to think Clare Short should apologise for using the term..

[blackeyedsusan]

"mongal baby!"

radio four, front row, tonight.

I think she needs re-educating. fast!

Love it - old PC liberal doesn't have latest PC words, and gets slated.

Euphemism treadmill run for you, Clare

whatme but if she's going to stay in the public eye...she needs to keep up with the times and that word has been unacceptable for AT LEAST 20 years.

Hear for yourself on listen again. First item up, the insult occurs at around 3.23, Mark Lawson tries to interrupt her at 3.54 an says "Down's Syndrome is the term she (Sarah Palin) and others prefer", Clare mumbles "sorry oh yes uhm" and sounds confused more than apologetic.

Quite shocking

Disgusted that anyone in this day and age would still have that in their vocabulary

I heard it and was really shocked, I've not heard that term used for years! Very strange, but it was corrected.

she does say 'oh yeah, sorry' but written down that sounds more offhand than it was. she's not trying to offend, at all. but am astonished to think that she would still be using the term, i wonder if it was a bit of brain melt? there's no way she is that dense or ignorant.

What do you expect from a woman who gave her 6 month old baby up for adoption. She was even married to the baby's father.

does she mean it as an insult? I just listened and it just sounded like someone from the 1950's thinking it was an acceptable expression, not an insult. I'm not remotely suggesting she should use it as an expression and should definitely know better but it didn't sound like it was meant maliciously
having said that, it didn't sound like she understood it was an offensive term to use these days, either
quite shocking and also bizarre that people seem to live in these 1950's timewarps, particularly those in the public eye.

glad she was quickly pulled up on it anyway

(as an aside, wikipedia tells me the term to use in the US is 'Down Syndrome' not 'down's syndrome')

Whoa Rhinestone, I don't know anything about that, but don't rrally see what that has to do with anything.

what's your point, rhinestone?

it's possible that she just had a brain melt on the radio... i've done that myself, in the studio, yakking away and The Wrong Word just comes out of your mouth. not swearing, or anything, just not the word you were hoping your brain would locate.

Er...I think my point is fairly obvious that she's not an especially warm, caring person.

I have to say, listening back to that; it does seem to be a legitimate apology, not a confused mumbling.

I did cringe when she used that term, but it certainly didn't seem to have been used out of malice, or as an insult.

I agree with the poster who said it was an opportunity to educate.

And Rhinestone - she was 17 when she gave birth. Marriage has nothing to do with it.

I find your link between giving a baby up for adoption and not being a caring person absolutely disgusting.

does she mean it as an insult? I just listened and it just sounded like someone from the 1950's thinking it was an acceptable expression, not an insult.

No it wasn't, but in PC-World she loses anyway because the sin is not to know the latest words, not what you meant or intended to say.

But then, she of all people should know the rules....

OK, my apologies, that wasn't what I meant but I can see how it could have been construed that way. For the record I do NOT think that giving up a child for adoption = you are uncaring.

I don't think she was 17, she was at university (think she was 20), married to the man and gave the baby up at 6 months. The story 'spun' in the press when it all came out was that she was a young girl with no support etc etc, rather different. I don't judge anyone for giving a baby up for adoption but I do judge professional politicians for spinning.

My point was, she is a vain, arrogant, unthinking individual who isn't the right-on, caring, PC person she likes to think she is. It is entirely in keeping with what I know of her that she says one thing and does another.

Again, apologies for any offense that my hastily written post caused.

Just played that to DH without telling him what to listen for and his jaw hit the floor.

I'm most stunned that CS is that ignorant.

oh dear i am dissapointed in her :(

she does know better, what the hell was she thinking. ok she has said sorry but she does deserve the backlash she will get and others idiots can learn from this mistake

I read half of this thread thinking of Clare Balding instead of Clare Short

Wtf
why would anyone say that?
and who is this person?

I too was stunned that CS used that expression. My jaw was on the floor. Where has she been the past 30'years? I am confused someone who should be reasonably on the ball would make such a mistake with an outdated expression. And she did sound utterly confused.

I heard it in the car and when I got in I said I've just heard the strangest thing on the radio. I was so astounded. Glad others were surprised too.

Labour MP, was in the cabinet briefly until she resigned over Iraq War in 2003.

She was the first Secretary of State for International Development. Ran her department like a private fiefdom.

I used to work in her department and I am not surprised at all at her unpleasantness, just surprised she's managed to hang on to her fluffy left-wing image for so long.

TheCraicDealer thank you
she sounds as thick as shit

I got her and Clare Balding mixed up, so I don't feel qualified to comment on her intelligence really

I am amazed that anyone would use that expression today. I don't think Clare Short's age/generation has anything to do with it. I'm not that much younger than her, and I haven't heard the word in years and years.

I don't think she meant it as an insult, but it did come across as very ignorant and unthinking.