# Old codger of a politician is a sexist dumbass **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [February 16, 2006, 5:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-codger-of-a-politician-is-a-sexist-dumbass/344758 "2006-02-16T05:55:22Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![SanibelMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e4f/32.png) [@SanibelMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SanibelMan)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2006, 5:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-codger-of-a-politician-is-a-sexist-dumbass/344758/1 "2006-02-16T05:55:22Z")
From the WaPo: [‘The Day I Don’t Look at Pretty Girls, I Die’](http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/02/15/AR2006021501441.html) > [@](#): > > The public meeting had just begun yesterday morning when a 24-year-old woman delivered a mug of tea to Maryland Comptroller William Donald Schaefer. > > Schaefer (D) watched her walk away, appearing to stare at her backside, then motioned for her to come back. > > “Walk again,” he told the woman, an administrative aide to Gov. Robert L. Ehrlich Jr. ®. His reaction to the press inquiries is the topper, though. > [@](#): > > “A little girl walks out, and I make a joke out of it,” he said, expressing dismay. “The one who is offended is me. . . . I can’t believe you are making a deal out of that.” > > … > > Schaefer said reporters’ interest in his actions were a sign of the declining standards of the press. “I didn’t think much of you before,” he said. “But I think this is a low ebb.” Oh, sure. You’re a sexist pig who refers to your colleagues as “little girls,” but it’s our fault for looking into the problem. Got it. But hey, maybe he has a point. I mean, look at him. Who wouldn’t want to hit that?\* \*With a baseball bat. In the crotch. ---
**Author:** ![Slacker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/6bbea6/32.png) [@Slacker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slacker)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2006, 6:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-codger-of-a-politician-is-a-sexist-dumbass/344758/2 "2006-02-16T06:02:01Z")
Got any pics of the aide? Sorry, just kidding. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![sleestak](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/919ad9/32.png) [@sleestak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sleestak)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2006, 6:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-codger-of-a-politician-is-a-sexist-dumbass/344758/3 "2006-02-16T06:17:01Z")
You are right. He obviously should have used the "Miss, I think you forgot something’ ploy to get the woman to come back so he could take another peek.\* Slee \*Yeah, it was tasteless. Especially the ‘little girl’ remark. ---
**Author:** ![mhendo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mhendo/32/3159_2.png) [@mhendo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mhendo)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2006, 6:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-codger-of-a-politician-is-a-sexist-dumbass/344758/4 "2006-02-16T06:29:58Z")
Anyone who lives in Maryland and has been privy to this doofus’s periodic gaffes will not be surprised at this. [Here](http://www.equalitymaryland.org/News2004.10.14.htm) is a lovely little snippet from 2004: > [@](#): > > At last week’s meeting of the Board of Public Works, Schaefer asked the state’s AIDS administrator why Maryland has no registry of residents who have the human immunodeficiency virus. > > “They didn’t get it by just standing in the breeze,” he said. > > This week, Schaefer told the Washington Post: “As far as I’m concerned, people who have AIDS are a danger.” > > “They bring it on themselves,” Schaefer said. “They don’t get it by sitting on the toilet seat. … A person who gives AIDS, who spreads AIDS, they’re bad people. Everybody wants to be on the good side of everything. Well, I’m taking a stand.” ---
**Author:** ![Giant\_Spongess](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/94ad74/32.png) [@Giant\_Spongess](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Giant_Spongess)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2006, 6:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-codger-of-a-politician-is-a-sexist-dumbass/344758/5 "2006-02-16T06:37:31Z")
> [@mhendo](#): > > Anyone who lives in Maryland and has been privy to this doofus’s periodic gaffes will not be surprised at this. > > [Here](http://www.equalitymaryland.org/News2004.10.14.htm) is a lovely little snippet from 2004: Wow, my jaw actually dropped after reading that. What an ass. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2006, 6:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-codger-of-a-politician-is-a-sexist-dumbass/344758/6 "2006-02-16T06:40:41Z")
So how long has he held public office? ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2006, 6:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-codger-of-a-politician-is-a-sexist-dumbass/344758/7 "2006-02-16T06:41:47Z")
Good lord, what a douche. ---
**Author:** ![EddyTeddyFreddy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eddyteddyfreddy/32/18796_2.png) [@EddyTeddyFreddy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EddyTeddyFreddy)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2006, 6:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-codger-of-a-politician-is-a-sexist-dumbass/344758/8 "2006-02-16T06:43:47Z")
Did you read the OP’s link as far as this gem? > [@](#): > > Hayman [a longtime aide to Schaefer] said that Schaefer has a well-established record of promoting women in the workplace and that those who have worked for him do not feel in any way offended by his habit of referring to accomplished women as “little girls.” > > “It sounds like he’s demeaning you, but what he’s really saying is he respects you,” Hayman said. “I know that sounds odd.” Sounds odd? :dubious: Odd perhaps as in, oh, say: “I know he whacks little kids upside the head with bats, but that’s just showing how fond he is of 'em.” :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2006, 6:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-codger-of-a-politician-is-a-sexist-dumbass/344758/9 "2006-02-16T06:48:46Z")
> [@EddyTeddyFreddy](#): > > Sounds odd? :dubious: Odd perhaps as in, oh, say: “I know he whacks little kids upside the head with bats, but that’s just showing how fond he is of 'em.” :rolleyes: I read it as, “I know it sounds like he’s demeaning you, but actually he pays me and I’m in denial.” :smack: ---
