February 3, 2012

Justice Sandra Day O'Connor tells a joke about Romney and Mormons and polygamy and Gingrich.

"One is a practicing polygamist, and he's not even the Mormon."

That sounds like a joke that's just out there waiting for everyone to discover it. I find it hard to believe that she's the first person to say it... and also that she did say it.

64 comments:

SGT Ted said...

Serial Monogomy is more like it. But it is a funny line.

shirley elizabeth said...

I've seen the joke everywhere...

Sloanasaurus said...

Looking forward to a time when we can tell jokes about our President again. With the current president it's kind of like living in a totalitarian/communist state - except the toalitarianism is enforced by the private/liberal media rather than the government.

Damon said...

Same level of seriousness and class she had on the SCOTUS - none.

Scott M said...

Even if she did actually say it, what can you do? She's got tenure.

traditionalguy said...

Newt would not stop trying until he got it right.

Thorley Winston said...

Yeah, I’ve heard similar jokes about Gingrich for a while now. A lot of people have made that joke but it’s so obvious that O’Connor may have also come up with it independently.
Sort of like “Keeping up with the Cardassians” which some in the infotainment industry credited to George Takai.

David said...

Remember, if a liberal says it, it's humor, not bigotry.

Bob_R said...

I guess she finally listened to John Riggins.

Geoff Matthews said...

I'm still waiting for the time when comedians (professional and amateur) can come up with something funnier than polygamy for mormons.

edutcher said...

SCOTUS humor, whoda thunk?

SGT Ted said...

Serial Monogomy is more like it. But it is a funny line.

Actually serial polygamy - first year sociology.

tim maguire said...

Would she make the same joke if Romney were a Muslim? (cause she could, but I doubt she would.)

TMink said...

First time I heard it, and it is a good one! It reminds me of John Riggins, the football player, sharing a table with her at some fundraiser and encouraging her to "Lighten up Sandy baby!"

I see she took his advice.

Trey

TMink said...

Sorry, Bob, I did not see you beat me to the punchline.

Trey

Brian Brown said...

Speaking of silly comments by women, Komen has caved (just as I said they would)

We want to apologize to the American public for recent decisions that cast doubt upon our commitment to our mission of saving women's lives.
The events of this week have been deeply unsettling for our supporters, partners and friends and all of us at Susan G. Komen. We have been distressed at the presumption that the changes made to our funding criteria were done for political reasons or to specifically penalize Planned Parenthood. They were not.

Our original desire was to fulfill our fiduciary duty to our donors by not funding grant applications made by organizations under investigation. We will amend the criteria to make clear that disqualifying investigations must be criminal and conclusive in nature and not political. That is what is right and fair


Oh well, abortion trumps all and Sandy baby was big on the abortion train...

Carol_Herman said...

Ah, she of the "Plastic Reindeer" fame. And, how you can make a public display of the Nativity, if you add in a few flamingos.

I think government should STAY OUT of people's private affairs!

The sad fight the pubbies are having about moving forward a socially conservative agenda, is suicidal.

Yes. There is a big fight within the GOP tent, now. Just as there was back in 1964. When Barry Goldwater got the nomination from Nelson Rockefeller. BOTH went down in flames.

So, in Sandra Day O'Connor's sense of humor, both men deserve geing laughed at, because they like to fuck.

Politicians seem to lose votes for being straight laced.

And, Newt, bless his heart, was trying to talk about LIMITING GOVERNMENT'S REACH.

Sorry, but Mittens has long arms.

And, Obama can skate in ... Just like Jimmy Carter could'a won ... If Reagan didn't grab the microphone away from the elder Bush.

Once you lose customers, you can't gain them back.

Carol_Herman said...

What does Romney want? He wants to stick lots of Mormon's around in jobs that were once held by Harvard types. Even Jewish ones.

Who grew what we see now? FDR.

How did FDR do it? By staying in office through 4 terms. Count 'em. They were all part of the Great Depression.

