Obama's Bad "Sweetie" Habit

That Barack Obama is so eloquent!

WXYZ: The comment came during a tour of the Chrysler plant when the Democratic presidential candidate tried to brush off a question from WXYZ's Peggy Agar about help for autoworkers. "Senator, how are you going to help the American autoworkers," Agar asked Obama. "Hold on one second, sweetie," he replied.

Frank James writes:

Why did Sen. Barack Obama refer to a reporter during a Michigan campaign stop as "sweetie?"

Was it an attempt by the Democratic presidential candidate to show his affinity for blue-collar folks by attempting to sound like a waitress at a diner?

In the same vein, was he trying for a little machismo in front of the male workers at a Sterling, Michigan auto manufacturing plant he visited today?

Needless to say, a lot of women and even some men aren't going to like it. Some will interpret it as Obama being dismissive to the point of being somewhat sexist.

Is this a big deal?

Relatively speaking, no.

But should Obama be calling a female reporter "sweetie"?

Absolutely not.

Would Helen Thomas stand for that sort of treatment?

No.

I take that back. Coming from Obama, she would.

Apparently, Obama and his people felt it was necessary to do some damage control.

UPDATE:

Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Barack Obama has apologized to WXYZ reporter Peggy Agar for calling her "sweetie" during a campaign stop Wednesday in Sterling Heights.

Obama apologized in a voicemail he left on Agar's cell phone at 3:16 p.m:

"Hi Peggy. This is Barack Obama. I'm calling to apologize on two fronts. One was you didn't get your question answered and I apologize. I thought that we had set up interviews with all the local stations. I guess we got it with your station but you weren't the reporter that got the interview. And so, I broke my word. I apologize for that and I will make up for it.

"Second apology is for using the word 'sweetie.' That's a bad habit of mine. I do it sometimes with all kinds of people. I mean no disrespect and so I am duly chastened on that front. Feel free to call me back. I expect that my press team will be happy to try to make it up to you whenever we are in Detroit next."

Listen to the voicemail apology.

Obama has to break that habit.

He can't be going around saying that to "all kinds of people."

What does he mean by "all kinds of people" anyway?

All ages?

Both sexes?

What?

It doesn't matter. In a professional setting, it sounds disrespectful. It's inappropriate. It comes off as sexist.

Has Obama ever called Tim Russert "sweetie"?

I think not.

I'm sure Chris Matthews would love to be called "sweetie" by his idol Obama.

If Obama can quit smoking, he has to have the willpower to kick his "sweetie" habit.

Has he quit smoking?