**Author:** ![mhendo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mhendo/32/3159_2.png) [@mhendo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mhendo)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2006, 6:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-codger-of-a-politician-is-a-sexist-dumbass/344758/10 "2006-02-16T06:49:23Z")
> [@Marley23](#): > > So how long has he held public office? He served 16 years on the Baltimore City Council, immediately followed by four consecutive terms (another 16 years) as the Mayor. He followed that up with 8 years as the Governor of Maryland, and he’s been State Comptroller since 1999. Make of that what you will. ---
**Author:** ![Who\_me\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/958977/32.png) [@Who\_me\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Who_me_1)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2006, 12:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-codger-of-a-politician-is-a-sexist-dumbass/344758/11 "2006-02-16T12:22:53Z")
Yup, William Donald is the cross we Marylanders have to bear. He’s our version of Marion Berry, there’s almost nothing he could do this side of stabbing Cal Ripken or peeing on Johnny Unitas’ grave that could keep him from being elected. I used to get upset when I’d hear his latest, but now… he’s who he is and any Marylander who is surprised about anything he does is either 10 years old or wearing blinders. ---
**Author:** ![Trunk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/87869e/32.png) [@Trunk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trunk)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2006, 1:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-codger-of-a-politician-is-a-sexist-dumbass/344758/12 "2006-02-16T13:15:17Z")
Willie Don also said something about a year ago about how people manning the drive thru at McD’s should speak english. Considering that the million other things he’s said and done over the years hasn’t brought him down, this won’t either. But it was pretty egregioius. I think he’s got some sort of “crazy old uncle” sympathy in Maryland. I was watching the news yesterday and actually said to my wife, “Look what Shaefer did this time.” They actually have a clip of it. The woman walks away, and he’s looking right at her ass. He says something and she comes back. ---
**Author:** ![kidchameleon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/898d66/32.png) [@kidchameleon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kidchameleon)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2006, 1:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-codger-of-a-politician-is-a-sexist-dumbass/344758/13 "2006-02-16T13:24:01Z")
I’ll bet he calls everyone ‘hon’ too. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Trunk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/87869e/32.png) [@Trunk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trunk)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2006, 1:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-codger-of-a-politician-is-a-sexist-dumbass/344758/14 "2006-02-16T13:54:59Z")
> [@kidchameleon](#): > > I’ll bet he calls everyone ‘hon’ too. 🙂 “Hon” would be a step up for him. Apparently he calls all the women he works with “little girls”. ---
**Author:** ![deevee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/57b2e6/32.png) [@deevee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/deevee)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2006, 3:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-codger-of-a-politician-is-a-sexist-dumbass/344758/15 "2006-02-16T15:42:09Z")
> [@](#): > > Hayman [a longtime aide to Schaefer] said that Schaefer has a well-established record of promoting women in the workplace and that those who have worked for him do not feel in any way offended by his habit of referring to accomplished women as “little girls.” Perhaps the “little girls” should start respectfully referring to him as “giant douche” It really doesn’t mean anything. ---
**Author:** ![Cliffy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/59ef9b/32.png) [@Cliffy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cliffy)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2006, 3:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-codger-of-a-politician-is-a-sexist-dumbass/344758/16 "2006-02-16T15:56:23Z")
No Schaefer fan I, and nor am I one who tolerates sexual harassment or discrimination. And yet. It’s not like you can be on the ball enough to get a great political job without knowing what politicians are like. –Cliffy ---
**Author:** ![AHunter3](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ahunter3/32/368_2.png) [@AHunter3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AHunter3)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2006, 4:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-codger-of-a-politician-is-a-sexist-dumbass/344758/17 "2006-02-16T16:40:53Z")
I’m sending money to the coffers of whatever Republican opposes him. ---
**Author:** ![Who\_me\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/958977/32.png) [@Who\_me\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Who_me_1)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2006, 4:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-codger-of-a-politician-is-a-sexist-dumbass/344758/18 "2006-02-16T16:54:02Z")
> [@AHunter3](#): > > I’m sending money to the coffers of whatever Republican opposes him. Feel free, it won’t make a little bit of difference, but good luck. ---
**Author:** ![betenoir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/258eb7/32.png) [@betenoir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/betenoir)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2006, 5:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-codger-of-a-politician-is-a-sexist-dumbass/344758/19 "2006-02-16T17:01:34Z")
Oh god. Reading the OP I was ready to give him a pass. I mean guys look at girls. They can’t help it. It’s hardwired (no, I’m not sure if the pun is intended). As long as they’re not rude or making the person uncomfortable… I can even forgive him “little girls”. A lot of older guys refer to much younger people in ways like that…to older people young people look even yunger than they are. It _could_ have been affectionate. But… CALLING HER BACK SO HE CAN WATCH HER AGAIN??? What a way to say “I have no respect for you, you’re a peice of ass here for my amusment.” He completely humiliates another person AND IT DOESN’T EVEN REGITER WITH HIM!. She should have pourn the coffee on his head. ---
**Author:** ![FordPrefect](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e99b99/32.png) [@FordPrefect](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FordPrefect)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2006, 6:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-codger-of-a-politician-is-a-sexist-dumbass/344758/20 "2006-02-16T18:55:52Z")
> [@betenoir](#): > > She should have **pourn** the coffee on his head. Now who’s the dirty pig? 🙂 [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-codger-of-a-politician-is-a-sexist-dumbass/344758.md?page=2)