When Depressions hit properties lose value. Ordinary people don't want to invest in Wall Street. And, all sorts of people who were earning their incomes in commissions ... suddenly aren't.

Future job market? The Federal Goverment. Oh, the Mormons are on a mission for something valuable.

ME? if Mitt's the man? You'll see me saying here that he's got to challenge John McCain's draw. And, John McCain was a war hero.

"War Hero" didn't quite fit Dubya. But what stinkers like this produce ... are very close elections!

When you've seen GOP wins, you've seen stuff that grew very sour.

Would it limit what Obama does ... if you notice how many congress critters climed on board SOPA?

How no one is talking about the FBI arresting a non-citizen in New Zealand, over millions of people's computer files?

If you want to see pirates, you'd look at Somalia. And, you'd still notice most Americans don't give a rat's ass about boats being lifted.

Me? I laughed when the Russians reacted to one of those. And, the Somalis? Did you know the Russican captain photographed how those pirates went down?

Thank the INTERNET! At some point you're getting get the whiff of how evil our government has become. While the Russians know better on how to deal with threats.

We just get to watch the show.

I don't give Mitt 50/50.

John Althouse Cohen said...

I heard this several months ago. "The candidate with 3 wives isn't the Mormon."

sakredkow said...
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Robert said...

She's telling the joke all wrong though, or, at least, badly.

It should be: One's a practicing polygamist(pause)and the other's a Mormon.

That's how these jokes go.

ricpic said...

SGT Ted got it in one. World of difference between polygamy and serial monogamy.

Chuck66 said...

That was a joke told many years ago by someone (in politics) who I can't remember.

Something like "I am a polygamist who doesn't poly, and you are a mongamist who dooesn't monog".

edutcher said...

Jay said...

Speaking of silly comments by women, Komen has caved (just as I said they would)

Hmm,

HotAir had a piece yesterday their donations had doubled since the cut the abattoir loose.

Tank said...

Geoff Matthews said...
I'm still waiting for the time when comedians (professional and amateur) can come up with something funnier than polygamy for mormons.


Um, Book of Mormom ? Two hours of hilarity about ... Mormons.

And I don't recall any of it being about polygamy (although there were so many funny bits, who could remember?).

Tank said...

Jay

I was going to donate to Komen, but then thought, ... I better wait a few days, see how this shakes out.

Whew.

Ctmom4 said...

Someone said, in 2008, when Rudy and McCain and I forget who else, were in the race, that the only Republican running who had only one wife was the Mormon. This way is funnier though.

Bruce Hayden said...

I guess that the problem I have with this, is that Mormons (as we know them) haven't been able to take plural wives for over a hundred years now. I suspect that the policy when polygamy was outlawed by the LDS Church was that new plural wives were forbidden, but that no one had to divorce all their wives except for their favorite one. (That fight would have been interesting).

Think of this sort of attack on Mormons as being similar to reminding everyone that the Roman Catholic Church used to sell indulgences. These were essentially get-out-of-jail cards, where you could buy your way out of sin. Or, that Puritans (i.e. the ancestors of mainstream Protestantism here) used to dunk suspected witches - if they drowned, they were not witches, but if they survived, they were, and had to be burned at the stake or something.

sakredkow said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Known Unknown said...

World of difference between polygamy and serial monogamy.


But Newton wasn't monogamous. That's where the 'seriality' of things begins.

Dan in Philly said...

I thought the more traditional for was where the punchline was "One believes in polygamy, and the other is a Mormon!"

Brian Brown said...

edutcher,

Sure, donations may have doubled, but they are back supporting Womens's health again!

People are asking for their money back.

Mark O said...

Oy.

Not only is she not nearly the first one to trot out this chestnut, Ann needs to have Meade explain why it's not news. He's the smart one, remember?

edutcher said...

Jay said...

edutcher,

Sure, donations may have doubled, but they are back supporting Womens's health again!

