Did Rick Santorum nearly call Obama N word?

[None of the above]

US Republican presidential candidate Rick Santorum has been caught in a potentially embarrassing verbal slip-up.

In a clip reported to show Santorum speaking in Wisconsin on 27 March, he stumbles over a word beginning with 'N'.

"We know the candidate Barack Obama what he was like, the anti-war government n.." he says, before stopping himself. He adds "America was a source of division around the world."

It's not clear what Santorum was about to say

Youtube link

How has this played in the States? Either way, in the UK such a possible slur would have almost certainly ended a political career.

Edited March 31, 2012 by Atlantia

[Eldorado]

Oops!

lol

[questionmark]

It would not surprise me. The best way to attack Obama in some places of the US is calling him a foreign black guy.

Just shows you that there is still much left to do in the civil rights department.

[Lilly]

Yeah, he most certainly covered up the "N" word there. Personally, I haven't cared much for Mr. Santorum from the 'get go', this is no surprize to me (and I suspect to many others as well).

[None of the above]

Yeah, he most certainly covered up the "N" word there. Personally, I haven't cared much for Mr. Santorum from the 'get go', this is no surprize to me (and I suspect to many others as well).

If that was over here, his party would be falling over themselves to distance themselves from him. His career would be over and the papers would tear him to pieces.

How's it playing in the US? I'm suprised it's not got news coverage outside of the USA.

[Legaia]

It could have been any variety of words starting with the letter N. I think its just a tad racist to automatically assume it was going to be that particular N word. Just because his religious views may be a little extreme doesn't mean he's a bigot. There's no way he would even think about saying something like that, let alone actually almost say it.

[Leonardo]

I think he was about to say "nigglepuss", but realised it would sound ridiculous.

Seriously, though, there are other words that could fit in that sentence - "niggler" is one and sounds far too close to the offensive word for comfort. To give Santorum the benefit of the doubt, it is possible that was part of what he was going to say, but then he realised what it might sound like. If that was the case, then he simply couldn't stop his mouth quickly enough.

[None of the above]

It could have been any variety of words starting with the letter N. I think its just a tad racist to automatically assume it was going to be that particular N word. Just because his religious views may be a little extreme doesn't mean he's a bigot. There's no way he would even think about saying something like that, let alone actually almost say it.

I'd never heard of the bloke until I saw this being reported so I have no preconceptions about him.

It's a pretty damning clip. If it was another 'N' word, why didn't he recover and continue, using whatever that word was and there would be no problem?

[ohio traveler]

It sounded to me like the first part of the word he was beginning to say was Nid. Not Nig.

[Leonardo]

I'd never heard of the bloke until I saw this being reported so I have no preconceptions about him.

It's a pretty damning clip. If it was another 'N' word, why didn't he recover and continue, using whatever that word was and there would be no problem?

Well, the argument that he is a career politician and as such, using words such as n****r would be practised out of his vocabulary, if he even used such words to begin with, is a reasonable one.

Personally, as much a I dislike his message and what he represents, I can't see him using such offensive language in any speech. As for why he didn't recover, perhaps what he was about to say would sound like the n-word (but wasn't) and he realised it would cause controversy and perhaps hurt his reputation/credibility. As it is, he has done that without even saying the word! Result!!!

Edited March 31, 2012 by Leonardo

[Mr Right Wing]

It sounded to me like the first part of the word he was beginning to say was Nid. Not Nig.

This guy is some character -

(hates gays)

(hates women)

(wants theocracy)

and now hates blacks lol

[Legaia]

I'd never heard of the bloke until I saw this being reported so I have no preconceptions about him.

It's a pretty damning clip. If it was another 'N' word, why didn't he recover and continue, using whatever that word was and there would be no problem?

You're not missing much, I promise. Pennsylvania threw him out for a reason.

That being said, I just can't buy into the idea of him even thinking of saying that. People stumble upon their speech all of the time. I literally was just talking to someone and butchered three straight words so badly that they weren't even coherent. I would guess that's what happened here. The word he was saying in his head probably didn't even start with an N. It's racist to automatically jump to that word, in my honest opinion.

[Dragan]

Whoops. What a scumbag. Anyone seen that episode of south park where Randy Marsh is on wheel of fortune?

Maybe Santorum was about to call him a nagger. A person that annoys you.

[Lilly]

... The word he was saying in his head probably didn't even start with an N. It's racist to automatically jump to that word, in my honest opinion.

Review the video, the word most certainly did begin with an "N". And, the context of "anti-war government n_____" fits perfectly into what Mr. Santorum was talking about.

