Rahm Emanuel Finds Redemption For Potty Mouth
Reputed potty mouth Rep. Rahm Emanuel (D-Ill.) has found redemption. Actually, just vindication. The congressman, who curses about as regularly as a clock ticks, is heralding a study out of London claiming that swearing in the workplace boosts team spirit.
Hell yeah!
All week Emanuel has been emailing the AFP (Agence France-Presse) wire story he found on the study, which is titled "Swearing at work and permissive leadership culture: when anti-social becomes social and incivility is acceptable," to his staff and colleagues.
According to the AFP story, British researchers who conducted the cursing-at-work study found that swearing "helped foster solidarity among employees and express frustration, stress or other feelings."
Sounds like Emanuel's congressional staffers are glad they feel justified now in joining the boss in foul-mouthed chatter. The congressman tells the Sleuth: "It's true, my staff is very happy, or at least they're afraid to tell me they're not."
But of course, they know how the boss really feels. He once told campaign staffers, "In my house, when you say 'f*%# you,' it's a sign of endearment," according to the book "The Thumpin': How Rahm Emanuel and the Democrats Learned to Be Ruthless and Ended the Republican Revolution."
One of the authors of the new pro-cursing study that Emanuel is so psyched about was quoted by the AFP as warning: "Managers need to understand how their staff feel about swearing. The challenge is to master the 'art' of knowing when to turn a blind eye to communication that does not meet their own standards."
As far as we can tell, Emanuel's staff seems OK with the swearing thing. But as Emanuel himself pointed out, ya think they'd dare say otherwise?
By Mary Ann Akers |
October 25, 2007; 5:20 PM ET
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Posted by: Shawn | October 25, 2007 06:41 PM
Shawn - I'm pretty sure you wouldn't be prepared for what would inevitably follow your greeting.
Probably you would just . . . slink away.
Posted by: smokinmike | October 25, 2007 09:01 PM
Big yaaawwwn. Who cares???
Posted by: Ellie | October 26, 2007 04:43 AM
How about an article on Cheney's persistent use of "strong language" in unusually public places, such as the Senate? It's not an accident that his name has actually become a substitute on blogs for a four-letter word: "Go Cheney yourself!"
Posted by: Avedon | October 26, 2007 08:09 AM
So Avedon, when Cheney's gone we can all say "Rahm you", which is close enough to ram you and therefore... I like it.
Posted by: actuator | October 26, 2007 10:02 AM
Q. What heads this "post a comment" blog?
A. "Comments Please email us to report offensive comments."
Yet another way to differentiate our elected representatives are not the same as the rest of us....
Posted by: lostksbearindallas | October 29, 2007 01:50 PM
All that and cystic acne, too!
Posted by: sawargos | October 29, 2007 04:40 PM
One on the most effective ways to swear and curse can be taken from the language used by 'Enora'(Agnes Morehead) of "BEWITCHED" fame.
After one has used the most common swear words of today often enough, one starts to sound redundant and ignorant.
Posted by: Marriea | October 29, 2007 06:53 PM
This just goes to show how much moral rights politicians have. I'll admit that I swear alot but I don't try to make some cover up story on why swearing is right. However next time I go to work I can go swear at my boss... I hope I don't get fired. And like Shawn said, if I ever see Representative Rahm Emanuel I can tell him to f*%# himself and he'll take it as a sign of endearment.
Posted by: Jose Robles | November 1, 2007 09:45 AM
Go f*@# yourself!!!
Posted by: Alex | November 1, 2007 09:48 AM
Never trust a man or woman who doesn't curse or have a drink - both in moderation.. F-U, I will drink to that...
Posted by: Phil | November 1, 2007 10:52 AM
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Good, next time I see Rahm here in DC I'll tell him to go f*@# himself and he won't take it personally.