People are asking for their money back.


Good.

Megyn Kelly was talking about this and it sounds like the same kind of ZeroCare strongarm the Catholic Church is getting.

Bruce Hayden said...

Are you saying it's not all fair game? Maybe you have to look at the context before deciding. Or should we just make a blanket statement: you shouldn't make jokes with Mormons this way.

Maybe yes - the LDS Church put polygamy behind them over 100 years ago. The Catholic Church no longer sells indulgences and the Protestants in New England no longer dunk suspected witches. When does the statute of limitations run on this sort of thing anyway?

But jokes about Mormons in general? Maybe fine, but I am a bit troubled that we can't also make fun of Muslims. They still do practice polygamy, as well as honor killings, and believe in 72 virgins upon martyrdom (or, some would suggest 72 grapes - but I find that less compelling).

In any case, go ahead and joke about their funny underwear, or some of the stuff in the Book of Mormon.

Or, the classic one that you shouldn't invite just one Mormon to go fishing with you, because if you do, they will drink all your beer (and, the implication being that they won't drink any of it if there are more than one present).

Jose_K said...

can come up with something funnier than polygamy for mormons.. like the mormon that was abducted by a miss universe to force him to lose his virginity? ( a real fact)
diachronic poligamy

Sloanasaurus said...

Here's a mormon/protestant/atheist joke....

A protestant minister was telling me the other day that Mormonism is most surely a cult. After all, it seems incredibly impossible that Christ - after he rose from the dead - was able to travel all the way to North America so quickly to walk amongst the natives....

Thorley Winston said...

I was going to donate to Komen, but then thought, ... I better wait a few days, see how this shakes out.


Very wise, it was a little distressing to see sites like National Review Online and Red State encouraging their readers/members to donate to SGK. A lot of their readers/members are distressing at how they got “taken” although unless they gave them cash, they should still be able to cancel any pledge.


SGK is a lot like the United Way – they don’t provide services directly and instead act as an aggregator where the funds (minus their overhead, fundraising and other expenses) are dispersed to groups that actually do provide services and who are usually ready and willing to take your donation directly. Moreover there’s a disconnect between what both groups tell their donors during pledge drives and such what services they’re funding and where the bulk of the money is being spent. SGK for example spends less than one-sixth of the donations it receives on providing funding for breast cancer research and the bulk is actually going for marketing and promotions which are billed as “raising awareness.”


I encourage everyone who wishes to donate to charity – regardless of what their views are on abortion or any other controversial issue – instead of sending your money to aggregator groups like SGK and the United Way, find a worthy organization that actually provides the services that you want to support and give them the money directly. That way you can be sure that you’re funding the things that you actually believe in and you get the maximum bang for your buck.

Sloanasaurus said...

The thing about polygamy, however, is that its one of those things that people actually don't really care about, and may even be something that is desirable for some people (a la Big Love) but you don't want to actually admit that so everyone is on board with being against polygamy. Polygamy ius an abomination... isn't it?

Steven said...

I remember that Kate O'Beirne made a quip along those lines four years ago (that the Mormon was the only serious Republican candidate who had only been married once) and that Romney repeated it.

I had thought of "Keeping up with the Cardassians" but not seen it elsewhere until this comment thread. I'm not surprised that I wasn't alone.

Revenant said...

When does the statute of limitations run on this sort of thing anyway?

When people forget that it happened.

Heck, Australians still have to deal with penal-colony jokes.

Scott M said...

Heck, Australians still have to deal with penal-colony jokes.

Just no FDR/polio jokes...too soon.

bgates said...

Then in the general election, we'll have the party that was founded to fight slavery vs the party that has most of the black people.

The party of the downtrodden is a cinch to win Beverly Hills, Marin, Westchester, and DC, but the party of the plutocrats has an equally big edge in places like Bakersfield, Allentown, and Oklahoma City.

