The random political thoughts thread (Part Deux)

Alex · 07-31-2006, 10:01 AM

What are your thoughs on porch monkey?

Tar baby is one of those sticky wickets. It has a large geographic variation in usage. In many parts of the country it is used primarily to refer to a sticky problem you can't get away from once you're involved. In other parts of the country it is used primarily as a racially derogatory term. Personally, it has enough taint that even though I grew up in one of the former areas I'd probably never actually use the phrase unless talking about a literal tar baby (as seen in Song of the South, for example).

What is particularly bizarre about Romney's usage is that Tony Snow got into trouble for it just a couple months ago during one of his first press conferences as Press Secretary.

07-31-2006, 10:01 AM	#1
Alex . Join Date: Feb 2005 Posts: 13,354	What are your thoughs on porch monkey? Tar baby is one of those sticky wickets. It has a large geographic variation in usage. In many parts of the country it is used primarily to refer to a sticky problem you can't get away from once you're involved. In other parts of the country it is used primarily as a racially derogatory term. Personally, it has enough taint that even though I grew up in one of the former areas I'd probably never actually use the phrase unless talking about a literal tar baby (as seen in Song of the South, for example). What is particularly bizarre about Romney's usage is that Tony Snow got into trouble for it just a couple months ago during one of his first press conferences as Press Secretary.
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