Wow, no mention of either Lindsey Graham or Harry Reid yet? Well I’m honored to do so now. ETA: Nope, **SA** did call out Reid. Hate to agree with the guy but I do on this one. Though I do rather like Barney Frank, so we’ll call it a wash. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2009, 6:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/biggest-asshole-in-congress/500377/120 "2009-06-27T18:34:40Z")
Again, _why_ is Reid an asshole? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/biggest-asshole-in-congress/500377.md?page=5) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/biggest-asshole-in-congress/500377.md?page=7)