I think it's highly unfair, and quite frankly insulting, to imply that those of us who feel that Mr. Santorum was most likely starting to use the "N" word are racists. While it's certainly not definitive evidence (I'm dead certain Mr. Santorum will strongly deny it) it's enough to raise legitimate concern for most people.

Edited March 31, 2012 by Lilly
spelling

[Legaia]

Review the video, the word most certainly did begin with an "N". And, the context of "anti-war government n_____" fits perfectly into what Mr. Santorum was talking about.

I think it's highly unfair, and quite frankly insulting, to imply that those of us who feel that Mr. Santorum was most likely starting to use the "N" word are racists. While it's certainly not definitive evidence (I'm dead certain Mr. Santorum will strongly deny it) it's enough to raise legitimate concern for most people.

No one is calling anyone a racist, the notion of the assumption is racist. He is a politician - you can't tell me that, as Leo said, the word hasn't been thoroughly programmed out of his vocabulary. And to use that word after "anti-war government" really doesn't make any sense at all. What I think happened here is the same thing that happens to everyone. He got tongue-tied. It happens all the time, and it rarely makes any sense at all.

Edit to reply to first part - I said the word he was thinking probably didn't start with an N even though that's what came out of his mouth.

Edited March 31, 2012 by Legaia

[DoesntReallyLike]

In reference to Obama, the word could have been:

• narcissistic
  
• narrow-minded
  
• naive
  
• non-native
  
• nauseating
  
• nazi
  
• neanderthal
  
• nincompoop
  
• negligent
  

[libstaK]

Nice try so far but I am still waiting for that magic alternative viable word that someone making a political speech in that context would actually say that WASN'T the N word ....

He was so staid and calm when it slipped out too .. kind of makes you wonder if he would even blink before saying it in more private company.

[Legaia]

Wasn't going to say it, but I'm going to say it. It's such a leftist lib mentality to point fingers so [liberally] at anyone that they think is a racist. REVERSE-RACISM IS STILL RACISM.

[Eldorado]

Public speakers do not fold after making an innocent slip of the tongue. He went from calm to flustered cos he just nearly called his President a N****. imo

Edit to add: lol

Love it when a politician's mask slips.

Edited March 31, 2012 by Eldorado

[Lilly]

Nice try so far but I am still waiting for that magic alternative viable word that someone making a political speech in that context would actually say that WASN'T the N word ....

I agree with you. I just went back and very carefully listened to the audio again. I can clearly hear the "n" and short "i" sound there. So, unless the audio was somehow tampered with the "N" word is quite strongly indicated by both phonetics and syntax.

[libstaK]

Wasn't going to say it, but I'm going to say it. It's such a leftist lib mentality to point fingers so [liberally] at anyone that they think is a racist. REVERSE-RACISM IS STILL RACISM.

The only person who has focused on the term "racist" so far in this whole thread is yourself. Are you a leftist lib then?

Discussing whether he said or did not say a word or whether it was a natural thing for him to say or not say IS NOT saying anything about racism, it is saying he has "potentially" the capacity to be very politically incorrect in the type of trade insults he could stoop to in making his point.

[Legaia]

I agree with you. I just went back and very carefully listened to the audio again. I can clearly hear the "n" and short "i" sound there. So, unless the audio was somehow tampered with the "N" word is quite strongly indicated by both phonetics and syntax.

Yes.. I think we can all agree he used the letter N in his speech. This however means nothing because sometimes the brain works faster than the mouth, causing the speech to come out a mess. Do you honestly have no idea of this phenomenon?

[Lilly]

Yes.. I think we can all agree he used the letter N in his speech. This however means nothing because sometimes the brain works faster than the mouth, causing the speech to come out a mess. Do you honestly have no idea of this phenomenon?

I do understand what you're saying, I'm simply not convinced that this was the case there. Personally, I think Mr. Santorum simply corrected himself right on the verge of using a politically incorrect word.

Oh, and BTW, just because this is my personal opinion that does not make me either ultra liberal nor racist.

[Legaia]

I do understand what you're saying, I'm simply not convinced that this was the case there. Personally, I think Mr. Santorum simply corrected himself right on the verge of using a politically incorrect word.

Oh, and BTW, just because this is my personal opinion that does not make me either ultra liberal nor racist.

Lol, fair enough. Never thought you were either of those things.

The constant political correctness just gets incredibly old sometimes.

[libstaK]

Lol, fair enough. Never thought you were either of those things.

The constant political correctness just gets incredibly old sometimes.

Yeah PC has a lot to answer for it can really put a downer on what would otherwise be nonsensical "faux pas". But it doesn't make them any less funny