One party opposes the idea that the government should be able to kill off old ladies once they're no longer useful to anybody. I get the feeling Justice O'Connor supports the other one.

Mark Nielsen said...

I don't know very many Mormons that would take any offense at that joke. We chuckle about polygamy all the time -- no big deal. Some of the other "humor" that deals with things held sacred by us would get more of a reaction.

I haven't seen "The Book of Mormon", but the excerpts that I've heard have been tremendously funny. From what I understand, they pretty much stuck to the cultural humor (a very rich vein) and stayed away from the sacred. Good on them if that's true.

Carnifex said...

Gul Dukhat does not like it when you make fun of Cardassia, and there will be repercussions. When the Federation falls you will all be singing different tunes.

I think Sandy Baby needs to watch out the Mormons are very touchy about people making fun of them and their ways, and she could be fatwa...Oh. Mormons...I thought you said Mus...never mind.

Amazing how the God of Moroni can take a joke but the God of Mohammed can't.

Ps. The best explanation for the Mormon religion can be found on "South Park" Where the little Mormon boy admits that his religion has a seriously funny foundation, but it teaches him to love his family, and help others, and respect other people so who the heck cares.

Robert said...

I made the same joke two weeks ago in your comments here -- maybe that's where Sandy Day saw it ;-)

I ♥ Willard said...

With the current president it's kind of like living in a totalitarian/communist state

Agreed. Why did the Professor vote for the commie? Just because he's black?

Thorley Winston said...

The thing about polygamy, however, is that its one of those things that people actually don't really care about, and may even be something that is desirable for some people (a la Big Love)

I loved Big Love and honestly had never thought much about polygamy until I started watching the show. Much as I loved the Hendersons and felt that they truly loved each other, my takeaway from the show was that polygamy was inherently dysfunctional even when practiced among consenting adults.

For anyone who is interested in a Mormon take on “Big Love” that explains a lot of the background and context on things discussed in the show, I’d highly recommend the “Unofficial Big Love Podcast.”

Larvell said...

How did FDR do it? By staying in office through 4 terms. Count 'em.

Harry Truman might disagree.

Pragmatist said...

Funny! Some how even funnier coming from her. But technically you are not a polygamist if you just cheat, run and leave. You are a serial monogamist. Except when you are cheating. But then only if she is ill and to busy to check up on you.

Pragmatist said...

You can tell jokes about your president when you elect one who is a joke, like Georgy. Until then you will have to continue to misuse the dictionary to find humor.

RonF said...
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Carol_Herman said...

Larvell @ 3:59 PM, why would Truman, or anyone, disagree that FDR won 4 terms of office.

In 1944, he was sick as a dog.

And, FDR picked Truman to replace (I think), his veep, Wallace. (Wallace was a card-carrying communist.)

That was in 1944.

In 1948 Dewey claimed the GOP nomination. (And, the GOP tossed away General MacArthur.)

Just like today, where the GOP gets convinced they're gonna win (because the incumbent is unpopular) ... Truman hit the train tracks ... And, gathered crowds at each of the stops he made. "Give Em Hell, Harry" was born.)

Meanwhile, at one train stop the democraps refused to give Harry money to press on. And, Harry had to pass the hat around all the cronnies (including from the press), who were traveling with him. Or the train would have remained stuck in the station.

Harry Truman chose not to run, again, in 1952. And, believe it or not, BOTH parties went to Eisenhower, offering him the presidential nomination.

Ike chose the republicans. He said the democraps would have been too controling. It would have felt like LBJ, and a few others, would have taken turns to shove their arms up his ass. And, push him around like a puppet.

Eisenhower, did a Reagan. He took the nomination ... And, Ike put in Nixon. Who was supposed to be the "watch dog."

Reagan put in the elder Bush.

Business then went on as usual.

If Obama skates into another term ... you'll hear the republican party tearing itself apart! And, the social conservatives won't let go.

Carol_Herman said...

You know, if you're telling jokes about Mormonism, here and now ...

It seems there's an issue afoot.

How come the victory splash from Florida didn't cancel out this "religious curiosity?"

Oh, bu the way. What pressures befell the Susan Komen Foundation ... that they threw their car into reverse? Women drivers.

The Crack Emcee said...

She summed up why I can't vote for either,...

The Crack Emcee said...

SGT Ted,

Serial Monogomy is more like it. But it is a funny line.

He cheated on each one - polygamy.

The Crack Emcee said...

Bruce Hayden,

The LDS Church put polygamy behind them over 100 years ago. The Catholic Church no longer sells indulgences and the Protestants in New England no longer dunk suspected witches. When does the statute of limitations run on this sort of thing anyway?

Never - betraying your faith for political purposes (as the Mormons did) is fair game.

When are y'all gonna get out of the Belief Protection Racket is a better question.

They're only fucking beliefs,..

The Crack Emcee said...

Mark Nielsen,

I haven't seen "The Book of Mormon", but the excerpts that I've heard have been tremendously funny. From what I understand, they pretty much stuck to the cultural humor (a very rich vein) and stayed away from the sacred. Good on them if that's true.

Which is what makes Glenn and Ann, trotting out that South Park quote, so stupid:

Either you deal with the beliefs realistically - which makes them stupid and dangerous - or you shut the fuck up:

People's lives have been destroyed over such nonsense.

To deny that, or to ignore it, makes you a liar and a party to the crimes.

Peter Hoh said...

Like "ctmom4" and "S," I recall hearing this joke 4 years ago. I seem to think it was Kathleen Parker who said it.

Peter Hoh said...

Google proves "S" right.

Kate O'Beirne,August 21, 2006:

Should Mitt Romney join a 2008 race that included John McCain, Rudy Giuliani, Newt Gingrich and George Allen, the only guy in the GOP field with only one wife would be the Mormon.

Mark Nielsen said...

You know Crack, I enjoy reading some of what you have to say here. I admire you in a lot of ways, though I've never met you. For the life of me, though, I can't figure you out on this one topic. Nobody I've seen comments from around here cares if you don't believe in anything beyond yourself. I haven't seen anybody pushing you to do so, and I won't either.

But I resent your insinuation that people are always made worse by believing in things they can't explain with logic. I'll try to avoid pulling rank on you, but I'll just say that I've studied it a lot more than you have. And one thing that logic has led humans to understand is that logic itself is a pretty weak reed. In a very real sort of philosophical irony, mathematicians have used logic to prove that logic can't teach us everything -- we can prove the existence of facts beyond its grasp. Some of us choose to face that by developing (or perhaps inventing -- your viewpoint will determine which word you prefer) other means of acquiring insight. And some of us think those insights, or at least the attempts to get them, make us better people.

But regardless of what you think of that, the believers around you are not trying to ruin your life. Chill.

Michael McNeil said...

Or, the classic one that you shouldn't invite just one Mormon to go fishing with you, because if you do, they will drink all your beer….

I heard that one as being about Baptists (told by a Presbyterian).

ruchi said...

snicker snicker from the Rodney King of SCOTUS
Though typically one expects the left to stretch the meaning of words so that the penumbras can fall where their excitable hearts desire.

Anonymous said...

"Why did the Professor vote for the commie? Just because he's black?"

If Barack Obama's name was Barry Obamanson from Podunk Minnesota he'd have been laughed off the national scene with a resume like his. So yeah a lot of people voted for him because he was black. But you already knew that didn't you?

carrie said...

Personally, I don't understand why people look down on polygamy in this day and age of rampant sex outside of marriage and single parent families where the mother never married the father of her children. At least a polygamist marries his sexual partners and assumes legal and financial responsilbity for his wives and children. It's not illegal to commit adultery anymore (or if it is, the law isn't enforced), so why is multiple wives a big issue?